The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Celtic big winners at home
FAI JUNIOR CUP THIRD ROUND Killarney Celtic 5 Coole FC (Clare) 0
THIS was a David and Goliath clash at Celtic Park on Saturday with Killarney Celtic entertaining Clare side Coole FC who play in the second division of the Clare League.
The club are actually from Gort in Galway, but they play their soccer in a neighbouring county. Celtic dominated this game from the very outset but they found it difficult to penetrate their defence for a long period of the first half.
They were spraying around the ball with ease but when they got into their opponents defence they were being repeatedly thwarted by some great defending and a number of fine saves by the Coole goalie Peter Ziga.
Coole had a very defensive team formation with just a sole striker up front Adriano Olivera and he was chasing shadows for most of the game. Celtic had 14 shots on goals in the opening 20 minutes, but could not find the net
They should have gone ahead in the 21st minute when referee Seamus O’Mahony allowed a great advantage rule to Danny Roche to continue when he was fouled but after putting the ball on a plate for Gary Keane he was denied by a great save by the visitors’ goalie.
Then a quick free kick by Gary Keane set Wayne Sparling free on goal and his bending shot struck the woodwork and was cleared to safety. Coole’s first effort on goal came in the 35th minute after a foul on Adriano Olivera but Joe Copley drove it high and over the top.
After a period of sustained pressure Celtic eventually went ahead in the 39th minute when Danny Roche latched on to a great cross from Adam O’Rourke and his accurately measured header gave the Coole goalie no chance.
Two minutes he had the Coole net bulging again when he ran on to a loose ball just outside the box and he drilled a low shot into the bottom corner of the net. They home side put the game to bed just before the break after good approach work involving a number of players Ryan Kelliher found the net.
Any slim chance Coole had of getting back into the game evaporated into thin air two minutes into the second half when a shot from Adam O’Rourke went in off a defender.
Now Celtic boss Brian Spillane began to use his bench and it yielded dividends in the 68th minute when sub Steven McCarthy was denied by the post but Matt Keane was on hand to bury the ball in the net from close range.
It was an easy day at the office for Celtic who won the game in a canter but much sterner tests lie ahead.
They have a very good panel of players this year and with more to come in they will be hoping to go a long way in the national competition.
They got to the semi-final four years ago and were very unlucky to be beaten in a penalty shoot-out by Dublin side Sherrif FC who went on to become outright winners.
KILLARNEY CELTIC: Rob Kelliher, Adam O’Rourke, Kevin O’Sullivan, Stephen O’Mahony, John Mc Donagh, Gary Keane, Matt Keane (Liam Spillane, 76), Wayne Sparling, Ryan Kelliher (Steven McCarthy, 58), Danny Roche, Lee Downing (Jarad Barton, 67)
COOLE FC: Peter Ziga, Gary Coreless, Kieran Burke, Aaron Quinn, Darren Grealish, Lacey Wilkenson, Gabriel Egan, Eddie Madden, Tom O’Neill (Donal Flynn, 55), Joe Copley (Kyle McCarthy, 55), Adriano Olivera
REFEREE: Seamus O’Mahony