U17 | Seasiders come out on top of Premier Division title showdown
U17 Premier Division | Rock Celtic 2–0 Ardee Celtic
Gavin McLaughlin reports from Sandy Lane
The Dundalk Schoolboys League U17 Premier Division title will reside by the seaside for the next 12 months after Rock Celtic had too much for Ardee Celtic in Saturday afternoon’s showdown at Sandy Lane.
Ardee’s 4–1 defeat to Glenmuir United during the week left the hosts in the driving seat going into this final game of the league season.
TJ Otesanya’s side needed only a point to secure the title but the boys from the Rock looked intent on finishing their campaign with a flourish.
Rock completely dominated the first half with a combination of the woodwork, some poor finishing and some excellent goalkeeping by Mark Ward keeping them at bay.
The game was just 60 seconds old when they threatened for the first time. Kizito Ekwuene picked out the unmarked Oisin Meegan but his backheel was stopped by Ward.
Meegan then slipped Peter McStravick in on the left but his effort was blocked by John McMahon before Ward gathered a well rehearsed free kick from Seasiders skipper, Aidan Curtin.
The crossbar came to Ardee Celtic’s rescue in the 17th minute. Curtin’s short corner caught the Deesiders napping, allowing left-back Odhran Duffy to send a fantastic first-time effort towards goal but the crossbar denied him what would have been a stunning opener.
The hosts continued to play some very eye-catching football and Ardee Celtic captain Trevor Matthews had to produce a brilliant last-ditch tackle to stop the raiding Liam McDonnell from putting the cap on a fine passing move.
The visitors took time to settle and found chances hard to come by with Tristan Knowles dragging their first real opening wide of the post in the 28th minute.
They almost fared a lot better two minutes later. Bryan O’Connor robbed Mark Hanna, raced towards goal and hammered an effort towards the far corner but Rock Celtic goalkeeper Tom McDonough stood tall to make a vital save.
Things may have ended differently if that had gone in.
Rock finished the half strongly with midfielder Tom Jackson showing plenty of creativity. The same applied to Curtin, who skinned Matthews on the left to pick out Ekwuene but the striker’s downward header bounced just over the top.
The breakthrough finally arrived just two minutes into the second half when another well rehearsed free was delivered by Jackson and Ekwuene was on hand to scramble the ball home from close-range.
Rock went in search of a second and Ward made another couple of excellent saves to deny Jackson and Meegan but lady luck deserted the Ardee Celtic netminder in the 18th minute of the second half as Rock put the game to bed.
Jackson’s effort was brilliantly kept out by Ward but McStravick was in the right pace to tuck home the rebound with referee Stephen Donnan correctly waving away the Ardee appeals for offside.
To their credit, the visitors kept plugging way and Jamie Farrell, O’Connor and Knowles all tested McDonough.
However, it was Rock’s day and Jackson was denied what would have been a well-deserved goal in the dying stages when he saw his well-hit shot come back off the upright.
ROCK CELTIC: Tom McDonough, Liam McDonnell (Dylan Johnston), Odhran Duffy, Mark Hanna, Conor Neary, Senan Duffy (Rory Staunton), Peter McStravick (Neil Smyth), Tom Jackson (Joseph Okunamunre), Kizito Ekwuene (Luke Hoban), Oisin Meegan (Rioghan Murphy), Aidan Curtin.
ARDEE CELTIC: Mark Ward, John McMahon, Lorcan Donnelly, Trevor Matthews, Oisin McKenna, Jamie Farrell, Ben Quaile, Seldi Melbis, Caolan McCabe, Tristan Knowles, Bryan O’Connor. Subs: Dylan White, Ben Blakemore, Keane Smith, Evan Malone.
REFEREE: Stephen Donnan.
