Doolargy have edge in nine-goal thriller

DUNDALK SUMMER LEAGUE

THE second meeting between fellow strugglers Doolargy and Walshestown in the space of two nights yielded a victory for the hosts on Thursday to continue their improving fortune but left their opponents firmly propping up the table.

However, the losers put up a gallant show in a thrilling game that produced nine goals, some of the highest quality, defiantly fighting right to the end after being reduced to ten men only seven minutes into the second-half.

Doolargy looked set for a comfortable win when the precocious 15 year-old Cody McAreavey converted the resulting penalty kick when Aidan Kirwan handled on his goal line and was red carded. Despite goalkeeper Johnny Lynch diving full length to get his finger tips to the ball Doolargy’s lead was stretched to 4-1.

Goalkeeper Lynch pulled off a couple of excellent saves and his side had a big let-off when Aaron Grimes hit the post and substitute Ruari Rooney blazed the rebound over an open goal.

The home side might have become a little complacent and were given a rude awakening with Walshestown pulling back two goals in the space of seven minutes from the 73 minute.

Stephen Campbell pounced to hit a snap shot to the net for his second goal of the match—his first was a well taken finish from a cushioned headed knockdown at the back post by John McEneaney to cancel out Aaron Grimes goal that gave Doolargy the lead after a quarter of an hour.

Then Doolargy realised they were in a real fight when McEneaney struck a superb free kick from the edge of the 18 yard box over the wall and into the top corner of the net, striking the underside of the bar before entering the net.

That cut the deficit to the bare minimum and really put it up to the home side who responded in the most majestic fashion through Keith Harmon to secure the three points three minutes from the end. The mid-field player intercepted a poor clearance, weaved past a defender and as Lynch advanced off his line he executed the deftest of chips over the goalkeeper into the open goal.

Still Walshestown refused to accept their fate and Boylan capped a fine individual performance by punishing Doolargy for slack defending by ramming home the bouncing ball in a crowded goalmouth in stoppage time. Also to the fore for the losers was Stephen Campbell with his brace and their other goalscorer McEneaney.

Tommy Badun made at least two goal saving interceptions for Doolargy in the first-half in which they had very much the upperhand, but would have fallen behind only for goalkeeper Dane Harrison’s quick and timely dash out of his goal thwarted Owen Murdock.

Grimes then was defied by Lynch at the other end when Harmon and Doherty combined to put him free to the right of goal in the box.

But the striker broke the deadlock with a glancing header from Thomas Conway’s corner kick.

Within two minutes of Walshestown equalising Doherty put Doolargy back ahead when he turned in the loose ball at the far post after Lynch saved Grimes shot.

Teenager McAreavey then produced the first of some gorgeous pieces of football when he chipped a lovely ball to the far post from the end line on the right, but Conway couldn’t direct his header on target.

However, Conway made up for that miss when his free-kick from outside the box struck the wall and arched over Lynch in the visitors goal just before the break. DOOLARGY: Dane Harrison, Shane Taaffe, Tommy Badun Thomas Conway (Padraig McGuinness), Kieran Boland ( Ruari Rooney) Conor Murray, Cody McAreavey, Keith Harmon, Aaron Grimes, Joe Doherty, Kaylem Conway.

WALSHESTOWN: Tommy Lynch, Ronan Dowd (Enda Clinton), Aidan Kirwan, Jim Meegan, Dannan McMahon, Gerry Campbell, Stephen Campbell, John McEneaney, David Boylan, David McMahon, Eoin Murdock (David Kirwan). Other sub Paul Holcroft.