Saints salvage point

Fletcher’s late strike earns draw with Shamrock Celtic

A LATE Dean Fletcher goal helped St. Peter’s salvage what might become a precious point on the weekend when the Fassaroe side were dislodged from top spot in the WDFL Premier by St. Anthony’s.

In a game that looked to be getting away from them, the defending champions showed superb determination to hang on against a flying Shamrock Celtic side in Shamrock Park with the late equaliser leaving St. Peter’s level on points with the Kilcoole men who have two games in hand as we head for an exciting finale.

Work rate, creativity and the wand of a left boot belonging to Shamrock Celtic’s Andrew Earls were some of the factors that had the Boohran Rampersaud’s side leading three times in this entertaining game under lights last Friday night.

On two occasions, Earls fired off unstoppable rockets from frees that sailed to the back of Niall Vaughan’s net and left the visitors with a massive hill to climb considering the effectiveness of the Shamrock Celtic defence, and on both occasions, that hill was climbed.

It’s on dark, cold nights like these that titles are won.

St. Peter’s faced into the biting breeze in the opening half and the small crowd watched two teams feeling each other out in the opening stages, with overcooked balls and frees in plentiful supply while both sides tried to put their stamp on affairs in the middle third.

The first real effort fell to Jake Kane of St. Peter’s, but his effort was saved by JJ Power in the Shamrock Celtic goal after 15.

The busy Darren Lacey showed lovely skills to cut in along the endline after 17, but his effort screamed across the face of the Shamrock Celtic goal and flew wide.

A fine Dillon Fitzpatrick ball to Lewis O’Neill saw referee Joe Hillman call offside after 18, the man in the middle having a fine game in this fixture, his communication clear and concise and his positioning very impressive.

Shamrock Celtic were troubling the St. Peter’s defence as well, Andrew Earls firing wide before Jensen O’Connor Cox took the ball around Darren McAtteer courtesy of a sublime first touch only to see his effort whizz wide of the St. Peter’s goal with 22 gone.

A wicked ball from Killian O’Carroll to the electric Lewis O’Neill was cut out superbly by Shamrock Celtic’s Luke Messitt soon after as the energy levels and ambition started to rise on a bitterly cold night in Rathnew.

A foul on Andrew Earls gave Dean Noble the chance to loft in a free from out the field and in a packed box, the boot of Killian Devine got on the end of a breaking ball and walloped it home past Niall Vaughan for the opening goal with 27 minutes on the clock.

St. Peter’s were coming under fierce pressure by the likes of Devine, Jack Crowley and Dean Noble and they certainly weren’t having things their own wat.

Super play from Luke Messitt allowed Jensen O’Connor Cox to unleash a fine effort that was saved by Vaughan in the St. Peter’s goal, while the willing Darren Lacey had his shot blocked by Jack Crowley moments later.

The Fassaroe men were starting to find a rhythm now. Magic skills from Darren Lacey saw him fire a ball across to Lewis O’Neill but the winger miss hit, and Vaughan saved smartly, and then O’Neill would fire wide of the target in the very next move, although Luke Messitt should receive plenty of credit for his fine defensive work.

The visitors were level after 35, sublime football from Killian O’Carroll putting Darren Lacey through and the strike finished low and deliciously into the bottom corner past JJ Power.

St. Peter’s had barely finished celebrating that goal when a foul by Davy Berry on Luca Rampersaud brought Andrew Earls up to have a pop from just outside the box.

Earls had already showed what he could do with that left boot, spraying some wicked balls around the field over the course of the opening half, but his drilled missile screamed into the back of JJ Power’s net at an unmerciful pace giving the Shamrock Celtic netminder no chance.

A late chance for Stuart Cox flew over the St. Peter’s crossbar to leave the half-time score 2-1 in favour of the home side and probably deservedly so.

St. Peter’s introduced Nikki Griffin after the break and they were level within minutes, Killian O’Carroll’s free fumbled by Power and blasted home by the substitute to the delight of his colleagues and manager.

The look of fear crossed the St. Peter’s eyes when Andrew Earls stood over another free with eight gone in the second half, but the wall did its job, and the danger was cleared, while Chris Ffrench had his effort cleared by the alert Davey Berry.

Excellent work from Darren McAteer, Ryan Greene and Darren Lacey sent Lewis O’Neill clear for St. Peter’s but JJ Power produced one of a number of fine saves throughout the second half.

Davey Berry proved class at the back when disrupting a dangerous move involving Chris Ffrench and Luca Rampersaud as the tension rose even more.

Substitute Jack Fox had a decent chance for Shamrock Celtic after 18 of the second half after being put through by good work from Luke Messitt and Luca Rampersaud whose flick was sublime, but Fox fired wide.

Simon Doyle’s fine effort was kept out by a diving save from JJ Power, substitute Chad Ryan clocked up a miss for the visitors and then JJ Power came to the rescue again when keeping Darren Lacey’s effort out.

This was a serious purple patch for Peter’s, Killian O’Carroll walloping the crossbar with a free won by the hard-working Simon Doyle, but Andrew Earls would come back to haunt the Bray men, screwing home a free after 25 of the second half to put them 3-2 up with 20 left to play. Luca Rampersaud had a chance to widen the gap but his decision to switch back onto his right probably cost him, Darren McAteer firing wide at the other end.

The equaliser arrived after 34. Killian O’Carroll’s free drifted in on the chilly night air and with the ball not secured first time, Darren Fletcher was on hand to bundle it over the line and the St. Peter’s players and supporters breathed a massive sigh of relief.

Shamrock Celtic would have another big chance, Niall Vaughan saving from Jensen O’Connor Cox after 40, but there would be no more major drama, and both sides went away from a cracking encounter with a share of the spoils.

Whether it will be a significant result come the business end is anyone’s guess, but St. Peter’s will see it as a positive having stared down the barrel of a damaging defeat due to the impressive display from Boodhran Rampersaud’s men.