Carnew win a real cracker Wicklow outfit finally see off Enfield after a goal-fest
at Enfield ENFIELD CELTIC CARNEW AFC (AET) 4 6
CARNEW AFC made the long trip up the N7 to face Enfield in the Leinster Junior Cup on lovely sunny Sunday morning last.
Carnew were very slow to start with Nathan Murphy being the busiest of keepers and fell behind after ten minutes when the hosts finished a good through ball from their number nine.
It wasn’t until the 35th minute that Carnew got their first shot on goal when Brendan McCrea rattled the post. From the resulting goal-kick Enfield Celtic went down and got a penalty which Nathan Murphy brilliantly saved low to his left.
Carnew got back on level terms just on half-time when John Kavanagh played the ball into his nephew Cillian Gilligan’s feet and the striker turned and fired across the keeper, 1-1 at half-time.
Straight away from tip off Enfield were ahead when a cross was volleyed in from close range.
Carnew equalised again in the 53rd minute when McCrea and Gilligan combined and set up Conor Mulholland who made no mistake from eight yards.
Carnew were playing all the football at this stage and when Cillian Gilligan was fouled inside the box Brendan McCrea made no mistake from the spot with 64 on the clock.
Ten minutes later Carnew thought the game was over when Gilligan played McCrea in on the edge of box and McCrea finished at the near post for a 4-2 lead.
To Enfield’s credit they never gave up and scored two goals in last six minutes to force extra-time.
With both teams feeling the heavy ground, Carnew were getting on top and got their reward on the stroke of halftime of extra-time when they were awarded a free-kick on edge of the box after a foul on Mulholland.
Cillian Gilligan stepped up and his shot flew into the roof of the net.
Then, four minutes from time, Jonathan Smyth finished the game as a contest, drilling high into the net after a Gilligan pass put him through following good work from Dan Nolan.
Carnew march on into round three.