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Dazzling Dylan and a Leigh brace prove the difference in top class encounter”
After 6 Top 4 games over the past 6 weeks Castleknock finally thought they were going to get some respite but not so when the fixture list came out – away to 5th placed Cabinteely FC who are renowned for their football and who had only lost 2-1 in the Cup Final to the hugely impressive Malahide Utd.
Cabinteely started with the confidence and quality of a team looking for a top two spot. Technically gifted, their quick feet and quick movement had Celtic struggling to keep up. But as we all know you earn your right to play your football and that’s what Celtic started to do. Competing and winning ball as slowly but surely Celtic came more and more into the game. Dylan Mc Donagh, who had a great game, was the danger man . Mc Donagh was raiding down the left wing and his top class crosses were causing chaos in the Cabinteely defence. The game was opening up and Celtic in the guise of Leigh Reilly were having the better chances. With 15 minutes on the clock Celtic took the lead and what a goal it was. The ball was fed to Mc Donagh out left, another run and another exquisite cross into the 6 yard box where Reilly rose highest at the far post to head the ball past the stranded keeper and into the net. 0-1. Celtic continued to enjoy more possession and created the better chances with both Reilly and Mark Hughes having good efforts but in the last five minutes Cabinteely served notice that they were far from a beaten team and were unlucky not to draw level with a shot against the cross bar and a diving save by Tommy Bowe denying the home side. HT: 0-1
The second half started mirrored the scoreline with Celtic just edging it against their illustrious opponents. Both defences were in top as they restricted their opponents to half chances only. Reilly and Sean Blood had chances for Celtic while at the other end a finger tip save on to the bar by the impressive Bowe saved Celtic. The next goal would be decisive ant thankfully it came Celtic’s way. A dangerous ball into the box forced the Cabinteely keeper of his line to fist the ball away but it still hung in the box. Nathan O’ Reilly got his head to it and it was Reilly who was quickest to react as he pounced with a right foot shot into the top right hand corner. 0-2. As in the first half Cabinteely came back into it once again creating some good opportunities late on with Tommy Bowe, who was keen to keep a clean sheet, having to make another finger tip save in the last minute. FT: 0-2
This was a solid rather than spectacular Celtic performance but it was still a deserved win against a very good Cabinteely side who from the first to the last minute played football the way it should be played. Well done to them and their Coaches. With an eight clean sheet this season Celtic remain very much in the hunt for the Top 2. Special mentions - Tommy Bowe for making the crucial saves when they counted, Sean and Paul who were immaculate at the back while Dylan, particularly in the first half, was the difference. And finally the brace from Leigh whose all round display tells us that the “Gunslinger is back in town”. As they say form is temporary and class is permanent. Com’n the Celts!!!!
