Munster Champions Trophy – Celtic sopt on against Clonmel

Munster Champions Cup quarterfinal

Bartlett Brilliance sends Clonmel Town Down:

Clonmel Town 0         Killarney Celtic 0
(Celtic win 4-3 on penalties after extra time)
By Padraig Harnett
This Munster Champions Trophy quarter final started at whirlwind speed with both sides forcing a number of corners.
Stephen Hayes was the first to get a shot on target following one of these but Burke in the Clonmel goal saved easily.
In what would be a pattern for the first half hour the home side broke quickly and Conor Connelly sat up Jimmy Hayes but the Celtic defence got back just in time.
Connolly himself was next to try his luck but David Hayes did well to get in a block.
It was a wide open game at this stage and Packie O’Connor and Hayes combines to set up G Paketarus but his effort was wide.
At the other end Bartlett did very well to smother a Tynon effort and his long ball sent G in but he couldn’t take advantage of the chance.
In the 30th minute Stephen Hayes volleyed over and little did we know what would happen in the next 5 minutes to totally change the game.
Ronan Stanley and Gary Keane had a coming together and the Clonmel Town player kicked out at the Keane as he was walking away. The referee flashed a straight red
to the consternation of the home side. Before they could catch their breath they lost another player when the ‘red mist’ descended on Niall Kelly and he lashed out at Celtic defender to
join Stanley in the early showers.
This should have been the signal for Celtic to dominate and the pushed three up front but Clonmel ended the half with the better chances as Walsh and Connolly went close.
Half time gave Clonmel the break to re organise and this they did admirably. For the rest of normal time the frustrated Celtic who had a distinct lack of clear cut chances against the 9 men.
Celtic did start the second period very brightly with Terrance Moriarty pushing on and getting crosses into the box.
One found Chris Davies lurking but he volleyed over while Moriarty put in a free kick which Burke fumbled but there was no Celtic player on hand to finish.
Clonmel Town had settled at this stage to keep it tight and to try on rare occasions to hit Celtic on the break. Hynes did get in at one stage on the by-line but Bartlett was out smartly to avert the danger.
Celtic made changes with Stephen Devane (who didn’t start as he was feeling ill) and Billy Goulding coming in for Brian Spillane and Chris Davies.
Watson and Moriarty were finding a lot of space on the wings and putting in cross after cross but to the credit of the Clonmel Town back four and keeper they dealt with everything the visitors could throw at them.
Extra time came and went without much change with Clonmel Town creating one good chance when Hynes cross was flicked on to Scully but he shot wide.
Clonmel rang the changes and brought in Levi Walsh and Shane Flynn who had just won a County Minor title at lunch time and they gave fresh energy to a tiring Clonmel side.
For Celtic they did put together one great move at pace – something they should have done a lot more of. Stephen Hayes raided down the right wing, crossed deep to Watson who
knocked it back to the in rushing Peter McCarthy but from ten yards he was not able to keep his shot on target and so onto the dreaded penalties.

Celtic went first with McCarthy scoring. Scully levelled it at 1 a piece but Stephen Hayes put Celtic in front again. Tynan then missed for Clonmel to hand the advantage to Celtic.
Stephen Devane took that advantage to make it 3-1 before Loughnane pulled one back. David Hayes then seemed to change his mind and his kick went just the wrong side of the post
to give Whelan the chance to level matters at 3-3.
Robert Watson showed ice cold nerves to slot home thee final penalty for Celtic meaning Tim Hynes had to score to keep his side in the game.
He hit a decent penalty to Bartlett’s right but the Celtic keeper dived full length to turn the ball around the post to the relief of all in The Hoops!!

Celtic now goes on to meet Kinsale at a Cork venue in the Last 4. They will be very relieved to get over a very well drilled, fit and dangerous Clonmel Town side
that didn’t let the loss of two players affect them. They are used to their narrow pitch and used this to their advantage.
From a Celtic point of view they battled hard and were very tight at the back but did lack a few ideas and some creativity but in Cup competitions it’s only the
result that matters and its Killarney Celtic that will play in the semi final while Clonmel will wonder what might have been.

Killarney Celtic: St Bartlett, Chris Davies, David Hayse,Brian Spillane, Terrence Moriarty, Gary Keane, Packie O’Connor, Robert Watson, Peter McCarthy, G Paketarus, Stephen Hayes.
Subs used: Billy Goulding and Stephen Devane, unused Thomas Templeman and Alex Courtney.

Clonmel Town.

Darren Burke, Adrian Cleere, Derek Loughnane, Raymond Condon, Ronnie Stanley, Tony Scully, Conor Connolly, Eoin Walsh, Timmy Hynes, Martin Tynan, Niall Kelly.
Subs used Shane Flynn and Levi Whelan.