Cathedral Celtic cement position at top of AUL League 1
The Cathedral Celtic side that had a 4-3 victory over Rathcoole Rovers in their League 1 clash at the Mayfield Community School. Picture: Barry Peelo.
CATHEDRAL Celtic cemented their position at the helm of League 1 after a 4-3 victory over Rathcoole Rovers at the Mayfield Community School.
Although Cathedral were good value for their win, Rathcoole showed terrific resilience when they came from 0-4 down before eventually succumbing to a 3-4 defeat in the end.
Cathedral got off to an electrifying start.
A lovely ball from Colm McManaman found Dale Dalton who picked out the available John Corcoran to stab home while unattended on four minutes.
Rathcoole responded quickly when Anthony Dennehy cut in from the right before forcing O’Connor to a near-post save.
A neat ball into space from Michael Peters picked out the run of John Corcoran who fired across goal, but wide.
Corcoran became the provider after that when he found Cian Madden who fired low into the far corner to double Cathedral’s advantage on ten minutes.
Rathcoole’s Brian O’Keeffe did find Jack Daly in a good position, but some solid piece of defending from Robbie Rourke closed the door on any further danger likely to happen.
A Cathedral move ensued after that which saw Derek Heaphy play it short for Dalton who threaded it through for Madden, but an excellent intervention from Jimmy Herlihy shut the door on the threat.
Following further pressure from Cathedral, a cross from Rathcoole’s Bushajaj arrived for Anthony Dennehy, but he hooked over while in a favourable position.
Play switched to the other end promptly and when Dalton played a neat one on for Peters, control left him down and with it – a chance.
Rathcoole’s keeper Declan Murray did well to hold from a forceful free kick taken by Derek Heaphy.
But, it was 3-0 to Cathedral when after Murray parried from John Corcoran’s stinging effort, Cian Madden was hand to guide home his second on 32 minutes.
Rathcoole responded well, but when Brian O’Keeffe found Anthony Dennehy in a good position, the forward failed to control and a chance went.
Rathcoole were punished again after that when a measured pass from Corcoran found Peters who dinked cheekily over the advancing Murray to make it 4-0 on 38.
With just minutes to the break, Rathcoole had a chance to get one back when Jack Hanover’s first effort was parried by O’Connor – from the rebound, O’Keeffe failed to beat the Cathedral keeper.
Corcoran then collected from Madden at the other end before drilling agonisingly low past the far post.
Rathcoole exploded from the blocks as the second half took off and it took a superb tackle from Johnnie O’Sullivan to deny Jack Daly a way through.
Then, the goal of the game arrived.
After being awarded a corner, Brian O’Keeffe’s floated delivery was met by Michael Murphy whose first-time volley soared into the top corner for what was a wonder goal on 50 minutes.
Rathcoole’s tails were up now and Aiden Downey came close with an effort that flashed inches wide.
And when O’Keeffe found Dennehy on the right, the forward forced O’Connor to touch out for a corner.
Dennehy found himself in a good position when he collected from Daly, but scooped over near goal.
Madden had a great chance to complete his hat-trick though but was denied by a decent save from Murray.
Rathcoole refused to be bowed and got a second when Anthony Dennehy exchanged passes with Daly before finding the bottom corner with a good finish.
Wadii Oridi had a chance near goal, but blazed over following a corner.
What a finish we had when Rathcoole made it 3-4 after Shane Carroll headed home from a free kick, but Cathedral weathered the pressure and held on for the three points in the end.
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