Celtic bounce back with win over Saints

DDL U-19 DIVISION

St Dominic’s Rock Celtic 0 4

THIS result highlighted the topsy turvy nature of the league. Rock entered this tussle at the Friary on Saturday on the back of successive defeats, including a 5-1 reverse in their last outing.

Now they are on the same points mark as their opponents for whom this is now their second successive beating.

The scoreline was somewhat harsh on the losers who created sufficient chances, being particularly dangerous down the right flank in the second half but didn’t avail of them.

One just after the interval had a vital bearing on the outcome when Evan McEnteggart shot over with a gaping goal at his mercy as a low cross from the right broke to him off a defender in ample space in the penalty box.

Had he put away the opportunity it would have reduced the deficit to the minimum. Indeed Dominic’s could easily have been level, with the assertive Cillian Duffy heading off the Rock line before the interval.

Instead Sean Maguire in opportunistic fashion ran in behind the home defence inside the box and turned in Declan Curtin’s hard driven cross from the left under the hour mark. This virtually put the game to bed at three nil.

Shortly after Maguire’s partially blocked shot from inside the penalty box hit the home crossbar and went over.

To their credit Dominic’s bravely plugged away and only the finest of interceptions by Ben Walsh prevented them from reducing the deficit. Walsh and Adam Fee were very strong in the heart of the winners defence, with Adam Gartlan getting through a mountain of work in mid-field where Ronan Sands was also a strong performer..

Paddy Nicholson crowned victory for Rock a few minutes from the end with his second goal of the afternoon with a cheeky composed finish with his head. He sent Isaac McGahon clean through the heart of the home defence into the box, only for Dominic’s goalkeeper Callum Mulholland to get down to block his shot.

McGahon re-gathered the ball and dribbled to the end line. He pulled it back into the six yard box where Nicholson showing great awareness and skill to elude the attention of a defender flicked the ball up into the air to finish into the inviting goal..

He had rounded off as fine a team goal as is likely to be seen in the league to make it 2-0 for Rock after 34 minutes. The visitors worked the ball from their own goalkeeper right up the field with several players involved to release Nicholson who steered his shot past Mulholland from inside the penalty box.

Oran O’Hanlon opened the scoring with only minutes gone when his free-kick from the edge of the 18 yard box eluded the home goalkeeper.

The losers had impressive performers in Tom McBride and Jack Barron and Brian Brady.

DOMINIC’S: Callum Mulholland, Tom McBride, Beanón Corrigan, Jack Conlon, Mark Lee, Oisin McCumiskey, Brian Brady, Aidan Corrigan, Evan McEnteggart, Aaron Crawford, Jack Barron, Conal Brady, Cathal McElroy, Kyle Smith, Daniel Duffy.

ROCK: Eoin Flanagan, Cillian Duffy, Bryan Soraghan, Ben Walsh, Adam Fee, Ronan Sands, Sean Maguire, Adam Gartlan, Patrick Nicholson, Oran O’Hanlon, Declan Curtin, Isaac McGahon.