SNICKERS FAI YOUTHS (Under-18) CUP [Semi-final]

Connaught Telegraph


Celtic defeat puts old debate back on agenda

Castlebar Celtic .......... 1 Home Farm Everton ........... 4

By TOM KELLY

An old debate raged at Milebush on Sunday. It centred on the gulf in class between Castlebar Celtic and Home Farm in the penultimate round of the F.A.I. Youths Cup.

The big question, following the Dublin side's emphatic victory, related to the steps that needed to be taken in Mayo to redress the balance.

The popular consensus was that Celtic had players every bit as good and as skilful as their Home Farm counterparts.

But the crucial and most telling difference was that Home Farm utilised possession far better as well as encompassing the best principles of team play.

Home Farm had the means and method to achieve their objectives. Celtic, for all their passion and commitment, had neither. Unless lessons are learned, Mayo will never make the big breakthrough it so desires at national level.

Castlebar Celtic brought immense credit to the game in the county by achieving what they did. They can do it an even bigger favour by helping to bring about the required changes in playing policy with the emphasis more on passing than passion.

In a match which could mark a watershed in the future development of Mayo underage football, Home Farm scored a predictable win which put them directly on course for their twelfth F.A.I. Youths Cup title.

The Dublin club, last winners of the prestigious crown in 1985, booked their place in the decider with a performance of purpose and organisation.

A hat-trick by Graham Lawlor, the Irish schools international star, represented the highlight of their highly impressive win. He opened the side's account ten minutes before half-time when he reaped advantage from a misjudged clearance from Celtic defender Keith Hopkins following a high ball delivered into the Castlebar area by goalkeeper Liam Delaney.

Earlier, Celtic had strong appeals for a penalty-kick when Steve Gavin, displaying tremendous flair and industry, appeared to be impeded by big Home Farm central defender, John Costigan.

Celtic, with a stiff wind at their backs, went at Home Farm with all guns blazing at the beginning of the second half. But they lacked sufficient imagination and punch to penetrate a Home Farm defence in which Costigan and Kempes Gorbally were dominant figures.

CREATED HAVOC

Home Farm clearly undermined Celtic's confidence when they increased the lead eleven minutes into the half.

It was Lawlor who created havoc with a dazzling run from the left before unleashing a blistering shot which Celtic goalkeeper Niall Gallagher blocked.

But the ball rolled to the feet of Paul Geoghegan who slotted his finish sweetly into the net from close range.

Again, the Celtic players protested to the referee over his failure to award a free-kick to Steve Gavin after he had been clipped at the heels at the other end just before the move which led to Home Farm's second goal.

Lawlor snatched his second goal six minutes later when he found space and time to drive Geoghegan's corner-kick delivery past Gallagher.

The Celtic defenders made loud appeals for a hand-ball infringement, but Galway referee Eamon Smyth waved on play.

Celtic reduced the margin in the 75th minute with the outstanding score of the match. Midfield ace Lynden Reilly displayed tremendous skill by spectacularly heading a free-kick by Padraig Conway into the Home Farm net.

Any lingering hopes of a late Celtic fightback were killed off two minutes later when Lawlor completed his hat-trick by converting a penalty. The spot-kick was awarded when central defender Keith Hopkins put out a hand to stop a shot by Robert Farrell crossing the goal-line. Hopkins's instinctive reaction resulted in him being red-carded with fourteen minutes remaining.

Home Farm's John Costigan also received his marching orders before the end for what the referee adjudged as an over-zealous tackle on Celtic substitute Martin Silke. It all put a bit of a damper on a match that was played in a sporting spirit throughout.

A number of positive points emerged for Celtic from the game, most notably the performances of Padraig Conway, Fintan McHale, Steve Gavin and Dara Ainsworth.

In the absence of midfield ball-winner Kevin Malone, who opted to play for Castlebar Mitchels in the County Under-21 final (an unfortunate clash of fixtures to say the least), Lynden Reilly did not enjoy the scope to fully express himself.

By the same token, Martin McNicholas did not make the same impact at midfield as he did in attack in the quarter-final win over Geraldines (Limerick).

Said Celtic manager Joe Burke: "They were the better team. We have no arguments with that. We might have put more pressure on them, however, had we got an early penalty when Gavin was fouled."

Castlebar Celtic: N. Gallagher, S. O'Donnell, D. Cusack, K. Hopkins, P. Conway, L. Reilly, F. McHale, M. McNicholas, D. Ainsworth, S. Gavin, M. McSweeney. Res: M. Silke and K. Scahill (both used).

Home Farm: L. Delaney, M. Gibbons, D. Cobbe, J. Costigan, K. Gorbally, S. Shanche, B. Cobbe, T. McCauley, G. Lawlor, R. Farrell, P. Geoghegan. Res: E. O'Brien, J. Sheridan and A. Redmond (all used). Ref: E. Smyth (Galway).

* Star Rating: Graham Lawlor. . .a name for the future.

Connaught Telegraph - News - May 1996

Connaught Telegraph - Sports - May 1996