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FAI Youth Cup
AFC Ballymahon (Longford) 5, Castleknock Celtic 3
Celtic travelled to Ballymahon in Co. Longford with a depleted squad due to injuries, illness & holidays. Some poor defending and loose passing saw the home team hold a 3-0 lead after just 30 minutes.
However, Celtic didn’t sit back and had narrowed the gap to 3 – 2 at half time thanks to goals from Aidan Sampson, after some good work from Buggy, and a spectular 25 yard shot from David Spillane.
Celtic started the second half as they has ended the first half with Daniel Ferreira scoring after just 5 minutes to draw the sides level. Celtic thought that they had taken the lead shortly after, when a long range free kick from Ben Byrne was missed by the entire Ballymahon defence, except their goalkeeper who flapped at the ball as it found the net. However, the “LOCAL REF” wouldn’t allow the goal stand as it had been an indirect free kick. He was the only person, who didn’t see and hear the Ballymahon goalkeeper make contact with the ball…..beware the LOCAL REF.
However, the most bizarre incident of the entire game was yet to come. A speculative long pass over the Celtic defence saw David Hickey tackle a Ballymahon forward and win the ball cleanly. Enter the LOCAL REF who immediately awarded a penalty to Ballymahon and dismiss the unfortunate Hickey. Ballymahon scored the penalty.
With just 15 minutes remaining, and a man down Celtic would struggle, and in the last minute Ballymahon made the result certain with their fifth and final goal.
