Denny Division 1B , 2013/14

Kerry District League
13th April 2014
AC Athletic 4-1 Killorglin B

By Tommy Naughton

AC Athletic remain on course for promotions after a comfortable win against Killorglin Fc B team in Mounthawk Park Tralee on Friday night.

AC hit four goals to take three points to maintain second spot in the table.

AC started the stronger and had the first chance when Barry Walshe fired wide on the opening minutes after good work by John Mike Dooley.

The hosts then lost Derek O’Carroll through injury and brought on young Joseph Diggins who was to have an great impact in the game later on.

John Mike Dooley came close to giving the home side the lead, but his goal bound free kick took a wicked deflection and went wide of the far post. Killorglin were finding it hard to gain any possession in the opening twenty minutes, but whilst AC poured forward they couldn’t find the opener. The early stalemate was due in particular to some great handling being by Killorglin keeper Chris O’Connor .
AC taught they had grabbed the lead on the half hour mark when John Mike Dooley’s in swinging corner was missed by everyone and hit the bottom of the far post before flying back into the grateful keepers hands.
Killorglin had their first chance a minute later when Aiden Sullivan chased down a long clearance and hit a first time volley from a tight angle that was somehow held by Mark Dillane. Killorglin now had started to get to grips with the pace of the game and Mitchell Sullivan brought the best out of Dillane who had to save at his near post to deny the visitors the lead.

Ten minutes before the break Athletic had another great chance when Stephen Goggin sent a deep cross into the box, Keeper O’Connor came to claim, but slipped leaving Eamonn Fitzgerald with a great chance to head home the opener.However Fitzgerald never got high enough off the ground and the ball sailed wide of the target.

From the resulting kick out Barry Walshe must have taught he was Wayne Rooney as he controlled the ball at the halfway line before hitting a first time volley which seemed to have the keeper beaten, but dropped the wrong side of the post denying Walshe what would have been a wonder goal at any level.

Eamonn Fitzgerald had the last chance of the first half and probably the clearest when the ball broke to him inside the penalty area from an Anthony O’Carroll corner, but he saw his shot from close range cannon back of the upright and the danger was cleared as the half time whistle went.

The second half was only minutes old when Athletic were awarded a penalty when Dooley was taken down by Eoin Kelliher and Eamonn Fitzgerald make no mistake driving the ball home.

Killorglin should have been level straight away when Mike Carey was played in by Aidan Sullivan but his shot was high and wide of the near post when shooting across the goal seemed to be the better option. Killorglin now were throwing everything forward and it took a last ditch tackle by Paul O’Grady to deny Vinny West from getting through on goal. Mark Dillane was again called into action this time denying Mitchell Sullivan with a save low to his left from close range.

On the hour mark Athletic struck for their second as they hit Killorglin on the counter attack. A long ball out of defence by Paul O’Carroll found John Mike Dooley, Dooley rolled the ball past the keeper who had found himself in no mans land.

Three minutes later it was game over when Anthony Carroll found the pacey Joseph Diggins, who made no mistake with only the keeper to beat. Twenty minutes remaining and Killorglin were still throwing everything forward and they finally got some reward for their efforts when Stuart Delaney scored from close range after a long free kick from Eoin Kelliher.

AC Should really have killed the game of earlier as Killorglin went to a gung ho 3-4-3, but some great goal keeping by O’Connor and last ditch defending by Jamie O’Sullivan kept the gap at two. The final goal of the game came with the last kick and it was worth waiting for.

Anthony O’Carroll chased down what seemed like a lost cause, he then sent a high deep cross into the box where John Mike Dooley sent a first time volley flying into the far corner of the net to finish off a very exciting and attack flowing match .

AC Atheltic: Mark Dillane , Paul o Grady, Paul o Carroll, Mark Walshe, Stephen Goggin, Conor Diggins, Barry Walshe, Eamonn Fitzgerald, Derek o Carroll, Anthony o Carroll, John Mike Dooley . Subs Used , Joseph Diggins , Adam Whyte, Shane Leahy .

Killorglin B: Chris o Connor , Jack o Brien, Jamie o Sullivan, Mike Kelliher, Eoin Kelliher, Vinny West, Stuart Delaney, Brandon Breen, Mike Carey, Aidan o Sullivan , Mitchel o Sullivan . Subs Used , Ryan Riordan, Alan o Dwyer.

Referee; Derek o Shea .