Killarney Athletic keep title hopes alive
DENNY PREMIER A
Killarney Athletic 2 Listowel Celtic 0
STEADY rain fell on an immaculate pitch surface at Ferndale of Friday evening for one of the biggest games of the season with Killarney Athletic and Listowel Celtic locking horns in a big Premier A showdown with both sides needing to win to stay in the title race.
Going into the game both sides were on 33 points from 16 games and Athletic remain on course for a place in the final with a fully deserved win over Celtic in a very keenly contested game played in a good sporting fashion.
The stakes could hardly have been any higher and both sides started cautiously sizing each other up for a while before a patten of play began to emerge.
Celtic started reasonably well with a couple of early attacks and efforts from Kevin Bambury and Ashley Kelliher were easily handled by the Athletic keeper Brian O Connor.
Gradually the home side got into their stride using the flanks to good effect despatching in high balls to Dathi Casey and Shane Lynch who were making ther presence felt in the air.
Athletic dominated the midfield exchanges where Shane Doolan and Mike O’Donoghue were prominent and Sean Cournane and Jamie Doolan were the play makers.
However Celtic were defending very well with Kevin McCarthy and Seamus Keane handling almost everything that came their way.
As play switched from end to end scoring chances were very limited with both defences on top.
Athletic had a decent chance in the 12th minute when a superb cross from Daithi Casey found Shane Lynch but his header went wide.
Then Adam Moynihan made space for the run of Shane Doolan and his shot brought a fine save from Celtic goalie Stephen McCarthy.
Celtic were making excursions into the Athletic half but when it came to the final third their play was breaking down and the Athletic defence were in charge of proceedings.
Sean Cournane had a chance for Athletic just before half time but he failed to hit the target.
Celtic were forced to make a change for the second half with Mike Woods replacing the injured Kevin Bambury.
Celtic had the first chance of the second half when Jo Jo Grimes created an opening for Ashley Kelliher but his tame shot was an easy save for the Athletic goalie.
Then down the other end Athletic forced a corner kick that produced a chance for Sean Cournane but he pulled his shot wide.
Sub Mike Woods was then in the thick of the action for Celtic and he let fly with a screamer for 30 yards which the Athletic keeper parried and got at the second time of asking.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 69th minute from a dead ball situation.
Athletic raided down the left wing with Jamie Doolan putting Sean Cournane through on goals and a mistimed tackle by Kevin Mc Carthy took him down in the box and referee Seamus O’Mahony pointed to the spot.
Casey dusted himself off and took the spot kick but it was brilliantly pushed out by the Celtic goalie Brian O Connor.
but it came right back to the kicker and he made no mistake this time round firing low to the bottom corner.
Celtic then started to use their bench and focus all their attention on getting the equaliser.
They must have thought it had come in the 82nd minute when sub Liam O’Connor let fly with a rasper of a shot from outside the box which appeared to be heading for the top corner but Athletic keeper Brian O’Connor displayed great agility to bring off a stupendous save clawing the ball out for a corner kick.
The home side were reduced to10 players near the end of the game when Paudie Clifford was sent off for a second yellow card offence.
With everyone committed to attack Celtic were caught on the break late on with Daithi Casey playing in Shane Doolan and he made no mistake from close range to seal a crucial victory.
Killarney Athletic just about survived relegation last season but they are a transformed side this season under new manager Stuart Templeman and now they are just one win away from making it to the final.
This Athetic side are a charged up outfit who are physically strong and play with great fire and determination and certainly have the capability of going all the way this season.
If they win their final home game against Rattoo Rovers next Sunday they will qualify for the final. KILLARNEY ATHLETIC: Brian O’Connor, Brian O’Reilly (Conor Farrell, 74 mins), Adam Moynihan, Paudie O’Connor, Enna Kavanagh, Shane Doolan, Jamie Doolan, Mike O’Donoghue, Shane Lynch (Mike Milner, 86 mins), Daithi Casey, Sean Cournane (Eamon Lavin, 89 mins).
LISTOWEL CELTIC: Stephen McCarthy, Paul O’Connor, Tommy Keane, Kevin McCarthy, Seamus Keane, Brendan Angland, Kevin Bambury (Mike Woods, 46 mins), Darren Loughnane (Pa Walsh, 82 mins), Damien Murphy (Liam O’Connor, 64 mins), Jo Jo Grimes, Ashley Kelliher.
REFEREE: Seamus O’Mahony