Ardee edge thriller

GLENMUIR ARDEE CELTIC 2 4

THIS under-14 premier division top of the table clash started in whirlwind fashion with four goals after barely ten minutes.

The clinical visitors established a 3-1 lead with scant possession but crucially translated nearly all of their attacking forays into goals after Glenmuir started the flurry with less than two minutes played.

An incisive move down the right cut open the Ardee defence for Sean Duffy to cut the ball back for Steven Okeke in the middle of the penalty box to draw a great save from Andrew Wogan who managed to adjust while going the wrong way. However, Liam O’Connor pounced to stab the loose ball over the line.

The home side dominated the ball and the attacking play, playing lovely stylish football, but Ardee effected an extraordinary turnabout.

Almost straight after falling behind Dean Reynolds broke free inside the home box and rolled the ball straight across a gaping goal for Kyle Treadwell to slid it home.

The Deesiders then inflicted two further body blows with Sean Maguire working an opening with nice footwork to evade a couple of challenges out wide on the right and home goalkeeper Conor Weir’s best efforts couldn’t prevent his high shot crossing the goalline.

The home rearguard was loose and open and the skilful Sean O’Callaghan picked it apart with a long pinpoint delivery into the unmarked Daragh Roe in front of goal and again the latter’s lofted shot got the better of Weir, although the ‘keeper again got his hands to it.

Stunned but unbowed Glenmuir hit back to experience triple heartbreak in the matters of seconds. The impressive Robert Kilgallen long’s range snap shot was tipped onto the crossbar by Wogan, and racing into the penalty box Steven Okeki also rapped the rebound against bar and to complete a remarkable escape the Ardee goalkeeper showed great reflexes to push out Lennon O’Hanlon low shot.

Steven Okeke wasted another good chance of reducing the deficit when put clear in the box by Kilgallen.

Understandably the second-half was nothing as exciting as the opening period, and yielded far fewer scoring opportunities.

However, Okeke redeemed himself for his earlier misses when he steered the ball wide of Wogan to reduce the leeway to the minimum.

Ardee’e response was nearly instant to dash Glenmuir’s hopes of salvaging a draw and retaining their unbeaten record and hold onto top spot.

They exploited a hole in the centre of the Glenmuir defence, forcing Weir to leave his penalty box and he mistimed his challenge as Maguire at full pelt was about to break free.

Maguire dusted himself down and with pinpoint accuracy struck the resultant free-kick with his left foot low past the wall and it flew inside the post and rebounded back off the stauncheon.

Oran Connolly confirmed it just wasn’t his side’s night when for the third time the crossbar came to Ardee’s rescue near the end as they climbed to the top of the table. GLENMUIR: Conor Weir, Daniel Brogan, Ryan McEneaney, Alan Jumbo Gula, Liam O’Hanlon, Liam O’Connor, Shaun Duffy, Robert Kilgallen, Steven Okeke, Lennon O’Hanlon, Patrick Curley, Jock Mullen, Ciaran Reel, Oran Connolly, Fionn Connolly, Annis Himeur.

ARDEE: Andrew Wogan, Oisin Roe, Michael Reid, Nathan Commins, James Maguire, Oisin Dowdall, Dean Reynolds, Daragh Roe, Sean Callaghan, Leon Myles, James Sand, Evan Keenan, Kyle Treadwell, Cian Kelly. Rock Celtic 1 Blayney Acad 4; Muirhevnamor 2 Woodview 4; Bellurgan Utd 7 Quay Celtic 0; Glenmuir Utd 4 Shamrocks 2

Quay Athletic 1 Bellurgan Celtic 6; Quay Olympic 0 Dromin Juv 5; Blayney Acad Blue 4 Glenmuir Celtic 3

Bay Utd 2 Bellurgan Athletic 0; Glenmuir Athletic 4 Blayney Acad Yellow 8; Shamrock Celtic 6 Redeemer 2

