O’Gorman Cup Round One (AET)
St James’ Swifts 1-0 Donegal Celtic
ST JAMES’ SWIFTS managed to clinch victory in extra-time after a gruelling West Belfast derby against rivals Donegal Celtic in the O’Gorman Cup.
It was a game that could have gone either way until the final minutes when Ciaran Hyland put the ball in the back of the net and sealed the victory for Swifts.
The game got off to a great start for the two West Belfast teams in the blazing heat with Swifts taking the initial chances with two chances in the third minute, one stopped due to excellent defending from the hoops and the second chance with the ball hitting the right side of the net.
Two more chances came a minute later when Francis Nolan crossed the ball to Ciaran Hyland who attempted a header only for it to be saved by the hoops’ keeper Sean McIlhone who deflected the ball and it bounced off the post.
In the 10th minute, another chance came for Swifts when Ronan Hamill found himself alone against the goalkeeper, but hesitated and the shot was excellently saved by McIlhone who was primed and ready. A minute later Swifts’ Joseph McCall took another shot on goal, but McIlhone was ready again and saved the ball with little trouble.
The next 10 minutes saw Celtic pressing to get ahead but they struggled with possession and getting through Swifts’ defence which stood rock solid against any forays into their half.
After 23 minutes, Swifts again nearly scored with Francis Nolan shooting a left-footer just wide of the net. Due to the heat, play was then stopped for two minutes for a much-needed water break.
Coming back hydrated, Celtic’s Conor Glenholmes broke through and attempted a shot, but it went over the net.
The next 10 minutes saw battles for possession with neither team being able to push the other back, and both frequently missing crosses which would have led to them both having more chances.
At 39 minutes, the Hoops’ Mohamad Al Hanon crossed the ball to Conor McAnena who went for a header for it to narrowly miss.
The same minute, Celtic’s Captain Ryan McAuley picked up the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Michael Freerick, which set Swifts up to attempt to cross in for a header taken by Francis Nolan, but the shot again went wide.
At 42 minutes, Swifts themselves picked up a yellow card when Joseph McCall fouled Niall Dixon, and a minute later Celtic picked up a second yellow card when Thomas Kerr put down Swifts’ Captain Conor Doran.
At the close of the first half, Celtic earned free-kick centimetres from the box, which was taken by McAuley, but the shot missed to the left, ending the half for both teams with no goals between them.
The second half got underway with Swifts attempting to regain some of the momentum they appeared to lose at the end of the first and repeatedly probed and harassed Celtic’s defence to break through.
At half-time Swifts subbed Joseph McCall for Daniel McHugh and after 56 minutes Celtic made their first two substitutions when Niall Dixon went down with an injured leg and was replaced by Anthony Philpott. Conor McAnena was also substituted for Padraig McKissock.
The second half settled into a gruelling battle for possession with few chances offered as both teams battled it out midfield to try and take the ball and press forward. Ciaran Hyland attempted a shot at 59 minutes, but it went over the left hand side of the net.
In the same minute, Swifts made another substitution with Ronan Hamill coming off for Padraig McCormack.
Swifts took another chance when substitute Sean Pat Donnelly chipped the ball at goal, only for it to very narrowly miss by going over the goal.
At 69 minutes, Swifts’ Daire McGrogan took a good shot with a blast of power, but it was saved deftly by Celtic’s McIlhone.
After Celtic’s James Larkin went down due to a foul after 70 minutes, the referee called another water break which lasted for the next few minutes as the sun was still blazing down and cooking players and spectators alike.
Play continued as before, with the teams grinding away in a gruelling battle of possession for the next ten minutes until Swifts’ Michael Feerick chipped the ball at goal, but it went wide and was saved expertly by McIlhone.
Both teams appeared tired and worn down going into the last minutes of the second half, and appeared at an impasse as to who was going to breakthrough. Swifts attempted shots in the final minutes when Daniel Wilson attempted a header, and Ciaran Hyland blasted the ball at the net, but it was misdirected and hit the side of goal.
Donegal Celtic’s Mohamed Al Hanon made several good runs, playing excellently on the wing but was unable to connect once he reached the top of the pitch.
In the final minute, Swifts scuppered free-kick centimetres from the box when it deflected of the backs of Celtic’s defenders, and Donnelly attempted a header which almost went in and was only saved by Celtic’s McIlhone by a small fraction.
With both teams not having scored the game then went to extra time, and the first half got underway with Michael Feerick blasted the shot at the net for Swifts, but it went narrowly wide.
The first half of extra-time again descended into a battle of possession, with some shots taken by both sides, but each one went wide.
The second half of extra-time got underway with Ciaran Hyland attempting a shot in the first minute but it was caught by McIlhone.
Finally, in the fourth minute of the second half Swifts managed to break through when Ciaran Hyland tucked the ball into the back of the net, putting Swifts up to 1-0.
The last few minutes involved frenzied play as Donegal Celtic attempted to equalise and force the game into penalties, but Swifts stood firm, blocked their shots and held on until the final whistle blew with Swifts clinching victory in a game that well and truly could have gone either way at any moment.
ST JAMES’ SWIFTS: C Russell, M Feerick, R McMenamin, A Martin, D Wilson, C Doran, J McCall, D McGrogan, C Hyland (goal 104), F Nolan, R Hamill
Subs: Jay Leckey, Sean Donnelly, Daniel McHugh
DONEGAL CELTIC: S McIlhone, E Ashcroft, R McAuley, T Larkin, N Dixon, C Glenholmes, B Breen, T Kerr, C McAnena, M Al Hanon, J Larkin
Subs: R Martin, P McKissock, A Philpott, N McFadden, M Nolan
