KDFL League Shield ((Round 1)
Caragh Celtic 2 SPWFC 0
Premier side Caragh Celtic overcame Senior League side St. Patricks Well FC on Sunday to progressed
to the quarter final stages of the KDFL League shield. On a lovely morning for football on a top
quality pitch, a scrappy and competitive local derby was played out in Sharpe Park.
Caragh started the brighter and went ahead after wonderful play from Billy Martin, he turned three
defenders inside out and was brought down with the ref left with no option but to point to the
penalty spot. Up stepped Eoghan Merriman who made no mistake in putting it past the SPWFC
keeper. Caragh took this 1-0 lead. After going behind the visitors continued to dominate possession
but without creating much in the way of clear-cut chances. Their best chance of the half fell the way
of Danny Callan who flicked the ball just wide of the Caragh netminder’s post on thirty three minutes
following a well-worked move involving Sheldon Mbala, Reece McClaughlin and Jamie Headon.
The Old Bog Road men made a number of positional changes after the break and resultantly looked
more threatening in the final third with James Maher, Danny Callan and McLaughlin all threatening
the opposition goal however they could not break down the Caragh backline of Barry Cassidy in
goals and a back 4 of Cathal O'Toole, Adam Delmer, Sean Leeson and Alan Campbell.
It was a scrappy affair in the second half with lots of 50/50s but it was Caragh who nearly went two
up after Tony Farrell won a 50/50 tackle in the midfield and he got up to slide a through ball for
Stephen Riordan whose shot was well save by the keeper. At the other end McLaughlin would go
close again in the 78 th minute when he flashed a header just wide but just as it looked an equaliser
was coming for the top flight outfit
With the game heading in to injury time Caragh sealed the game when substitute Brian Merrigan
won a header outside his own box and continued his run up the wing, the loose ball fell to Tony
Farrell in the middle and he the slid an inch perfect through ball for Merrigan and he expertly slid the
ball past the keeper to deservedly seal the game for the home side.
Excellent performances on the day by all in the Caragh jersey with standout performances from
Cathal O'Toole, Sean Leeson, Tony Farrell, Dean Heavey, Stephen Riordan and MOTM Adam Delmer
while for SPWFC Sheldon and Marvin Mbala, Richard Kenna, James Maher and Jamie Headon were
best on the day.