Ballycane Celtic 2 SPWFC 3
A blistering first-half performance that saw them race into a 3-0 half-time lead proved enough for St. Patrick’s Well on Sunday as they survived two late Ballycane Celtic goals to book their place in a KDFL Senior Division Shield semi-final with Naas United.
The Old Bog Road side made the short trip to Ballycane on Sunday looking to put last week’s cup semi-final defeat away to Rathangan behind them and set out their intent early by dominating the opening exchanges. That early dominance would soon pay dividends as they hit the front on twenty minutes through a crisply struck Danny Callan effort.
Not content with resting on their laurels, the leaders soon set about doubling their advantage and that they did through a well worked move involving Marvin Mbala, Stephen Millane and Bernard Redmond that created an opening for Seán Carter to fire home.
Carter was proving something of a thorn in Ballycane’s side down the left flank and on thirty seven minutes he bagged a brace after Callan and Jamie Headon linked well to set him up.
Although the visitors went into the interval ruing missed chances to increase their lead to four that fell to Redmond, Millane and Callan, they could just as easily have had their three goal cushion reduced before the break had it not been for a fine Nathan Fitzharris save.
St. Patrick’s Well continued to dominate possession in the second half and were given fresh impetus with the introduction of Willian Da Silva, Marc Dowling, Sheldon Mbala and Kevin Aherne. However, they failed to fortify their lead further.
As the final ten minutes approached, Ballycane began to look dangerous on the break and pulled two back in the eighty third and eighty ninth minute to set up an edgy final few minutes for ‘’The Well.’’ Nonetheless, the Clongorey-based outfit held on to keep their hopes of some form of silverware alive. Best for the victors over the ninety minutes were Carter, Callan and Headon.
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