Lurgan Celtic....3
Dergview...3
THE first team missed the opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Warrenpoint Town by surrendering the lead on three occasions at Knockramer Park Last Saturday. Despite bossing this Championship encounter, particularly for long periods in the second half, the Derg visitors were ultimately denied maximum points when they conceded an equaliser a minute from full-time.
Even then Richard Clarke's team should have won it but deep in stoppage-time striker Ryan Campbell fired a rising shot inches over the crossbar. This is the third time in the last month that firsts have drawn games they should have won.
Mind you the Darragh Park outfit got off to a flier. Barely three minutes in a free kick was whipped in from the left by Duwayne McManus and skipper Collie Robinson rose highest to glance the ball low inside the Celtic keeper's back post.
On 18 minutes though the visitors were on the receiving end of a set-piece at the other end. The ball was delivered to the back post and this time it was Celtic striker Daniel Ryan who was on the end of things to power a header past Kealan Mulcahy.
Even at this early stage it was Dergview who were calling the shots although initially their defence was struggling to cope with the home side's direct approach.
But on the half hour mark the visitors forged ahead for a second time. After a sweeping attack, McManus exchanged passes with Campbell, who had his back to goal, and the midfielder scampered through to clip the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
The goal advantage lasted barely five minutes. The Dergview rearguard was caught in possession on the left hand side and Malone crossed for Rian Devlin to leave it all square at the break.
Following some stern words from manager Richard Clarke, the visitors re-emerged in determined mood and swiftly took control of matters.
Around the hour mark Campbell thundered a daisy-cutter against the base of a post shortly before Kyle Friel-Curran and Jude Ballard were introduced to spice things up.
The changes appeared to give Dergview added momentum and, when Friel-Curran played a return pass to Nathan Cashel, the attacker dashed in from the left to finish with aplomb.
In scoring the goal the Kesh man collided with the Celtic stopper and was duly replaced by Andy Sproule. Thereafter the visitors created a number of opportunities but, crucially, they failed to produce the killer blow.
And ultimately they paid the price. A minute from time the ball was played into the box, it fell perfectly for a Celtic player who squeezed it inside a post.
Tomorrow Dergview host Knockbreda at Darragh park, Kick Off 3pm. You're continued support would be greatly appreciated.
Lurgan Celtic: McCorry, McVeigh, Rogers, McCarron, Gibson, Barton, Malone, McCabe, R. Devlin, D. Ryan, R. Thompson subs J. Wright (replaced McCarron 83), O'Hara (replaced R. Thompson 46), Cochrane (replaced R. Devlin 75), Fitzpatrick (not used)
Dergview: Mulcahy, G. Porter, Falconer, M. Buchanan, Robinson, McBride, Burns, McManus, I. Sproule, Cashel, Campbell subs A. Sproule (replaced Cashel 70), Ballard (replaced Burns 55), S. Porter (not used), Curran (replaced McBride 55)
