Celtic Bhoys turn on the heat in extra-time to win
ToalsBet.com Junior Shield Round 3
Venue: Ballyhornan 3G pitch, on Saturday 1st November 2025,
Final Score: Celtic Bhoys 3 1 Crusaders U18s.
The first two periods were nothing to write home about. Both teams worked at a fast pace, and play tende to go up and down the pitch with both teams having their moments.
Celtic had a few missed opportunities that if converted could have taken the pressure right off them. On 12 minutes Neil Teggart burst towards the Crusader box and was taken down. Sean McMahon was just wide with the free kick.
There was definitely and urgency about the first half as both teams strived for a goal. It was Celtic who scored in the 32nd minute when Ferris converted a Teggart low cross putting the home side in the lead.
But Crusaders kept their cool and 8 minutes later a long cross to the left saw Zack Kennedy equalise. The visitors smelled blood and pressed harder seeing Celtic were a bit rattled. But the teams were in at half -time 1-1.
When play re-commenced, as the game progressed, Eamonn Gargan had a header just over the bar from a free 4 yards outside the Crusader box but it went over the bar.
Celtic started to step up to the plate and Ferris was looking for his second goal. Then Gargan again had a header opportunity but just went over the bar.
As Celtic pressed forward, Shaum Megahey took a throw-in and Groves rose up to meet it but again sent the ball over the bar.
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Celtic were showing good team discipline and pressing forward more. They were grinding Crusaders down who were making less atacks on the Celtic goal but keeper Nathan Curran was in form and so far had handled his end well.
But Curran was tested in the 67th minute when Zack Kennedy sent a low volley on target at the Celtic goal. Curran did well to put the ball out for a corner.
Just after this, Michael Rice came off following a nasty leg injury when he received a kick in a tackle. At one stage it looked as though the match could be abandoned, but he managed to stand up and hobble off in pain.
And 15 minutes later in the 88th minute, Jay Gibney too came off with a bad leg injury.
Celtic had been piling on the pressure but Crusaders would not concede a goal. Altogether the visitors received 4 yellow cards (2 leading to a red card for Curtis McKeown) whilst Celtic just had two overall.)
Neil Teggart had battled al the way through the match and set up some great opportunities and came close himself on scoring a few times.
But despite Celtic’s best efforts, the match went into extra-time.
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Celtic came out strong and Crusaders had no real answer. They were a younger side and found it hard to match the physicality of Celtic who pressed forward.
Then in the 95th minute, it was Sean Mahon to broke the glass ceiling driving a cross into the Crusader net.
This gave Celtic a huge boost and from then on they were rampant, pressing forward aiming to close of their opponents with another goal.
This goal came from Ferris 2 minutes later to the joys and roars of the supporters converted a cross from Corey McCartan knocking it past keeper Mattew Boyle who had played well for 90+ minutes. The game was now past Crusaders U18s who were looking a bit ragged towards the end of the match.
The Celtic front line faced a well-drilled Crusader defence and as a result the goals were late in coming.
Celtic had struggled to put a strong team together hence Neil Teggart having to lace up his boots. And with the run of injuries the Celtic have had and a suspension of a key mid-fielder, and the two nasty injuries that Rice and Gibney, it will be interesting to see who’s available next Saturday.
Overall, Celtic wore down Crusaders U18 team who played some great football in the first two periods. Keeper Matthew Boyle was impressive despite the score, and Celtic keeper Nathan Curran did the necessary to prevent Crusaders from adding to their single goal.
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***
Celtic Bhoys: 1 Nathan Curran (GK) 2 Caoimhin Groves 3 Ryan Doran 4 Michael Rice (C) 5 Eamon Gargan 6 Jay Gibney 7 Shaun Megaheyt 8 Corey McCartan 9 Sean McMahon 10 Neil Teggart 11 Patrick Ferris. Subs: 12 Ciaran McMenamin 14 Ryan Teggart 15 Patrick McConvey 16 Sean Paul Thompson 17 Niks Aleksejevs.
Crusaders U18s: 45 Matthew Boyle (GK) 47 Ben Thompson 48 Kayden Hill 49 Harvey Leighton 51 Cian Shivers 52 Zach Kennedy 53 Corey Boyd 55 Curtis McKeown (C). 57 Sean Duggan, 71 Finlay Jackson.
FLASHBACK TO LAST SEASON:
Celtic Bhoys got to the Junior Shield Final to face St. Mary’s and they could do it again! (check out the semi-final report and photos by Down News).
