Listowel Celtic win play-off on penalties

DENNY DIVISION 1B LEAGUE PLAY OFF Listowel Celtic B 1 Windmill United 1

A PLACE in the Division 1B Final against Asdee Rovers was at stake in this play off at Mounthawk Park on Sunday and it was Listowel Celtic who took the spoils in a game that took extra time to decide.

The sides were level 1-1 after 90 minutes and it took a penalty shoot out to decide it at the end. The first half of this game was a very tame affair taking both sides quite a while to get into their stride.

Windmill were the more creative and they went ahead on the half hour mark with a goal that came out of nothing. Gary Savage ran on to a loose ball at midfield and spotting the Celtic keeper off his line looped a great shot from 40 yards in over his head.

This was a wake up call for Celtic and they began to get their game to together. They got a good chance just before half time when a foul on Liam O’Connor resulted in a free kick just outside the box.

Jack Sheehan hit the free kick splendidly and Windmill keeper John Fitzgerald made a fine save. Celtic began the second half on the front foot and forced an early corner kick which was taken by Jack Sheehan, but it was collected very confidently by the Windmill keeper.

Then the speedy Fergal O’Brien made a great run for Windmill from midfield and released Tommy Lynch but his shot from just inside the box was inches outside the right hand post.

Windmill tested the woodwork in the 66th minute with the Celtc keeper tipping a Gary Savage shot on to the crossbar. Celtic put a penetrating attack together in the 72nd minute leading to a free kick 10 yards outside the box.

Devon McKenna tipped the ball to Adam Cronin and his shot came back off the defensive wall to sub Darragh Mackessy who has just come on and he smashed it to the back of the net in emphatic fashion.

Now Celtic had their tails up and the subs that were being introduced were having a huge impact on the game. However, they had a bit of a let off in the 80th minute when a Gary Savage free kick skimmed the crossbar.

Windmill’s chances of winning the game took a major setback in the 83rd minute when a two footed challenge by Jason McCoy on Murius Jurca led to a straight red card

Jurca then made a great run from midfield for Celtic and he forced a good save from the Windmill goalie.

With stalemate prevailing after 90 minutes it progressed to extra time. Both sides were very cagey in the first period of extra time and scoring opportunities were very scarce. The best effort came from Windmill with Celtic keeper Shane O’Sullivan making a fine save to deny Fergal O’Brien.

Celtic had a good chance in the second period of extra time with sub Adam Cronin bringing a fine save from the Windmill keeper.

Listowel Celtic applied faultless finishing in the penalty shoot out with Jack Sheehan, Michael Kennedy, Adam Cronin, Adam Twomey and Thomas Doherty scoring.

Eoin Dillane, Brendan Savage and Gary Savage scored for Windmill.

The hero of the shoot out for Celtic was keeper Shane O’Sullivan who made a great save to deny Tommy Lynch.

LISTOWEL CELTIC: Shane O’Sullivan, Mikey Moriarty, (Jack Boland 100 min), Adam Mulvihill, Adam Twomey, Thomas Doherty, Tom O’Rahilly, (Adam Cronin 60 min), Devon McKenna, (Marius Jurca 75 min), Jack Sheehan, Stephen McCarthy, Eddie Browne, (Dara Mackessey 68 min), Liam O’Connor, (Michael Kennedy 60 min),

WINDMILL United: John Fitzgerald, Eoin Dillane, Jake Foley, Sean Kerins, Jason McCoy, Tommy Lynch, Joe O’Connor, Gary Savage, Brendan Savage, Jack Lynch, Fergal O’Brien

REFEREE: Anthony Morrison