Bay make a point in dramatic finale

DIVISION 3 DONACARNEY CELTIC 3 BAY FC 3

ON a freezing cold afternoon in Bettystown, Donacarney welcomed table toppers Bay to Castlemartin on Sunday. Like previous clashes between the teams this was a closely contested affair.

Bay, who were named the NEFL’s team of the month for August last week, won one nil in Dundalk and a Leinster Junior shield tie ended in a 4-4 draw before Donacarney ran out winners on penalties in two previous meetings.

The conditions made it tough for both teams to get it down and play, and Donacarney were very lucky not to be down to ten men with less than 10 minutes played. A whipped ball over the top from Alfonso Crespo played Mark Larkin in 20 yards out, and he was hauled down on the edge of the box by the chasing defender. The referee only showed a yellow before Larkin hit the resulting free kick just wide of the far post.

Perhaps finding his range with that effort, Larkin made no mistake with a second free kick in a similar position, smashing it low into the far corner to give Bay the lead.

Not five minutes later Donacarney were level when good play down the right left the number ten one on one only for ‘keeper Kevin Mullen to make an outstanding stop with his foot. But the ball spun across the box and the Donacarney striker finished it into an empty net.

Crespo and Ryan Dillon went close for Bay, but right on half time Donacarney took the lead with a deflected free kick that left Mullen with no chance.

On the hour mark Donacarney stretched their lead. A dangerous ball smashed across the six yard box was tapped home to send the home bench into raptures.

Bay looked like leaving empty handed but Paddy Connor popped up on the edge of the area and bent a lovely strike with the outside of the boot into the bottom corner.

That goal 20 minutes from time spurred Bay on and five minutes later it was level pegging when Larkin set up substitute Robbie Murphy whose ferocious goal bound shot took a deflection and flew into the net.

With the game into stoppage time Bay had to cope with two dangerous free kicks to secure a deserved point. Keeper Mullen acrobatically saved a goal bound effort from one and his defence dealt with the other. BAY: Kevin Mullen, Robbie Rafferty, Gavin Toner (Brian McCloskey 70), Mario Kolak (Stefan Zlokapa 80), Johnny Winters, Alfonso Crespo (Aaron Kelly 85), Kevin Scollon (Robbie Murphy 50), Jimmy Byrne, Paddy Connor, Ryan Dillon (Angelo Stanley), Mark Larkin.