Lethal Levins earns Ardee play-off shot
ROCK CELTIC ARDEE CELTIC 0 1
A PRECIOUS goal by Aaron Levins earned Ardee a play-off shot for the under-14 title when second met third at Sandy Lane with much at stake at Sandy Lane on Thursday night.
Rock had held a commanding lead in this league until the third round only for the title to slip away from them, but they could still finish runners-up if they managed to win.
Ardee needed the points to tie with leaders Quay Celtic and force a showdown to decide who emerges as champions, and Levins coolly supplied the goal that secured them early in the second-half.
He was slipped clear of the home defence, forcing Rock goalkeeper Niall Brennan to race off his line. Levins quickly weighed up what to do and lofted the ball over him from inside the penalty box and it floated into the empty net.
Much taller and stronger than Rock, Ardee wore down their opponents who played by far the more attractive and cohesive passing brand of football. But they lacked the physical strength to breakdown the Ardee defence, and rarely if ever penetrated it.
They controlled the early play but Ardee posed what sparse attacking threat there was in the first-half that was confined to two instances.
The first and more likely was when Mathew Kane broke in behind the home defence on the left and from close to the post near the end-line sent the ball low invitingly across the goal.
The other was when the outstanding Tai Akhal did enough to rush James Rock into shooting weakly and straight at goalkeeper Niall Brennan.
Sebastian McGeough was worked free down the right by Rock, but his low cross into the goalmouth was cleared by Noah Coyle after the break.
Ardee assumed command in attack, and after making the breakthrough only good fortune and the remarkable powers of Tai Akhal ensured that they didn’t emerge more comfortable winners, while Brennan took off a brilliant save from Rocks. Akhal’s speed, tenacity and fearlessness defied them at every turn.
The ‘keeper earned the piece of good luck when he was left helpless by Cillian Taaffe’s powerful long range shot that flew past him and struck the crossbar. In almost delayed re-action not knowing where the ball was he managed to fly hack it clear when it dropped behind him.
Rock tried in vain to find an equaliser, and worked an opening for Leavy inside the Ardee box but he shot hastily and high and wide. ROCK: Niall Brennan, Sean Gartlan, Barra Duffy, Tai Akhal, Joseph Lavery, Mark Leavy, Evan McEnteggart, Nathan Todd, Blanty Dada, Dylan Simpson, Evan Durnin, Sebastian McGeough, Cian Sheridan.
ARDEE: Shane Halpin, Tadhg Kellett, Matthew Kane, Noah Coyle, Ryan Halpenny, Aaron Levins, Cillian Taaffe, Oisin Lynch, James Durnin, James Rocks, Daniel Clinton, James Russell, Jamie O’Callaghan, David Magee.
Drogheda S’children’s Lge
Tuesday May 22nd
Under 13:
Duleek Rockets v Drogheda Marsh Crescent, Duleek, 7pm.
Wednesday May 23rd
Under 14:
Walshestown v Moneymore, Walshestown, 7pm.
Saturday May 26th
Under 13:
Walshestown v Drogheda Town Eagles, Walshestown, 10am; Square United v Drogheda Marsh Crescent, School Field, 10am; Albion Green v Duleek Rockets, Monasterboice, 10am; Duleek Dynamoes v Drogheda Town Phoenix, Duleek, 10am.
Under 11:
Square United Red v Drogheda Marsh Crescent Red, School Field, 11:15; Square United v Drogheda Town Eagles, School Field, 12:15; Donacarney Blazers v Duleek Arrows, Castlemartin, 11am; Duleek Tigers v Termonfeckin Green, Duleek, 11:15; Walshestown Wolves v Boyne Rovers, Walshestown, 11:15; Donacarney Bears v Rossin, Castlemartin, 10am; Albion Green v Drogheda Town Falcons, Monasterboice, 11:15; Donacarney Lions v Albion Black, Castlemartin, 12:00; Termonfeckin White v DMC White, Termonfeckin, 10am; Duleek Celtic v Albion White, Duleek, 12:15.
Under 10 Girls:
Albion v Termonfeckin, Monasterboice, 12:15.
Under 9:
Walshestown Cheetahs v Square Utd., Walshestown, 10:30; Drogheda Boys Navy v Drogheda Boys White, Marleys Lane, 10am; Albion Black v Donacarney Wildcats, Albion Astro, 10:30; Dromin u9 v Walshestown Panthers, Dromin, 11am; Donacarney Dingoes v Boyne Rovers, Blackhills, 10am; Donacarney Dragons v Rathkenny, Blackhills, 11am; Albion Green v Termonfeckin, Albion Astro, 11:30; Duleek Bandits v Duleek Dragons, 11:30; Drogheda Marsh Crescent U9 v Walshestown Cheethas U8, Moneymore, 10:30; Donacarney Seals v Duleek Tornadoes, Blackhills, 12:00.
