Celtic qualify for Fitzpatrick Cup final after penalty shoot-out

CARLINGFORD Celtic qualified for the final of the Fitzpatrick Cup when they beat Ravensdale 3-2 on penalties following an evenly contested 90 minutes.

Following from early Carlingford pressure it was Ravensdale who took the lead at 12 minutes when a poor clearance by the Carlingford defence was latched onto by Gearoid McArdle who sent a fine shot to the bottom corner of the net. The lead didn’t last too long as within 5 minutes Carlingford were level. Conor McGuinness went on a great run down the right wing beating three defenders and his cross was clinically finished by John Boland.

Celtic went ahead on the 25th minute when a fine move down the middle involv- ing Aoghan McGuinness, Shane Marks and Richard McGee ended with Shane Coleman scoring with a fierce strike into the top corner. Celtic should have increased their lead even more with two chances going a begging in the space of a few minutes both being headed wide in front of an open goal. Ravensdale to their credit never gave up and they were rewarded after 40 minutes when a Ravensdale player was fouled in the box and Declan Sharkey coolly converted the spot kick to level the score at the break.

The second half was pretty even with Ravensdale failing to take advantage of the wind. Both sides had half chances but it was Carlingford who went ahead in the 75th minute when Shane Marks chased a long ball to the end line and pulled the ball back for John Boland to score.

Celtic looked pretty comfortable at this stage but Ravensdale put in a sterling finish in the last five minutes. They should have equalised three minutes from time when great work by Shane Finnegan took him past the Carlingford defence and ‘ keeper McNally but a horrible bobble just as he struck the ball forced it to go agonisingly over the bar. But Finnegan redeemed himself on the 90th minute when following a skirmish in the Carlingford penalty box he got the final touch to make it 3-3 and send the game into penalties.

Carlingford qualified for the final courtesy of a 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.