QPR upset odds to take draw

DENNY PREMIER B Camp United 3 QPR 3

THIS was a David and Goliath clash at the KDL headquarters on Friday night when unbeaten table toppers Camp United met bottom of the table QPR and it was widely expected that the West Kerry side would come away with the three league points.

However, things didn’t go as anticipated for the league leaders and all though two goals behind at the interval QPR staged a great second half performance and an 88th minute goal gave them a precious league point which they will be hoping will give them the bit of confidence their need to elevate themselves from the foot of the league table.

They began the game very positively and almost opened their account after just three minutes when Jonathan Reen played in

Johnny O’Keeffe and his low shot was just inches outside the right hand post.

The East Kerry side went ahead in the eighth minute when they worked the ball down the right wing and when Daniel O’Sullivan created a pocket of space just inside the box he planted his low shot in the bottom corner of the net.

The Camp keeper Chris O’Donnell had to come to their rescue five minutes later and he made a good save to deny Chris White. Gradually Camp United began to impose themselves into the game and they were back on level terms after 17 minutes when Jason Hickson turned beautifully on the ball leaving a defender stranded and he played it in to the razor sharp James Scanlon and he applied a great finish

Now the West Kerry side were on top and with Jason Hickson pulling the strings at midfield and causing problems with his darting runs down the wing they were applying a lot of pressure on the QPR defence. After a few near misses Camp went ahead in the 31st minute with an excellently crafted goal.

Superb build up play between Denis Costello, James Scanlon and Jack Farrell created an opening for James Crean and he finished to the net with great aplomb. They extended their lead six minutes later with Jason Hickson setting up Jack Farrell and he blasted the ball to the back of the net and they seemed to be on their way for a comfortable victory facing the interval.

QPR got a much needed break three minutes into the second half when a foul in the Camp box produced a penalty kick. Ian O’Leary sent the Camp goalie the wrong way with an excellently taken spot kick. After this the tempo of the game subsided with Camp enjoying most of the possession but they were doing very little with it.

They were only a lick of paint away from their fourth goal in the 61st minute with a daisy-cutter of a free kick from 30 yards by Fionn Coakley coming back off the butt of the post with the QPR keeper beaten. As the half moved on both sides introduced subs and QPR were beginning to push for an equaliser.

Then a penetrating attack produced a corner kick. It was taken quickly and sub Tommy Sheehan drilled the ball into the packed goalmouth and sub Aonghus O’Leary pounced at the back post to finish the ball to the net.

His celebrations after he scored wouldn’t be out of place in a cross channel cup final and his frenzied dancing act with the corner flag as his partner would get top marks in Strictly Come Dancing or maybe an Oscar is he was in Holywood.

As full time approached both sides played sensibly to protect what they had and a share of the spoils was probably a fair outcome at the end. Despite dropping two points Camp increased their lead at the top of the table to five points and they now have 20 points from eight games (six wins and two draws), while QPR remain at the foot of the table and have just two points from seven games but their confidence will be boosted after this positive result.

This is a wide open division with five teams, Camp United, Rattoo Rovers, Castleisland B, Ballyhar Dynamos and Killorglin in the hunt for a place in the league decider and there will be many more twists and turns before the finalists will be decided.

CAMP UNITED: Chris O’Donnell, David Clifford, Joe Kennedy, Fionn Coakley, Denis Costello (Shane Foley, 79), Eamon Hickson, Jack O’Farrell, James Crean, James Scanlon (Cian Griffin, 65), Andrew Finn (Ger Farrelly, 79), Jackson Hickson

QPR: John O’Connell, Mike A Kelliher, Donal Og Kelliher (Gearoid O’Connor, 76), Chris White, Conor Hickey (Aonghus O’Leary, 73), Ian O’Leary, Daniel O’Sullivan (Andrew Sheehan, 73), James Dennehy, Johnny O’Keeffe (Tommy Sheehan, 73), Jonathan Reen (Stephen Lehane 85), Cian Jenkins