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A pulsating encounter in Porterstown Park as Castleknock Celtic hosted their local rivals St Mochta’s AFC. Celtic had done the double over their neighbours in their pre-Christmas league games with comfortable victories, but changes in personnel in the meantime had a significant effect.
Gavin Peters drew the short straw and took over in goal in the absence of the Celtic keeper Daniel Cryan. 10 minutes into the game, Edward Nuzum, assisted by Mirav Vaitha, broke into the box and hit an unstoppable shot past the Mochta’s keeper. Edward was to have one of his best outings for Celtic as he covered every blade of grass on the pitch. Celtic looked comfortable at this stage with Mirav Vaitha and Anthony Cooke working hard in the midfield. The Celtic defence looked impregnable with Brierton Murphy looking assured and when his defending team mates abandoned their positions, Brierton was quick to point it out to the manager. Sam Kelly was having the game of his life, resembling the great Chris Lawlor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpB4ItGt6A ) in the full back position and making numerous surges forward along the flank to support his midfielders in front of him. Denis Diac was his usual reliable self, and was clearing the ball to safety when danger lurked. But St Mochta’s plugged away and deservedly drew level before half time. Ahmed Mutwali scored his first for the club when he pivoted sharply in the box and finished in the corner. And it could have been worse for Celtic but for the brilliance of Denis who had taken over in goal from Gavin. He dived full length to his left to push the shot from the Saints’ striker around the post, a world class save. Then as the half drew to a close, a hand ball in the box gave the visitors the chance to take an unlikely lead. Up stepped the Mochtas penalty taker and his spot kick was low and hard and looked perfectly placed, but it amazingly came back off the foot of the post, across the line and away to safety as the ref blew the whistle for the interval.
The half time advice in both camps was to up the intensity levels and the lads responded wholeheartedly. The game swung from end to end. Gavin had moved outfield at this stage and after the exertions of playing rugby earlier in the morning, he was showing signs of fatigue, but amazingly he found a new lease of life and was to have a splendid second half, showing some lovely creative skills. He mixed this with his combative side, and in one attack he let fly with a shot on goal that was only stopped by a superb St Mochta’s tackle that Ron Yeats would have been proud of. Matei Domsa was putting in lots of tackles, disrupting the Mochta’s moves forward and releasing the ball for his midfielders and attackers to build on. The chances continued to come and go, but it was Celtic who got their noses in front when Sean Ogbomo came on for Anthony. Sean was causing havoc in the visitors’ defence. He broke forward and following an exchange with his team mates, Gavin and Edward, he coolly slotted his shot past the Mochta’s keeper. Some thought that would be enough for Celtic to earn the derby bragging rights, but then a piece of brilliance from the visitors was to set up a grand stand finish. Aaron Lanigan burst out of defence, played a one two with his striker colleague and finished with composure. It was a well deserved equaliser. But the game wasn’t over yet. Anthony Cooke had returned to the fray, and he conjured up a chance for himself, and he unleashed his shot that was destined for the back of the net until the Mochta’s keeper dived superbly to his left to push it wide for a corner kick, and the scores remained level. At the other end, Mochta’s were creating their own chances and had at least 2 golden opportunities to win the game, but due to immense defending by Brierton, helped by the ubiquitous Ethan Hoey who had his best game of the season, it remained all square as the ref blew the final whistle. Both teams and the spectators drew a huge sigh of relief at the end of a marvellous game that both squads of players can be proud of.