On Friday evening at Paddy’s Field, defending U-18 champions Rangers got the better of a very determined Celtic side 4-8 to 2-9 in the quarter-final of the championship.
Jimmy Woods got Celtics off to a great start with three great points. Matt Sweeney, Peter Kerrigan, Kevin O’Meara and Jamie Lally were solid in defense and Brian Slattery had some great saves.
When it looked like Rangers were in trouble, a shrewd move by their sideline mentors paid huge dividends. Gary Cullinan and Paul Suschinsky now at midfield, Tommy Williams, Derek Courtney, and Niall Duggan starting to pry open the Celtic defense, Rangers with some great passing sequences and with clinical shooting got the upper hand and seemed to be coasting to a comfortable win.
But back came Celtics with all guns blazing in an attempt to erase the deficit. Dermot O’Sullivan unleashed a cannon to the Rangers net, he almost got a second, a brilliant save by Kevin Martins fell to John McArdle who planted it in the Rangers net but time ran out on Celtics.
Gary Cullinan, whose performance was nothing short of spectacular (1-2), Tommy Williams (1-3), Derek Courtney (1-1), Mark Metwally (1-0), Paul Suschinsky (0-2), Kevin and Ronan Coughlan and Niall Duggan were outstanding for Rangers.
Celtics were best served by Dermot O’Sullivan (1-2), Jimmy Woods (0-3), John McArdle, Peter Kerrigan, Matt Sweeney, Kevin O’Meara, Jamie Lally, Brian Slattery and Brian Mulroy.
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Barnabas rout Rockland
On Sunday at Gaelic Park, St. Barnabas had six points to spare over Rockland in the other U-18 quarter final game.
Rangers and St. Barnabas meet in the semi final at Gaelic Park on Sunday at 11 a.m.
At Paddy’s Field on Sunday morning, Celtics had a 5-6 to 3-7 victory over St. Raymond’s in the U-12 quarter final championship game. Celtics’ ball-winning abilities and creative passing worked well together as a unit. St. Raymonds showed great courage and some great individual players, particularly Stephen Greaney, Chris Hughes, Kathleen Enright, John Greaney and Denis Kilkenny.
C.J. Molloy, Conor McKeon, Sean Tierney, Douglas Sheerin, Conor O’Brien all scored for Celtics.
Celtics: Kevin Brian Hegerty, Chris McSweeney, John Higgins, Brendan Guierra, Ronan O’Brien, Arion Duioren, Douglas Sheerin, Conor McKeon, Russ Guierra, C.J. Molloy, Sean Tierney, Daniel O’Mahoney, Chris Colleran, Conor O’Brien.
St. Raymond’s: Tom Enright, Peter Meabaver, Shane O’Donnell, Denis Kilkenny, John Greaney, Mark McCaffery, Peter Smith, Stephen Greaney, Chris Hughes, Jack Giavanna, Kathleen Enright, Peter Lamochia, Patrick Mirlton, Vinny Tobin, Steven Lawless. Mike Keane was referee.
U-14 clash
In the U-14 contest, St. Barnabas topped Celtics 4-7 to 2-6.
Kevin Hannon, Doug Brady, Barry Sullivan, Gary Harrison, Matt Hannon, Brendan Mulroy and Joe Hallinan excelled for St. Barnabas and now meet St. Raymonds in the semi-final.
Catching the eye for Celtics were John McArdle (who had a monster game) Gary McGurk, Patrick Traynor, Brian Slattery, James Farrelly, Kevin McArdle and Michael Dormer. John Greaney was referee.