Penalty heartache again for Killarney Celtic

FAI JUNIOR CUP QUARTER-FINAL Killarney Celtic 0 Fairview Rangers (Limerick) 0

(Fairview won 4-2 on penalties)

HISTORY has often a habit of repeating itself in sport and the ghost of Kilbrean Park came back to haunt Killarney Celtic at Celtic Park on Saturday evening after they made their exit from FAI Junior Cup in devastating fashion in a penalty shoot out to Limerick side Fairway Rangers.

Just three years ago they lost to Sheriff YC in similar fashion that time at the semi final stage of the national competition. When the dust has settled on this game Celtic will look back and know that they could have won it if they had been more clinical up front.

Overall it was a scrappy foul ridden game where very few scoring chances were created. While the game may have lacked quality both sides played with honest endeavour where every ball was contested vigorously and with hard tackles going in and exchanges heated at times it kept the referee Raymond Murphy busy but he did an excellent job.

With so many free kicks and yellow cards in the game a sending off was almost inevitable and Fairview were reduced to 10 players when AJ O’Connor was sent off for a second yellow card offence in the latter stages of the first period of extra time.

Over regulation time exchanges were relatively even enough but Celtic edged it in the second half and with a bit of luck could have sneaked a win. The home side began brightly and forced a couple of early corner kicks which yielded nothing.

A foul on Adam O’Rourke led to a free kick which was floated into the box by Matt Keane and John McDonagh could not keep his header down. Gradually Fairview began to impose themselves in the game and the superb Clyde O’Connell let fly with a rasper of a shot from 30 yards, but it went over the top.

The first goalie to be called into action was Aaron Savage and he made a decent save to deny Steven McCarthy with a well struck free kick from 25 yards. Celtic created a good chance just before half time when Gary Keane put Wayne Sparling free down the left sideline and he cut in but his shot from an angle was saved by the Fairview goalie.

The visitors upped their performance at the start of the second half and 10 minutes in Ross Mann stung the gloves of Celtic keeper Roy Kelliher when he fizzed in a powerful shot from just outside the box but the custodian tipped it over the top.

As the half progressed both sides began to use their benches as they tried desperately to try and break the deadlock. When brothers Shane and Darragh Lowth came on for Celtic it swung the game in their favour and they looked the more likely side to win the game.

They had to withstand a few anxious moments late in the game when a few Fairview corners created a bit of panic in their defence, With parity prevailing after 90 minutes the game progressed to extra time.

Seven minutes into the first period of extra time Celtic had a glorious chance to win the game after a lightning attack down the left wing Wayne Sparling played in sub Jamie O’Sullivan who breezed past a defender and with just the keeper to beat from 10 yards his low shot was brilliantly saved by the Fairview goalie Aaron Savage.

Shortly after this the visitors were reduced to 10 players after

AJ O’Connor was sent off for a second yellow card offence. In the second period of extra time Fairview packed their defence and Celtic went all out in search of a winner.

While they created plenty of attacks they were lacking that killer punch up front and the game progressed to a penalty shoot out where the Fairview goalie stole the show saving three penalties. In the shoot-out Jeffrey Judge was first up for Fairview and he scored while Darragh Lowth scored for Celtic.

Then Clyde O’Connell scored for Fairview but Liam Spillane shot was saved by the Fairview. Robbie Kelliher then scored for the visitors and Wayne Sparling netted for Celtic.

The home side got a great boost after that with Celtic keeper Roy Kelliher making a great save to deny John Mullane and the game was in the melting pot again.

However Shane Lowth’s shot was saved by the Fairview keeper. Stephen Bradley then had the opportunity to win the game for Fairview and he finished to the net in emphatic fashion. Fairview’s dynamic centre half Clyde O’Connell deservedly got the man of the match award.

The Killarney Celtic club are to be highly commended for the measures they had in place to comply with Covid-19 restrictions. With plenty of stewards on duty everything was organised in a very professional manner.

Prior to kick off a minute’s silence was held for the late Joanne Downey who died in a tragic accident recently and also for John Doyle on the seventh anniversary of his death.

Celtic have a huge game next Sunday when they play Desmond League side Rathkeale in the Munster Champions League Final at Mounthawk Park with a 2pm kick off time.

Due to Covid-19 it is an all ticket game with a maximum attendance of 200 and anyone who does not have a ticket will not be allowed into the stadium.

KILLARNEY CELTIC: Roy Kelliher, Kevin O’Sullivan, Liam Spillane, John Mc Donagh, Stevie O’Mahony, Gary Keane, Matt Keane, Wayne Sparling, Lee Downing, (Jamie O’Sullivan 93), Adam O’Rourke, (Darragh Lowth 64), Steven Mc Carthy, (Shane Lowth 71),

FAIRVIEW RANGERS: Aaron Savage, Jamie Enright, Liam Burnes, Clyde O’Connell, Mark Slattery, (Jason Lipper 83), Stephen Bradley, Jeffrey Judge, AJ O’Connor, Ross Mann, Eddie Byrnes, (John Mullane 50), James Fitzgerald, (Robbie Kelliher 71)

REFEREE: Raymond Murphy (Cork)