::: Gorey Celtic FC

Sunday 25th October 2009
Gorey Celtic 3 - 0 Fastnet Rovers

Celtics 8th league game of the season saw the Celts play their third home game of the season against a Fastnet second team on a very windy but dry day, with the game kicking off at 2pm (john Murphy specially requesting the kick off to coincide with the big TV game of the day).

The first half saw the Celtic side face a very strong breeze . Celtic had the ball in the net after 12min following a Colin McShane effort but Darren O'Mahony was ruled to be in an offside position when he dispatched the ball to the net.
Fastnet later had two efforts , firstly a long shot from distance driven wide after 17min and secondly a free kick from outside the box which passed over the hoops crossbar. The earlier over-ruled offside Celtic goal gave the team great encouragement and the midfielders began to play the ball on the ground into the prevailing head-wind. Their efforts paid off after 28 min when Barry Glencross picked up the ball on the right side of midfield made a jinking run infield whilst beating two Fastnet players, laid the ball off to McShane who returned the pass, only for Glencross to place a controlled right-footed effort to the keepers left and high into the netting. Fastnet had a chance on the 37min when without being under great pressure the defence and keeper got their wires crossed and allowed a Fastnet player to round the keeper only to shoot wide across the face of the Celtic goalmouth.

H.T.: 1-0

The first chance of the second half occurred after 51 min when Liam Clarke passed to O'Mahony who shot wide and to right of the post. Sean Feeney later had a long range effort gathered by the keeper. Clyde Phayres was introduced for an injured O'Mahony after 55min. Liam Clarke came very close when he broke from the left side of midfield past a Fastnet player only to find himself one on one with the keeper who then foiled his low driven effort .The second goal came on the 71st min when Colin McShane collected the ball with his back to goal turned deftly past the Fastnet defender and accelerated toward the Fastnet goal dispatching a left footed shot across the keeper into the right side of the netting.
Mark Walsh was introduced as a tactical substitution for yellow carded Paddy Callery soon after. Mike Hassett was then introduced for Clarke after 80 min and nearly scored soon after when McShane broke and provided him with a pass at the edge of the area only for his shot to ascend over the bar and hit the top netting. Feeney again came close on the 85th min when he connected well with a glancing volley which the keeper duly saved .
The third goal came when Colin McShane broke down the right side finding himself surprisingly unchallenged with the Fastnet players calling for a whistle which never came. He temporarily stopped only to then proceed to cross the ball to Phayres who completed a simple tap in for a final score of 3-0.

A good team performance was again the name of the day with the backs coping well under the blustery conditions . The midfield was again strong all around with Barry Glencross putting an especially determined display. While Colin McShane showed his worth with some nice passing and a good general workrate.( John Murphy wanted to make special mention of his favourite player Chris Cullen, who he compared to a young Dennis Irwin such was magnitude of his performance on the day and wanted to thank him profusely for coming to the third team’s rescue in their time of need)

Team: Shay Redmond, Damien Mordalski, Tom Croft, Pa Murphy, Chris Cullen, Barry Glencross, Paddy Callery, Sean Feeney, Liam Clarke, Darren O'Mahony, Colin McShane.

Subs: Clyde Phayers for O'Mahony (55 mins), Mark Walsh for Callery (70 mins), Mick Hassett for Clarke (80 mins)