- OUR PARTNERS
It was a thoroughly merited victory on a good day beside the coast in Portmarnock.
Only some wayward finishing prevented a higher scoreline, but we have the three points to take back home. On top of all that, it is three wins out of four with one draw which means 10 points out of 12 since the summer break.
Castleknock started with the 4-3-3 formation which has proved effective in the last few games. Visitors started the game with some fine passing and getting the ball forward. There were only 3 minutes on the clock when Celtic threatened the hosts with some slick moves on the right wing. Ciaran Murray put Dino Dervisic through but his shot went wide grazing the far post.
A few minutes later, Ciaran Murray and Weston Wandanda saw their shots blocked and saved by hard-working Portmarnock defence. Kacem Touihri was making some fine moves on the right side playing more like a winger rather than a fullback. One of his runs resulted in throw in which he took and after exchanging passes with Murray he squared the ball into the box where Dino Dervisic made a run and slotted the ball in at the near post for 1-0.
Celtic midfield three of Genesis Gago, Olti Berisha, and Robert Best were working hard in trying to stop home team get their game back on track. With some very talented players in their side, Portmarnock were trying to pass the ball around the pitch but they were denied space by Celtic midfield.
The home team won a free kick outside the Celtic 18-yard box. Good swing on the ball was missed by Celtic defence and ball surprisingly ended up in the back of the net 1-1.
Castleknock refused to be knocked off their stride and kept playing quick attacking football. Beni Lankumu won the ball in his own half and played a good ball to Gago who put Dervisic free on the left wing. Dino went by a couple of players but he saw his cross blocked for the corner. From resulting corner Celtic were back in front. Dervisic put the ball in the box which was cleared by Portmarnock defence but only as far as the edge of the box where Robert Best brilliantly struck the first-time volley for 2-1.
The home side did not have an answer this time and the half-time score stayed 2-1. Eoin O’Connell in the goal for Celtic did not have much to do as all home side attacks were repelled by very solid defence masterminded by captain Sam Doherty. His partners in the defence Proinsias de Bhatuin and Hammad Siddiqui kept home attacks to the very minimum.
The second half saw the introduction of Celtic’s top scorer this season Shaun Odusole who started on the beach, sorry the bench as he was not feeling 100%.
A few minutes later, visitors increased their lead. Good defending by Doherty and Lankumu led to a ball played to Dervisic who played the ball over Portmarnock defence to Shaun Odusole who ran towards the keeper and calmly put the ball in the net for 3-1.
Introduction of Alex McCormick and John Kane revitalised the Celtic midfield and the visitors started creating more and more chances with their effective passing. One of those chances fell to John Kane who hit the crossbar after a great move by de Bhatuin and McCormick.
Celtic’s full-backs Lankumu and Touihri were pushing forward and spending more time in their opposition half than in their own half. Castleknock dominance of the game led to another great run by Dervisic on the left wing who was brought down by Portmarnock defender leaving referee with no option, penalty!
Dervisic stepped up and struck the perfect penalty into the keeper’s bottom left corner for 4-1.
Soon after, the home side managed to pull one goal back 4-2.
With Gago, Best and Murray back on the pitch Celtic remained fresher and kept creating chances. Touihri played the ball forward to Odusole who held the ball up before playing it to Weston Wandanda. Weston ran by two Portmarnock defenders only to cross the ball back to Odusole in the box who scored his second of the day for 5-2.
Kane, Murray, and Wandanda created more chances but unfortunately could not convert them.
Robert Best playing one of his best games saw his shot narrowly missing the target. A few minutes later he played the ball to Dino Dervisic down the middle splitting Portmarnock defence, Dino went around the keeper to complete his hat-trick for 6-2.
The solid defence of O’Driscoll, Siddiqui, Berisha, and Doherty easily dealt with any attempts by the home side to get back in the game.
This win puts Celtic in second position in the league table, 2 points behind the leaders Wicklow Rovers, but with four games in hand. Wicklow were surprisingly beaten today at home.
Celts are marching on!!!!
