AUL: Jamie Gardiner is the four-goal hero for Shandon Celtic

CFC Banteer B 1 Shandon Celtic 4

JAMIE GARDINER was the Shandon Celtic hero after scoring four goals to seal a 4-1 victory over CFC Banteer B in their Third Division encounter at the Banteer Sports Complex.

Shandon were completely on top as they forced Banteer into plenty of errors with a high-intensity approach that saw them take a 2-0 advantage into the break.

Banteer were a different side in the second period, for 20 minutes or so, but after they scored, Shandon re-composed themselves before running out comfortable winners.

Shandon pressed hard from the start and after Tom McAuliffe was in the right place to block Jonathan Coker’s low effort, Banteer keeper Leonard Barry had to put his body firmly behind a forceful effort from Ian Shellard.

Shandon continued on the front-foot with Barry having to stretch every muscle to tip over Shellard’s shot.

THREAT

Shellard threatened once again when he combined with Sean O’Neill before flicking the ball into Barry’s hands. The keeper was in the right place minutes later to gather a Glen Cambridge looping header following a cross from Shellard.

The inevitable occurred on 27 minutes when a deft touch from Cambridge played in Gardiner who fired the ball low into the far corner of the net for Shandon’s opener.

A second goal followed on 39 minutes when, after Shandon turned defence into attack, Shellard produced a fine run that took him deep into the Banteer half before feeding Sean O’Neill. The ball broke forward for Gardiner who drilled it low and hard into the corner.

Shortly before the interval, Cambridge collected a pass from Gardiner before his strike on the turn whistled narrowly wide.

Banteer blazed out of the blocks in the second half and after Dylan McCarthy’s cross was just too high for Luke Philpot, Tadgh Murphy’s low effort was saved by Stephen O’Callaghan.

Banteer were rewarded for their endeavour soon afterward when Stephen O’Callaghan failed to deal with a Tadgh Murphy free and Luke Philpot who was on hand to steer the ball home in the 63rd minute.

But, Shandon soaked up the pressure and they went further in front when a cross from the left found the unmarked Gardiner who blazed home his and his side’s third on 74 minutes.

Banteer refused to be bowed though and after launching a couple of offensive threats on the Shandon goal, they were caught at the other end when a through ball from Shellard set up Gardiner. After winning the 50-50 race with Barry, he stabbed the ball home to an empty net to guarantee a crucial three points.

CFC BANTEER B: Leonard Barry, Eolan Doherty, Tomas McAuliffe, Brian O’Keeffe, Niall Kearney, Martin Kearney, Tadgh Murphy, Evan Murphy, Shay Twomey, Luke Philpot and Dylan McCarthy.

Subs: Tadgh Sexton for Luke Philpot (28), Damien Kearney for Tomas McAuliffe (77).

SHANDON CELTIC: Stephen O’Callaghan, Liam Eager, Damien Morey, Paul O’Driscoll, Alan O’Driscoll, Eric Dorgan, Jonathon Coker, Sean O’Neill, Jamie Gardiner, Glen Cambridge and Ian Shellard.

Subs: Charlie Daly for Jonathon Coker (60), Dylan McCarthy for Sean O’Neill (73), Conor Kelly for Glen Cambridge (80), Jonathon Cronin for Jamie Gardiner (82), Jonathon Harris for Liam Eager (88).

Referee: Brendan O’Regan.