Celtic's Double Delight

Special Olympics Soccer League Div 2
Sporting Fingal SO 2, Limerick Celtic SO 4

Following the disappointment of their cancelled final league game due to the weather conditions last week, Limerick Celtic travelled to Dublin Saturday for the rearranged tie forfeiting home advantage came back as league champions to supplement their earlier National Plate title. The game played at Sherries FC in glorious sunshine produced a cracking contest with both sides going out for the win that would give either the title.

As it happened the Limerick lads settled the quickest putting tremendous pressure on the home defence and were rewarded when Joey Ryan broke through on the left and hitting a piledriver from the edge of the box after eight mins.

Limerick continued to press forward with the Fingal keeper William O'Brien making a few good saves one tremendous full length dive preventing a John Gleeson shot from thirty yards destined for the top corner. After twenty minutes the visitors got a second when a speculative close range shot from David O'Sullivan completely decieved the keeper. The game was marred slightly when a non-malicous clash of heads between John Gleeson and Fingal's Brendan O'Reilly saw the latter taken off and having to go to hospital with concussion. This seemed to spur on the home side who pulled a goal back from Stuart Butler before the half-time break.

Fired up Sporting Fingal came out in the second half pushed for the equaliser and got it courtesy of Barry Reilly in the 50th minute which rocked the visitors but got them focused where they only needed a draw for the title but could leave nothing to chance (thinking of Chelsea/Barca) and pused forward with John Gleeson getting Limerick's third goal in the sixty-fifth minute which knocked the spirit out of the home side who condeded the fourth goal five minutes later from a great run on the wing by Paudie O'Lone crossing in for Mike Neville to tap in from close range.
After this Limerick just dominated the rest of the game knocking the ball around frustrating the Fingal lads and finishing worthy Champions adding to their seasons trophy haul.
On a day of a fine team performance even though making hard work of proceedings, John Paul Clohessy was outstanding once again in midfield with the defence marshalled by Captain Mick Daly ably supported by David Broderick, Gearoid Greaney and Jeff Murphy taking us through.

After the game Robbie Corr presented the league trophy on behalf of Special Olympics Ireland and complimented both sides on producing a cracking game for the large appreciative crowd.

Limerick team: David Spellacy, David Broderick, Gearoid Greaney, John Gleson, Mick Daly, John Paul Clohessy, Michael Carr, David O'Sullivan, Mike Neville, Paudie O'Lone, Joey Ryan, Res. Stephen McGrath, Jeff Murphy, Daragh Laffan, Paul Sheehan, Eoin Boylan.Management team: Mike O'Connor, Eddie Clohessy, Robert Sheehan and Mikey Ryan