*Newmarket Celtic’s Conor McDaid, Jack Kelly, Eoin Hayes and Kevin Harnett outnumber Jamie Roche of Avenue Utd. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
NEWMARKET CELTIC claimed a big three points at the expense of Avenue Utd to put themselves in the driving seat in the Maloney Hardware Premier Division.
Newmarket Celtic 1
Avenue Utd 0
Venue: Roslevan
League champions Avenue Utd fell to their second defeat in this season’s Maloney Hardware Premier Division putting their title defence in jeopardy with Newmarket Celtic giving their aspirations another almighty boost.
Dean Hegarty’s wonderful finish on seventy three minutes proved to be the all-important goal and it was a strike worthy of winning any match, never mind one between two fierce rivals.
Of the top three, Newmarket have a game in hand and should they secure maximum points it will put them top of the table. First spot is currently occupied by Bridge Utd on 30 points, Celtic are in second on 29 points with Avenue Utd trailing in third on 28 points with Tulla Utd just outside on 25 points.
As ever there was bite to their latest joust. Darragh Leahy received his marching orders for a straight red card at the beginning of the second half. The striker was sent off for a stamp on centre half, Ethan Cronin after first fouling him, a claim that the Shannon native denied occurred.
It’s not the first time and likely won’t be the last that Leahy is sent to the line in a Newmarket and Avenue tie. He is the red rag to the Avenue bull, not alone does he cause their collective blood pressure to rise but he also manages to instil a sense of panic among their players. The key for Newmarket is keeping him on the field in these encounters and not giving match officials any reason to discipline him.
Cronin himself was very fortunate not to be dismissed in additional time when he committed a reckless foul on Eoin Hayes who was deemed to be offside. As a result of Hayes being offside, no free was given to Newmarket and remarkably the centre-half escaped without even a caution for a challenge that ended Hayes’ involvement in the game due to the injury sustained.
Fortunately these were the only flash points but both managers Alan Gough and Adrian Walsh picked up yellow cards with referee Trevor White and his officials managing to keep control of proceedings.
Conditions in Roslevan were difficult, the pitch itself was in fine nick but each side struggled with the roaring wind that made kickouts against the breeze very difficult.
Given that Avenue had the favour of the elements and an extra man for the entire second half, it was a fine feat for Newmarket to somehow emerge from Roslevan with the full three points and an outcome that will really frustrate the hosts.
Fourteen minutes were gone before there was a chance of note, an Eoin Hayes cross was met by a Leahy header while moments later, Avenue came close when Ronan Kerin managed to head a Nnabuike Nneji cross but Shane Cusack was on hand to save.
Harvey Cullinan made a goal-line clearance with twenty five minutes played after Conor Mullen’s long-throw spilled around the box with Eoghan Thynne almost putting the hosts in front.
As the first half was drawing to a close, Newmarket almost broke the deadlock, a Conor McDaid free was saved by Kuba Ruminowicz. Then Leahy should have scored from close range after he somehow was not pulled for tripping left-back Jamie Roche before getting onto the ball to pull the trigger. The resulting corner from Kuba’s save was Celtic’s best chance of taking the lead.
Leahy’s red was the first act of the second half before the respective managers soon found their names in White’s notebook within a three minute spell. Conor Finnucane had a free saved by Shane Cusack before Ronan Kerin had two chances within the space of nine minutes.
Scenes akin to Fr Ted were visible in Roslevan when Avenue Utd stalwart Gearoid Mannion was reminded not to interfere with corner flags during the course of the game. The club official was imaginative in how he managed to retrieve a football from a tree by using the flag but his creativity was not appreciated by referee White and linesman Brian Punch.
Just after this, Avenue right full Cullen McCabe managed to clear the ball in play off the goal-line as Newmarket then pounced as the ball broke with substitute Dean Hegarty firing a superb effort to the net to see Celtic prevail as subsequent chances from Roche and Kerin didn’t trouble Cusack, it wasn’t a case of time running out as the officials played fifty four minutes in the second half.
When the odds were against them, Newmarket stood tall with substitute Liam O’Connor in his seven minute cameo epitomising this in how he fought tooth and nail by the corner flag to put a restart in his side’s favour while also expertly running down the clock.
Celtic had strong performances from Harvey Cullinan, Tadhg Noonan, Conor McDaid and Kevin Harnett with Hegarty supplying the moment of magic from the bench.
There’s still plenty of twists and turns to come this season meaning all is not lost for Avenue Utd. Their decision to start Nnabuike Nneji on the left wing deprived them of one of their biggest strengths in the middle of the park. Conor Finnucane, Jamie Roche and Conor Mullen were solid for the hosts.
Newmarket Celtic: Shane Cusack; Éanna Crimmins, Harvey Cullinan, Tadhg Noonan, Cathal Cullinan; Jack Kelly, Conor McDaid, Kevin Harnett; Eoin Hayes, Kieran Mahony, Darragh Leahy.
Subs: Dean Hegarty for Mahony (HT), Cian McDonough for McDaid (80), Liam O’Connor for Harnett (87), Ian Collins for Hayes (95),
Avenue Utd: Kuba Ruminowicz; Cullen McCabe, Conor Mullen, Ethan Cronin, Jamie Roche; Jack Joyce, Conor Finnucane, Eoghan Thynne, Nnabuike Nneji; Ronan Kerin, Elias Kunz.
Subs: Ger Myles for Kunz (HT), Jack Ryan for Thynne (71), Gary O’Connell for Joyce (86),
Referee: Trevor White
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill
