The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Fourth consecutive league title for Tralee Celtic
DENNY DIVISON 1A LEAGUE FINAL Tralee Celtic 1 Mitchels Avenue 0
TRALEE Celtic reached dizzy height at Mounthawk Park on Sunday when they won their fourth consecutive League title with a great win over Mitchels Avenue in the Denny Division 1 A Final.
This is a phenomenal achievement by the Tralee side and is testimony to the huge effort being put in by the players and their management team.
This big Tralee Town Derby was a very keenly contested game but Tralee Celtic were the better team on the day and even if only one goal decided the issue Celtic carried the biggest threat throughout the game.
It was a day when Mitchels Avenue were a bit off colour and they never rose to the heights that led them to this decider.
The Celtic goalie Dermot Ragget did not have too much to do during the game while Mitchels Avenue keeper David Hennessy had to make a few great saves to keep his side in the game.
The goal that won the goal will not go down as the goal of the season but they all count and Celtic’s performance deserved that bit of luck.
It was hard luck on Tralee Celtic’s Fiachra Dnune as a mid week injury put his out of the game.
Celtic were the more cohesive side in the first half with Stevie O’Mahony and Billy Stack very influencial at midfield while Jordan Murphy and Fergal Moynihan were a constant threat up pront.
Celtic almost opened the scoring in the 14th minute after a swift attacking move from midfield Jordan Murphy found space inside the small box but his shot was brilliantly saved by David Hennessy.
Mitchels Avenue then forced two corner kicks and from the second Danny O’Shea took Graham O’Leary’s shot off the line.
Down the other end Tralee Celtic hit on the break with Billy Stack and Fergal Moynihan combining to create an opening for Jordan Murphy but his shot was straight at the keeper.
Murphy was also in for another scoring chance three minutes later but he was denied by a superb tackle by James O’Sullivan.
The goal that won the game came on the hour mark after a period of sustained Tralee Celtic pressure.
They attacked down the left flank and when Alan O’Donoghue cut into the box he let fly with a rasper of a shot and it took a wicket deflection off the unfortunate Avenue defender Peter Murphy and gave Daid Hennessy no chance in the Avenue goals.
Avenue done their best to try and get an equaliser but they rarely looked like getting it with Derek O’Connor and James O’Mahony totally in control at the heart of the Celtic defence.
Mitchels Avenue were on track for a quadruple of titles going into this game but that dream is now gone but they still can achieve the treble.
It was a very good solid all round performance by Celtic and they fully deserved their win at the end.
These two sides have not finished with each other yet as they meet again in the semi – final of the Greyhound Bar Cup next Sunday at 2pm.
TRALEE Celtic: Dermot Raggett, Gary Moriarty, Derek O’Connor, James O’Mahony, Stephen O’Sullivan (Daire Dunne, 55 mins), Stevie O’Mahony, Billy Stack, Alan O’Donoghue (Barry Leahy, 55 mins), Aidan O’Sullivan, Jordan Murphy, Fergal Moynihan (Brian O’Sullivan, 88 mins)
MITCHELS Avenue: David Hennessy, Danny O’Shea (Darren Breen, 50 mins), Chris O’Sullivan (Nathan O’Leary, 89 mins), Peter Murphy, James O’Sullivan, Emeka Sheeznerio, Lorcan Seymour, Scott Hennessy, Robert Lynch, Brendan Coffey, Graham O’Leary (Craig Locke, 69 mins).
REFEREE: Adrian Quirke