Dee-light for ‘Mor as Ardee crash out
ARDEE CELTIC MUIRHEVNAMOR 0 4
ARDEE Celtic’s season ended in disappointment on Friday night as they were sent crashing out of the Tully Bookmakers Cup by double-seeking Muirhevnamor at Townparks.
The scoreline was probably harsh on the Deesiders as the sides remained deadlocked for the first hour of the contest before the Dundalk side’s greater firepower came to the fore in the latter stages. However, poor discipline was a factor in the 4-0 outcome as Ardee finished the game with only nine players.
Despite Muirhevnamor’s Micky O’Kane and Shawni Dowdall of Ardee going close at either end, the match remained scoreless at the interval as Ardee manager John Flanagan, one of the best players on the park on the night, helped the home side maintain a tight ship at the back in a rare starting appearance.
The hosts began the second period brightly, with Gareth Kane firing over, but it was the men in blue who took the lead through Adrian Rafferty’s close-range finish following a corner kick delivery on the 60-minute mark.
The gap was doubled with substitute Brendan Hughes’ first touch as his powerful effort finding a way past Ardee keeper Stuart Reynolds.
Ardee’s chances all but evaporated inside the next 30 seconds as Gareth Kane was involved in an incident with a visiting player as he went to celebrate their second goal. Referee Daryl Carolan spotted it and sent Kane off.
A further coming-together of players as Kane walked off then saw keeper Reynolds shown a second yellow and Ardee were suddenly down to nine players with 20 minutes still to go.
Reserve keeper Hugh Murphy was called in as Flanagan made way for him and the keeper brought off a diving save minutes later as Ardee strived to stay in the contest. Despite having nine men they still battled on, with Bryan O’Connor chasing down everything up front and the likes of Robbie Reynolds and Niall Sharkey working hard.
But sheer numbers saw the visitors ghost in twice before the end, with Gary Clarke and Vinny Smith rounding off the affair with Muirhevnamor’s third and fourth goals as Ardee’s numerical disadvantage began to take its toll. ARDEE CELTIC: Stuart Reynolds, Robbie Reynolds, John Flanagan, Pierce Hawkins, Aaron Roche, Niall Sharkey, John Bingham, Shawni Dowdall, Gareth Kane, Tristan Knowles, Bryan O’Connor. Subs: Hugh Murphy, Tommy Muckian, Killian Scott, Lorcan Malone.