Denny Premier B 2013/14

Tuesday 29th April
Classic FC 5-0 Ballymac Galaxy

By Tommy Naughton

Classic FC went joint second in Premier B and kept their promotion dream alive with a big win against Ballymac Galaxy who are now in real relegation trouble with recent results. The away side started with ten men for the first half hour and the home side took full advantage of this scoring twice before it was eleven against eleven.

After only two minutes Alan O’Shea was given a great chance but for a last ditch tackle by Dave Lean it surely would have been the opener. However two minutes later it was one nil. Kieran O’Regan played a perfect through ball to Alan O’Shea who pulled the ball back for the on rushing Mark Tagney to make no mistake for the opener.

It was two nil after ten minutes when Alan O’Shea rolled a free kick from the edge of the box around the wall in to the far corner. Classic were well in control now and their middle three of Brendan Smyth, Kieran O’Regan and Ashton Mugabe were dominating proceedings.

Just after the half hour mark Classic should have extended their lead after a long ball over the top by Billy Clifford found Neil Hobbert his shot from six yards out was touched around the post by an out stretched leg of the keeper Micheal Collins. Hobbert again went close minutes later but saw his effort from inside the penalty area crash back off the bar.

From here Galaxy broke down field and won a corner and had their best chance of getting back into the game from a bit of pressure in the final third. The corner was headed goal wards by Cathal de Lacey but connected with the head of Billy Clifford and went for another corner. This time Paudie McCarthy took it and Classic’s Keeper came and misjudged it, De Lacey rose highest and saw his header come back of the cross bar and the danger was cleared as the half time whistle went.

Ballymac nearly pulled a goal back when Genie Griffin shot wide of the near post after getting onto a long ball over the top by De Lacey. Ten minutes into the second half the game was over as a contest. Neil Hobbert picked out the run of Alan O’Shea who on to the ball before the advancing keeper who could not stop his momentum and collided with the striker and a penalty was rightly awarded. O Shea picked himself up and scored passed the keeper who guessed correctly but couldn’t get to the ball quick enough.

It was four nil on the hour mark when Mark Tagney squared the ball to Neil Hobbert who finished clinically from the edge of the box leaving the keeper stranded as the ball found the top corner. It should have been five nil moments later when from a Gary Kissane long kick out Tagney rolled the ball into the path of Timmy Lynch who is known more for his defensive skills than his scoring ones, couldn’t get the vital touch on the ball from a couple of yards out with the goal open for a tap in.

It wasn’t long before it was five nil and again Tagney was the supplier when he set up Lynch again and this time he made no mistake as his shot went in low at the near post with the help of a deflection of the keepers right foot which some might put down as an OG.

The final chance of the game was from Jay Murphy whose cross/shot seemed to catch the keeper but came back of the bar.

Classic will be happy to keep themselves in the promotion race but know tougher games will be ahead of them. Ballymac Knew they need to improve but had good performances from young Cian O’Brien, Genie Griffin and Paudie McCarthy.

Classic FC: Gary Kissane , Jay Murphy, Billy Clifford, Antony McAuliffe ,Martin Sweeney, Neil Hobbert, Mark Tagney, Kieran o Regan , Ashton Mugabe, Brendan Smyth, Alan o Shea . Subs , Timmy Lynch for O Shea ( 60 mins), Padraig o Brien for O Regan (60 mins), Gary Lynch for Mugabe (71 mins) .

Ballymac Galaxy: Micheal Collins, John Casey, Larry Kelly, Mike Lean, Dave Lean, Cathal De Lacey, Paudie McCarthy, Cian o Brien, Glen McCarthy, Genie Griffin, Darren Kane . Subs , Dermot Lean for Dave Lean ( 35 mins) .