Bhoys are soaring high as run for home starts

Bhoys are soaring high as run for home starts

8 February 2017

CELTIC Bhoys produced a stellar performance to extend their lead at the top of Division 2 at a cold, but pristine Badger Park on Saturday.

Mark Leahy’s title favourites started at warp speed nine and were out of sight by the break with Valley having to ‘Kling On’ after conceding three goals.

There was little respite after the break for Valley as they went four down on the hour mark. Celtic continued to create chances with their enterprising attackers proving a real handful, but they were unable to add to their tally.

A few early abortive Celtic raids were repelled by Valley, but with three minutes gone they were left helpless when Stefan McConvey made the breakthrough. His original effort from close in was turned on to the post by Valley ‘keeper Richard Shannon, but McConvey was able to bury the rebound.

Valley mounted a few attacks of their own with Thomas Graham orchestrating things and with 21 minutes gone Matthew Burns had a shot saved by Conor McCullough.

Liam Gibney, operating nowadays as a playmaker, and Tiarnan Maguire regained midfield dominance for Celtic and with 26 minutes gone Shannon denied Jamie Kelly and Davy Wilson in quick succession.

However, the busy Valley ‘keeper could only stand and admire an Exocet from Maguire that flew to the net from a good 35 yards out when he caught one on the volley after a poor clearance on the volley.

Jamie O’Connor, who roamed with effect, went it alone in the 33rd minute, but his parting shot could have been better. With 42 minutes gone Celtic did make it 3-0 when Wilson robbed an unsuspecting Shannon, as Valley tried to play the ball out from the back and had the simple task of rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Celtic should have been four up at the start of the second half when Wilson sped down the left flank and put the ball on a plate for O’Connor, but the target man lost his bearings and headed wide.

A flowing Celtic move in the 60th minute almost yielded another goal when the unflappable Vincey Perry created an opening for Gibney, but the master craftsman shot wide.

A minute later Perry, who had moved forward into a midfield role, produced the pass of the game when he released Kelly and he stormed clear before beating Shannon with a sublime finish.

Two minutes later at the other end McCullough kept out a free kick from former Glentoran midfielder Graham and was alert enough to also deny Burns three minutes later as Valley refused to lie down. 

McCullough was now seeing plenty of action and he earned his corn with another good save from Andy Patterson before Ben Lennon drilled one wide at the opposite end a minute later.

Celtic were now back in the ascendancy as Valley had shot their bolt. Kelly and Wilson wasted chances as Celtic tried to walk the ball into the net in the closing stages, but all that mattered on the final whistle for manager Leahy was the three points as his side moved 11 points clear at the top.

Celtic Bhoys II: C McCullough, C MacNabb, G Rooney, V Perry, D Wilson, S McConvey, T Maguire, L Gibney, J Kelly, J O’Connor. Subs: B Lennon, C Wynn, N Gordon, O O’Connor, C Curran.

Valley Rangers Colts: R Shannon, A Stevenson, T Graham, A Patterson, K Porter, N Ardis, A Flanagan, G Hewitt, E Baird, R Stevenson, M Burns. Subs: R McCullough, B Wilson, G Thompson.

Celtic Bhoys II 4

Valley Rangers Colts 0

NEWCASTLE LEAGUE DIVISION 2