Under 8:
Square United v Boyne Rovers White, School Field, 10am; Dromin v Rossin, Dromin, 12:15; Albion Green v Albion Black, Albion Astro, 12:30; Drogheda Boys Navy v Donacarney Sharks, Marleys Lane, 11am; Drogheda Marsh Crescent v Walshestown Pumas, Moneymore, 11:30; Boyne Rovers Green v Termonfeckin, St Josephs, 10am.
Sunday May 27th
Under 14:
Albion Green v Drogheda Boys, Monasterboice, 10am; Square United v Walshestown Pumas, Schoolfield, 13:30; Drogheda Town Falcons v Slane, St Olivers, 10am.
Under 12:
Walshestown Foxes v Drogheda Marsh Crescent, Walshestown, 10am; Square United v Duleek Sharks, College Park, 10am; Drogheda Town Hawks v Termonfeckin Green, St Olivers, 12:30; Boyne Rovers Yellow v Drogheda Town Eagles, St Josephs, 10am; Walshestown Trojans v Albion White, Walshestown, 11:15; Drogheda Town Falcons v Slane, St Olivers, 11:15; Grove Rangers v Rathkenny, Mell, 10am; Duleek Meteors v Boyne Rovers Blue, Duleek, 10am; Albion Black v Albion Green, Monasterboice, 11:15.
Under 10:
Grove Rangers v Albion Yellow, Mell, 11:15; Donacarney Colts v Drogheda Town Eagles, Castlemartin, 10am; Square United v Walshestown Wolves, College Park, 11:10; Duleek Dynamites v Donacarney Lions, Duleek, 11:15; Duleek Warriors v Drogheda Marsh Crescent, Duleek, 12:15; Walshestown Vikings v Termonfeckin White, Walshestown, 12:15; Boyne Rovers v Donacarney Tigers, St Josephs, 11:15; Albion White v Albion Black, Monasterboice 1, 10am; Albion Green v Drogheda Town Falcons, Monasterboice 1, 11am; Square Utd. Red v Termonfeckin Green, College Park, 12:15; Glen Magic v Walshestown Girls, The Glen, 12:30.
Dundalk Schoolboy Lge
Dundalk FC Cup: Bellurgan Celtic v Dromin Utd, 7.00; Walshestown v Glenmuir Utd, 7.15. Saturday May 26th Under-13
Dundalk FC Cup Final: Ardee Celtic or Bay Utd v Quay Celtic or Rock Celtic, 10.30 (at Bellew Park).
Sunday May 27th
Under-14
Dundalk FC Cup: Bellurgan Celtic or Dromin Utd v Rock Celtic, 12.30.
Premier Play-off: Ardee Celtic v Quay Celtic, 12.30 (at Bellew Park).
North Dublin League
Premier: Laytown Utd v Baldoyle Utd, 7.00.
Wednesday May 23rd Under-12
Premier: Laytown Utd v Donacarney Celtic, 7.00.
David Costello Cup 2nd rd (extra time/pens): Donacarney Celtic (C) v Marino (B), 7.00; Stamullen v Kinsealy Utd, 7.00; East Meath Utd (B) v Swords Celtic (B), 7.00.
Unde-13
Joe Kirby Cup 2nd rd (extra time/pens): Raheny Utd (P) v East Meath Utd (P), 7.00. Tommy McCabe Cup 2nd rd (extra time/pens): Kinsealy Utd (C) v Stamullen (B), 7.00; East Meath Utd (D) v Lusk Utd (B), 6.30.
Under-14
DB Sports Cup 2nd rd (extra time/pens): St Itas (C) v Laytown Utd (B), 7.00; Rivervalley Rgrs (B) v Donacarney Celtic (B), 7.00; East Meath Utd (B) v Artane/Beaumont (D), 7.45.
Thursday May 24th Under-15
Molly Martin Cup 2nd rd (extra time/pens): Bohemians (P) v Duleek (A), 7.00; Drogheda Marsh Crescent (P) v Baldoyle Utd (B), 7.00; Drogheda Town (P) v Balbriggan (P), 7.00. Under-16
Ken McKay Cup 2nd rd (extra time/pens): Drogheda Town (P) v Balbriggan (A), 7.00; Ratoath Harps (B) v Cloghertown Utd (A), 7.00; East Meath Utd (P) v Dunboyne (P), 7.00; Swords Celtic (P) v Duleek (A), 7.00.