Second half heartache for Celtic

FAI JUNIOR CUP SEVENTH ROUND (LAST 16) Killarney Celtic 1 North End United (Wexford) 4

KILLARNEY Celtic’s lengthy voyage in the national competition came to an abrupt end at Celtic Park on Sunday when they went down in disappointing fashion to Wexford side North End United.

The final scoreline is not a fair reflection on the game as Celtic were well in contention for a long time, but a scintillating second half performance by the visitors gave them a well deserved win.

With a full house at Celtic Park, Celtic never rose to the heights they did in previous games, but that was mainly due to the quality of their opponents who bossed this game for long periods.

Celtic played reasonably well in the first half and going in 1-0 ahead at the break prospects looked optimistic, but the visitors had showed much more creativity and it was obvious that Celtic would have to stem the tide if they were to go on and win the game.

Unfortunately once the visitors equalised in fortunate circumstances early in the second half there was only going to be one outcome in this game. Over the 90 minutes North End were the sharper side were quicker to the ball used it well and they never allowed Celtic much time on the ball.

With Shane Dempsey pulling the strings at midfield they were a constant threat up front with the Celtic rearguard finding it hard to curb the talent of the visitors superb striker Paul Murphy who is a class act.

Celtic started nervously and it was the visitors who were carrying the greater threat in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Paul Murphy had a couple of early chances heading wide from a Dale Flynn cross while minutes later he missed the target from six yards with the goals at his mercy. Gradually however, Celtic began to find their feet and were enjoying much more possession at midfield as the half progressed.

Against the run of play they went ahead in the 23rd minute after Wayne Sparling worked hard to gain possession on the right wing from a kick out and after turning his opponent he drilled the ball into the box to Peter McCarthy let fly with a rasper of a shot from 12 yards, which was pushed away by the North End keeper, but McCarthy was following up and rattled the ball into the net from close range.

The visitors then had a couple of chances to equalise but Robin Dempsey and Jason Murphy failed to hit the target. Celtic almost doubled their lead just before the break when a nutmeg from Gary Keane opened the North End defence and Peter McCarthy was denied by a great save for the Wexford keeper Lee Walker pushing his shot away and following up Matt Keane sent a fizzing shot just a few inches outside the right hand post.

Celtic had plenty of reason to be happy at half-time holding a 1-0 advantage, but they knew well that they needed to lift their game significantly if they were to maintain their slender advantage. However the visitors began to completely dictate the game in the second half and they equalised in the 53rd minute with a fortuitous goal.

It came virtually out of nowhere with the excellent Shane Dempsey running on to the ball inside the Celtic half and from 35 yards his daisy cutter of a shot took a wicket deflection off a Celtic defender wrong footing David Spillane in the Celtic goals and wound up in the back of the net.

Now the visitors had their tails up and Celtic began to feel the heat as they mounted relentless attacks. They got the reward their endeavour merited in the 60th minute when they went ahead with an excellently crafted goal.

Robin Dempsey and Jason Murphy linked up to create an opening for Kyle Dempsey and he smashed the ball to the back of the net from fifteen yards. Celtic created a half chance afterwards from a Danny Roche corner kick, but Pa McGrath headed wide.

North End were very unlucky not to extend their lead in the 73rd minute when a blockbuster of a shot from just inside the box from Shane Dempsey came back of the crossbar.

Down the other end Celtic forced a corner kick which was taken by Danny Roche and found Chris Brady, but he headed wide.

While Celtic were doing their best to try and engineer an equaliser they never looked like getting it against a North end United defence who were superb throughout the game.

The visitors put the game to bed in the 80th minute with a sumptuous goal steeped with class.

Man of the match Paul Murphy won the race for the ball in a lightening counter attack and with the Celtic keeper coming off his line he dinked the ball delightfully over him for a goal of sheer brilliance.

They added more salt to the infected wound late on with Shane Dempsey scoring their fourth goal. Celtic can have no excuses for this defeat as they were beaten by the better side on the day and now they can turn their attention to the Munster Junior Cup with a big game against Waterford Crystal next Sunday.

KILLARNEY CELTIC: David Spillane, Anthony O’Leary, Jamie Spillane, John McDonagh, Chris Brady, Gary Keane, Matt Keane, Pa McGrath (Cathal O’Shea, 67 mins), Wayne Sparling (Vukasin Ocic, 77 mins), Peter McCarthy, Dannny Roche (Steven McCarthy 85 mins)

NORTH END UNITED: Lee Walker, Warren Broaders, Dale Flynn (Keith Kearney, 43 mins), Declan Downs (Gary Byrne, 64 mins), Gary Delaney, Lee Waddin Byrne, Robin Dempsey, Shane Dempsey, Jason Murphy (Adam Beary, 75 mins), Paul Murphy, Kyle Dempsey (John Fenlon, 79 mins)

REFEREE: Keith Callahan (Cork AUL)