Tough task for Bellurgan boss
NORTH EAST FOOTBALL LEAGUE Quay’s Cup bid is all ‘Rover’
DULEEK BELLURGAN 2 1
BELLURGAN’S new manager Colm McConville has a fairly hard task in hand with the Peninsula side flirting dangerously with relegation after their sixth defeat in seven games at the Tollstone on Sunday.
Interim manger Martin Finnegan was in charge after guiding them to a win over bottom club Kingscourt the previous Sunday, but he couldn’t repeat the feat due to an inspired display by the home goalkeeper and their inability convert a portion of a raft of fine scoring opportunities.
After the first 25 minutes the visitors could have had the points wrapped up. Paddy Keenan was within inches of putting them ahead after five minutes, and five minutes later the home goalkeeper made a brilliant save to deny Ciaran Sheelan, the first of many vital saves he pulled off in the game.
Then Bellurgan’s day was summed up when Stephen Finnegan brought another outstanding save from the goalkeeper who pushed the ball out, leaving what looked a simple tap-in for Ciaran Sheelan, only for the ball to hit the post and ran back into the goalkeeper’s hands .
The goalkeeper ensured it was scoreless at the break with another excellent save from a free-kick from outside the box by Sheelan on the half hour.
Bellurgan’s tale of woe continued in the second-half when Paddy Keenan struck the post.
Then to compound matters two defensive mistakes in the space of five minutes yielded goals for Duleek midway through.
Ciaran Sheelan won a spot kick for the visitors 15 minutes from time, and John Smith cut the deficit to the minimum.
Then the Duleek ‘keeper crowned his heroics with a remarkable save from Ciaran Sheelan who met firmly Daniel O’Connor’s cross with his head inside the six yard box.
Still Bellurgan persevered and carved out three more opportunities in the closing five minutes to salvage a draw, but it just wasn’t to be with the home goalkeeper defying them to the end. BELLURGAN: Robert Arthur, Aoghan McGuinness, Ray Finnegan, Darragh Lafferty (Owen Traynor 75), John Smith (Diarmuid Murphy 85), Stephen Finnegan, Brian White, Daniel McDonald (Emmet Rogan 75), Daniel O’Connor , Ciaran Sheelan, Paddy Keenan. KILMESSAN Shield holders Quay Celtic were victims of the biggest shock so far in the Tully Bookmakers Cup when they made their exit from the knockout competition on Thursday night at Monasterboice at the hands of their hosts who are competing two divisions below them.
Quay’s form has been erratic this season with their results following a yo-yo pattern and were entering the tie on the back of a deflating home defeat by premier league leaders Boyne Harps.
They made several changes following that set back and given they are still in the running for the title a win is all that would have been forecast for the visitors.
That outcome looked more probable when Eanna McArdle headed Quay in front with a near post header from a cross by Aaron Comerford with over a half an hour played.
However, a shade of doubt was cast when Albion pulled level in somewhat fortuitous fashion when their winger crossed from near the end line and the ball struck a Quay defender and looped over his helpless goalkeeper John Rogers into the far corner of the net.
Quay took hold of the game after the break, aided by a raft of changes, and created a string of scoring chances. Crucially however, they weren’t able to translate them into goals, which proved costly.
Vinny Smith struck the home crossbar, and two of their best openings were spurned by Aaron Comerford, who was left with only the home goalkeeper to beat, and Pauric Brown knocked the ball over the crossbar from practically on the goal line.
Then a further mishap proved decisive as Pauric Brown struggled to control a pass back by Eanna McArdle allowing a home player to nip in and take the ball. Denis Cholach re-acted to try and block his shot but typical of Quay’s season he only succeeded in deflecting it through John Rogers’s legs.
It went from bad to worst for Quay as player manger Martin Smith led the charge from the tipoff but rashly got himself sent-off after he was fouled on the edge of the Albion penalty box and went to take the free kick quickly.
Quay still managed to carve out good scoring opportunities to equalise, denied what was a legitimate penalty, and had two other claims for a spot kick turned down. QUAY: John Rogers, Pauric Browne, Stefan McKevitt, Dennis Cholach, David Redmond, Shaun O’Connor (Johnny Lynch), Eanna McArdle, Cody Magill (Conail McArdle), Niall McLaughlin (Danny Coyle), Aaron Comerford, Vinny Smith (Martin Smith).Other subs Gary Shevlin, Andrew Duffy.