Muirhevnamor 0 Glenmuir Utd 1; Walshestown 3 Shamrocks 5; Rock Celtic 2 Bellurgan Utd 2; Shamrocks 2 Glenmuir Utd 2; Walshestown 5 Muirhevnamor 3; Blayney Acad 2 Quay Celtic 2

Dromin Juv 3 Ardee Celtic 1; Quay Olympic 3 Ardee Celtic 3; Glenmuir Celtic 2 Dromin Juv 0

Bellurgan Athletic 3 Bay Utd 0; Ardee Utd 1 St Dominic’s 6

Glenmuir Utd 2 Ardee Celtic 4; Ardee Celtic 6 Rock Celtic 0; Glenmuir Utd 3 Quay Celtic 0

Bellurgan Celtic 4 Ardee Utd 0

Glenmuir Utd 2 Dromin Juv 1; Quay Celtic 2 Quay Olympic 0; Woodview 6 Quay Athletic 0; Shamrocks 6 Bellurgan Celtic 2

Albion Rvs 0 Bellurgan Utd 6; Ardee Celtic 0 Quay Celtic 2

Bellurgan Celtic 5 Grove Rangers 2; Grove Rangers 2 St Dominic’s 3; Rockville 1 Walshestown 3; Bellurgan Celtic 2 Bay Utd 1

Termonfeckin 0 Shamrocks 0; DMC FC 4 St Dominic’s 1; Dromin Juv 3 Bellurgan Utd 1; Quay Celtic 1 Bay Utd 6

Trim Celtic AFC P 3 Rock Celtic 1 FIXTURES Quay Celtic v Glenmuir Utd, Clancy Pk 7.00

Quay Celtic v Rock Celtic, Clancy Pk 7.00; Glenmuir

Utd v Walshestown, Glenmuir Pk 7.00

Ardee Celtic v Glenmuir Celtic, Ardee 7.00

Woodview v Bellurgan Utd, Bellew Park 7.00

Ardee Celtic v Quay Athletic, Ardee 7.00

U13 Premier

Muirhevnamor v Blayney Acad, Muirhevnamor 7.00 Thursday 25 October

Blayney Acad v Muirhevnamor, Bellew Pk 7.00

Glenmuir Utd v Shamrocks, Glenmuir Pk 7.00

Parkvilla FC P v Glenmuir Utd A, Waters Lane TBC

Blayney Academy P v Swords Manor B, Beech Hill 11.00; Rock Celtic FC P v Donacarney Celtic P, Sandy Lane 11.00; Duleek Schoolboys A v Walshestown FC A1, Tollstone 10.00; Glenmuir United FC B v Maynooth Town FC A, Glenmuir Pk 11.00; Glenmuir United FC A v Parkceltic Summerhill D1, Glenmuir Pk 12.30 Parkvilla FC P1 v Bellurgan Utd P, Waters Lane 12.00

Quay celtic v Rock Celtic, Clancy Pk 10.00; Ardee Celtic v Bellurgan Utd, Ardee 10.00

Bellurgan Athletic v Bellurgan Celtic, Bellurgan 11.00; Rockville v Woodview Celtic, Sandy Lane 10.00; Dromin Juv v Quay Olympic, Dromin 10.00 U13 Premier

Bellurgan Utd v Shamrocks, Bellurgan 12.30

Quay Olympic v Woodview, Clancy Park 11.00; Dromin Juv v Bellurgan Celtic, Dromin 11.00

Rockville v Bellurgan Athletic, Sandy Lane 12.30; Bay Utd v Muirhevnamor Celtic, Rock Road 11.00; Shamrocks Celtic v Ardee Utd, Fatima 11.00

Quay Olympic v Bellurgan Utd, Clancy Pk 12.30; Shamrocks v Quay Athletic, Fatima 12.30; Bellurgan Celtic v St Dominic’s, Bellurgan 2.00

DMC FC v Rock Celtic, Drogheda 2.00; St Dominic’s v Termonfeckin, Friary Field 2.00; Bay Utd v Dromin Juv, Rock Road 2.00; Glenmuir Utd v Bellurgan Utd, Glenmuir 2.00