Kilcock Celtic FC welcomed Drogheda Boys FC to the Bawnogues this morning in what was a very entertaining game. Drogheda came out of the traps on the front foot and scored within two minutes from a corner kick. The Drogs continued to apply pressure from the restart and were unlucky not to get a second when a low shot from the edge of the box whistled past Cian Ward in goal. As the half progressed, the Celts began to grow more into the game with Josh Sherlock and Eoin McArdle starting to take control in the middle of the park. The Kildare side got their deserved equaliser with Matty Harris scoring, following in after an initial save from the Drogs keeper to level the game at one a piece. The Celts pushed for the lead before half time but were unable to score with the teams going in level at the break.
Kilcock started the second half as they’d finished the first, full of energy and it wasn’t long until they got their goal with Eoin Hannigan scoring in the 46th minute to make it 2-1 to the Celts. Kilcock continued to pile forward hoping to extend their lead, looking particular dangerous on the counter attack. The pressure paid off when Mike Brown was taken down in the box by the Drogheda defender and the referee award the spot kick. From the resulting penalty, Mike Brown cooly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to double the Celts lead. It wasn’t to end there however, Kilcock continued to look dangerous in attack with Matty Harris having an opportunity to double his tally in the game from the left hand side but his shot just went past the post. Mike Brown shortly after also had a great opportunity to score, but the Drogheda keeper made an excellent save. Drogheda weren’t out of the game yet and some good play on the counter attack and a looping shot that went over Kilcock goalkeeper Cian Ward's head into the top right corner halved the deficit to one goal. In the final few minutes of the game was in the balance as Drogheda threw the kitchen sink at Kilcock to try and find an equalising goal and came close on a couple of occasions. However from a counter attack, Matty Harris seized on a Drogheda player slipping and with his blistering pace found himself 1 on 1 with the Drogs goalkeeper, when he chipped the ball over the keeper to make it 4-2 to the Celts which secured all 3 points.
Line Up:
1. Cian Ward (85' Talbot)
2. Shane O'Rourke
3. Kevin Smith
4. Daragh McArdle
5. Dylan Bradley (65' Casey)
6. Conor Lawless (75' Kelly)
7. Mike Brown (C)
8. Josh Sherlock
9. Eoin Hannigan (69' Gilbert)
10. Eoin McArdle
11. Matty Harris (85' O'Rourke)
Substitutes:
12. Ben Kelly
13. Aaron Byrne
14. Daniel Gilbert
15. Lee Casey
16. Caolin O'Rourke
17. Calvin Flanagan
18. Fionn Talbot