Celtic Park (3) v Glasnevin FC (3)
Saturday Amateur Premier Division
Venue: Beaumont Convent
Date: 6th March 2010

The Diggers remain unbeaten in 5 games after this tense encounter with local rivals Celtic Park. Manager Dan Daly made a few changes to the line up that faced Ongar in the cup last time out. In came Padraig Tansey, Mark McCauley and Sean Johnston to the back four, while James Lynch returned to the team in place of Robbie O’Neill and Captain Kenny McLoughlin also returned after missing out in the cup game.
A scrappy opening ten minutes saw both teams trying to gain some time on the ball without ever creating a chance of note.
The first chance of fell to the Diggers when Kenny McLoughlin was sent clean through on goal but the referee pulled him up for what seemed a very harsh offside decision. Soon after the visitors forced a corner but McLoughlin’s delivery wasn’t met by a red jersey. Glasnevin where playing the better football at this stage and a good counter attack sent McLoughlin clear but his cross was poor when he had McKenna free inside of him.
On 18 minutes, Celtic Park forced a corner but the resulting kick floated harmlessly into keeper McHue’s hands. Straight away the Diggers where countering with Kenny McLoughlin and James Lynch working well together forcing the keeper to get it away for another corner. Park managed to get the resulting corner away to safety.
The game was once again reduced to a scrappy affair with Park relying on long balls and set pieces to get them selves into the game. Glasnevin on the other hand where playing some good neat football when they could.
The next shot on goal came in the 32nd minute when a tame effort by Keith Kearns petered wide. Glasnevin where getting a little frustrated and this was shown by a series of niggling fouls in the next five minutes. In the end, a needless loss of possession resulted in Park getting themselves a corner. Keeper McHue flapped and missed the incoming ball giving the Park player a free header for the opening goal.
The Diggers would have to wait long to be level and two minutes later, Padraig Tansey’s ball into the box was handled by a Park defender and the referee had no hesitation in blowing up for a penalty. Karl Hearns made no mistake in slotting the ball in low to the keeper’s right hand side.
From the kick off, great closing down from McKenna forced Park to the end line and the Diggers a throw in right at the corner flag.
Park though would then force Alan McHue into a good save when a looping effort on 42 minutes had him scrambling back on goal but he did well to get his hands to the ball. Straight afterwards, static defending and ball watching saw Park with another shot on goal but it went wide to the defence’s relief.
Glasnevin got they’re second goal of the game just before half time. Great work by McLoughlin and McKenna saw the latter turn and shoot well. The home keeper did well to parry the shot and with the ball dribbling towards the goal line, in swooped James Lynch to make sure of it and tap it over the line. 2-1 at half time and the Diggers would have been happy with how things where going.
The second half started much like the first with both teams struggling to get they’re games going really. Celtic Park where still relying on set pieces to do most of they’re damage and on 58 minutes Alan McHue had to parry a free kick to safety. Then on 60 minutes, a lucky deflection wide prevented a Park goal when it looked to be offside. Colin Daly was having a solid game at the back and came to the Diggers rescue on a number of occasions, clearing well and using his pace to cover his other defenders. Meanwhile an under the weather Karl Hearns showed a great piece of control on 65 minutes before sweeping the ball out to Lynch on the left wing with the ball going out for a corner. The resulting corner was swepted up and Park countered down the Diggers right hand side. They’re winger having all the time in the world to cross the ball into the box for they’re unmarked forward to draw the side’s level once again.
Glasnevin weren’t doing themselves any favours as they started to lose the head again, remonstrating with one another at times. However they did create a series of chances that really should have seen them take the lead. Firstly, after a great ball by Kearns to Lynch and with the keeper beaten, Lynch failed to find the net on 72 minutes. Just after this, Kenny McLoughlin had his shot cleared off the line. Moments later he was sent through on goal only to miss kick his shot when he a little more time than he realised. Ciaran McKenna also saw his header saved from a corner kick.
The Digger’s made a change on 79 minutes when Brian Blood came on for Karl Hearns who was clearly unhappy at being removed from the game. The change saw McLoughlin revert to centre midfield and Blood take his place in attack.
The game erupted just after when the referee somehow awarded the home side a corner after they’re shot had clearly gone wide without getting a touch from a Glasnevin defender. Before the kick could be taken, a few flailing arms in the box saw keeper McHue hit the floor before order was restored. When the kick was taken, it needed a brilliant point blank save from the keeper to keep the home side out.
However his good work was undone when another Park corner on 89 minutes was dropped by McHue and the Park attacker had the easy job of tapping the ball over the line.
The Diggers brought Jake Warren on the last remaining minutes, replacing James Lynch out on the left. And minutes later they would be level again when a Kenny McLoughlin corner would drift straight into the net for a deserved equaliser. The away side where lucky not to concede a last second killer goal when a combination of McHue and Willie Byrne cleared the ball off the line to keep the scores level. After nearly 6 minutes of injury time, the referee blew his whistle to leave the sides going away with a share of the points.
Glasnevin are back in cup action this weekend when they take on Raheny in Albert Collage.

Team:

Alan McHue (GK)

Padraig Tansey (LB)
Colin Daly (CB)
Mark McCauley (CB)
Sean Johnston (RB)

James Lynch (LM)
Willie Byrne (Mid)
Karl Hearns (Mid)
Keith Kearns (RM)

Ciaran McKenna (FW)
Kenny McLoughlin (FW)

Substitutes:
Paddy Byrne
Brian Blood
Ian Daly
Jake Warren
Aidan Topley