In-form Ardee Celtic see off Saints

ST DOMINICS ARDEE CELTIC 1 4

ARDEE Celtic kept up their unbeaten start to the Dundalk Under 17 League season with a fine 4-1 win at the Friary in Dundalk on a chilly Saturday afternoon.

Despite the scoreline, it was a tight game for a period of the second half, but Ardee’s little bit extra in key areas proved to be the difference.

They hit the front inside nine minutes, Hugh Murphy’s long kick out touched on and Caolan McCabe racing clear and finishing smartly past the advancing keeper.

They created enough chances to wrap the game up in the opening 25 minutes, Michael Szostakowski denied by the keeper and then Oisin McKenna just finding the wrong side of the post.

With Ben Quaile solid in midfield and McCabe always a threat in attack, Ardee’s shape was good, Eoin McCloskey, Seldis Hyseni, Dylan White and Ciaran Russell, linking well.

Just after half time, the tenacious running of Michael Szostakowski earned him the ultimate reward, eluding his marker and the keeper to fire home.

The Dom’s pulled one back and were suddenly in the game. It toolk some neat work by Luke Dunne, the hard working Dean Burns, Oisin McKenna, DJ McKeever, Peter Dickson, Conor Walsh and Aaron McGowan to keep them at bay before McGowan delivered a magnificent finish.

Ardee broke down the left and when the ball was sent in, the stylish midfielder let fly from the edge of the box to the bottom corner.

The industrious Quaile popped up in the box with 16 minutes to go and was upended, McCabe stepping up to blast home his second of the game.

Murphy came up with a full length save late on, but Gary Malone’s side were good enough to hold their lead to the finish.

ARDEE CELTIC - Hugh Murphy, Eoin McCloskey, Seldis Hyseni, Dylan White, Ben Quaile, Luke Dunne, Caolan McCabe, Dean Burns, Oisin McKenna, DJ McKeever, Peter Dickson, Michael Szostakowski, Ciaran Russell, Conor Walsh, Aaron McGowan.