DENNY PREMIER A

Denny Premier A
Sunday March 15th , 2015
Killarney Celtic 3-4 Listowel Celtic

By Jimmy Darcy O’Sullivan

The two Kerry Celtics offered up a seven goal thriller in Celtic Park on Sunday morning, but unfortunately we came out the wrong side of the 4-3 result. Listowel served early warning of their intentions when Ian Murphy forced Conor McCarthy into a great save and sure enough, Listowel were in front after 10 minutes when a lovely through ball from Mike Woods set up Bryan Murphy for the opener.

The home side settled and began to make inroads. A great cross by William Courtney was an inch too afr ahead of Farouk Aminu. Cathal Keane saved Vlad Sirotiak’s piledriver after a nifty one-two with Aminu, and Conor Randall’s shot crashed off the woodwork after a great ball from Stephen Hayes. Farouk Aminu touched the rebound out to Gary Keane, whose first time shot curled perfectly into the net. 1-1. William Courtney made a mesmerizing run down the wing beforecutting in – he had help if it was needed but instead drove the ball into the roof of the net for a cracking goal in the 26th minute. The lead didn’t last long, with Paudie Quinn calmly slotting home from close range to leave it 2-2 at the break.

William Courtney produced another spectacular finish early in the second half to put us leading 3-2. Unfortunately we lost Brian Spillane to second yellow card and we were always under pressure from then on. Bryan Murphy squared things up for Listowel who went hunting a winner.  Conor McCarthy twice denied Listowel with some superb saves, and they had two shots go wide with just the keeper to beat from close range, chances that really should have been put into the net.
Killarney Celtic put in Trojan work into repelling Listowel’s attacks, but the pressure was almost constant and with two minutes of injury time played, Martin Loughnane swung in an absolutely precision cross, the kind of ball that makes good strikers salivate, and there was Aidan Quinn with a superb header to grab a late but deserved winner.

There was nine minutes of injury time played in total but Celtic couldn’t force an equalizer.That injury time came from a leg injury to Listowel Celtic’s Ian Murphy, who unfortunately had to be stretchered off at the three quarter stage, and both sides wish him a speedy recovery.

Killarney Celtic: Conor McCarthy, Oscar O’Connor, John McDonogh, Brian Spillane, Conor Farrell, Conor Randall, William Courtney, Gary Keane, Farouk Aminu, Vladimir Sirotiak, Stephjen Hayes. Sub Stephen McCarthy

Listowel Celtic: Cathal Keane, Martin Loughnane, Jamie Barry, Micheal Lynch, Seamus Keane, Ian Murphy, Aidan Quinn, Paudie Quinn, Kevin McCarthy, Bryan Murphy, Mike Woods. Subs Kevin Bambury, Adam Twomey, Kevin O’Connor

Referee: Seamus O’Mahony