Celtic Bhoys Beat Kelvin Old Boys
The NAFL,
Cochrane Corry Cup R5,
Ballyhornan, 3rd February 2024,
Final Score: Celtic Bhoys 4 1 Kelvin Old Boys.
Celtic Bhoys tirned on the style at Ballyhornan on Saturday against Kelvin OB with a convincing win.
Celtic are showing second top of the 2C League which they recently joined while the OBs are placed third in Division 2A.
But this was a Round 5 Cochrane Corry Cup match, and Celtic showed their metal to despatch a side that is two leagues above them and now have a place in the quarter finals against Sandy Row in on 24th February.
The home side got off to a quick start attacking and Peter Casey hit a great shot just inches over the bar from the back of the box in the opening 2 minutes showing his intent.
The game settled into a spell when both teams were contesting strongly and the OBs looked quite strong in the early stages capable of threatening the Celtic goal. Curtis Farrell launched a volley at the Celtic goal but it was just too high.
Celtic managed to contain the OBs as they pressed forward and it was testimony to the well-disciplined defence that kept the ball out of the net.
On 12 minutes Curtis Farrell took a free kick for the OBs passing to Leon Skillen but his low on-target volley was well saved by Celtic keeper Nathan Curran.
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But the Hoops clawed their way back into control and pressed forward again and Jay Gibney broke forward on the right and passed to Casey who put the ball through to Sean Mahon whose shot was just held by OB keeper Joel Crothers.
Gibney was having a good spell and a long pass through to him almost saw his run beat Crothers to the ball for a certain goal but the keeper just got there a second early to block the shot.
Celtic got into their rhythm and started attacking more and Casey tried another long low volley from 40 yards which again was a fraction off target wide.
On 20 minutes, Gibney ran in and passed to Sean Mahon but as he netted the ball the referee blew for offsides.
The OBs won a corner but a quick break from Celtic saw Johnnie Bell knock the ball in to the left hand corner putting Celtic a goal up on 22 minutes.
Celtic were quick to break again and Shaun Megahey just missed with his shot from a corner taken my McMahon.
As the teams locked horns on 30 minutes and play became more intense, Gibney found space to fire off a volley but the gusting wind made it rise a fraction over the bar.
Minutes later McMahon again fired a shot which too rose over the top bar.
Despite the constant attacks by the OBs, Celtic back line were holding well and managing to contain the determined visitors.
Then Corey McCartan broke through and tried to half lob the ball over the head of OB keeper Crothers. It hit the top spar and bounced back into the keeper’s hands.
Celtic wanted to finish the game off with another goal and piled on the pressure. But a quick break from OB defender Matthew Hood and Curtis Farrell saw Leon Skillen shoot just over the bar missing the chance of an equaliser.
McMahon figured in a number of challenges to the OB goal area and he found space to hit a long ball from the right aiming at the back left post past Crothers but again on a good day the ball would have been in the net as it drifted over.
On 39 minutes Casey launched a magnificent, powerful volley from 40 yards and finally was on target. The ball rose slightly and hit the top of the net giving Crothers no chance. It was a moment of great celebration for such a well-taken goal which caught the OBs napping.
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Celtic’s confidence went up three notches and growing frustration disappeared quickly as they ploughed into the OB half with Casey again finding space for another volley.
The second half started with the OBs winning a free kick on the edge of the Celtic goal area just three minutes in and Curtis Farrel took it well hitting low hitting to the right hand post low.
The OB goal bolstered the visitors who lifted their game.
But Celtic dug deep and again pressed into the OB half and McMahon tried a low shot but Crothers held it well.
The OB side seemed to take their feet of the pedal and showed less resistance to Celtic. Curran did not have much to do in the home side goals.
Sub Taylor Loudon chopped the ball to forward Jordan McCoubrey running in but Crothers read it well and came out to block the shot.
Then Casey unleashed an effort at the the OB goal again but it was held. Then the OBs broke forward quickly and made a quick break and won another free kick outside the Celtic box but this time the defenders made short work of it.
The scoreline should have been much higher for Celtic and probably the gusty wind was a factor.
In one charge, McCoubrey almost made his run into the box when he was pushed from behind by Andrews and won a fee kick a yard outside the OB box. McCoubrey hit the free kick well but like so many other shots it drifted up and over the top bar.
On just past 55 minutes OB forward Farrell hit to the Celtic goal and the ball came off the crossbar.
Then Celtic surged forward and McCoubrey hit close to the goal but his shot defected off a defender and a two subsequent shots by Celtic players also hit a defender and ricocheted off the keeper Crothers. Bad luck for Celtic!
The game did become quite contentious with players querying every decision of the referee. Yellow cards were dished out and the game stopped and started after a few wrangles.
Then eventually in the 84th minute, Sean Ferris put the game to rest when he hammered the ball in to the bottom left corner oof the OB net.
As the game went into extra time a back header by Conor Doherty who had received a bloody nose injury earlier put Celtic Bhoys well ahead and unreachable with a well-taken, glancing header to the bottom of the left post.
This was a solid performance by Celtic Bhoys in windy conditions which made play a bit unsettling. They are now through the quarter finals and are throughly enjoying their run in the Cochrane Corey Cup.
Kelvin OBs started off with promise but faded as the game progressed despited making a few useful attacks.
Celtic Bhoys manager Shane Adair said: “The team performed well today. Conditions were gusty but we took the game to the the Old Boys and got them on the back foot.
“We did miss a few opportunities today and the scoreline could have been a lot different if we converted everything.
“Peter Casey’s goal was very well executed and it certainly lifted our spirits.
‘We had an early goal in the second half which relaxed the players and we made a few changes to the strategy which worked. We pushed on against the Old Boys and kept up the pressure. I’m delighted with the team today and the scoreline was fair considering.”
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Celtic Bhoys: 1 Nathan Curran (GK) Shaun Megahey (C) 3 Matthew McKee 4 Johnnie Bell 5 Paul Brady 6 Conor Docherty 7 Corey McCartan 8 Peter Casey 9 Jordan McCoubrey 11 Sean McMahon 17 Jay Gibney. Subs: 9 Sean Ferris, 14 Taylor Loudon, 16 Christopher Cullen.
Kelvin Old Boys: 1 Joel Crothers GH 2 Matthew Hood 3 Paul Carlisle 4 Ryan Jackson 5 Dean Sproule (C) 6 Curtis Andrews 7 Curtis Farrell 8 Mark Arnold 10 Curtis Farrell 11 Leon Skillen 19 Pearce Tait. Subs: 9 Paul Downey 12 McAuley Hillerby 14 Cole Irvine.
