Gelston grabs glory at death

Gelston grabs glory at death

15 May 2013

PHILIP Gelston’s winner deep into stoppage time sparked unbridled scenes of celebration among the Killough players, management team and supporters as Meadowvale became a sea of green and yellow last Friday night.

However, there was a hint of controversy attached to Gelston’s winner in the sixth minute of added time, but Killough didn’t care one little jot as the ClubSport NI Harry Clarke Cup was on its way to the Anchor Bar.

The sides were locked at 1-1 and with five minutes of added time already played, the game was destined for extra time.

Killough had other ideas and man of the match Freddie O’Connor launched an intelligent ball down the left flank into the path of Tony McIlhone.

The fleet-footed McIlhone was not expected to keep the ball in play, but he did and fired over a deep cross that had Castlewellan struggling to defend. Gelston, who was lurking in the box, rose like a humming bird and headed the ball goalward.

His effort had goal written all over it, but somehow Ruairi McArdle appeared from nowhere and headed the ball off the line. Or had he?

Assistant referee Tommy Deegan immediately flagged that the ball had cross the line and referee Kenny Jess awarded the goal.

To say that Castlewellan were crestfallen would be an understatement, but they literally picked themselves up off the floor to restart the game and that was it as the referee blew for full time.

The Killough players were mobbed by delirious members of their management team and supporters. The party, which is still going, was underway.

The game itself got away to a blistering start and never relented in one of the bests finals in years.

Killough’s Matthew Sharvin went close to opening the scoring after only 90 seconds, but he shot tamely with his less favoured right foot after a through ball from McIlhone had caused panic in the Town rearguard.

With three minutes gone O’Connor worked wonders down the right and played the ball into the path of McIlhone, but his shot was deflected for a corner. Gelston then headed over from a good position before Donagh Steele’s, Castlewellan’s best player on the night, got on the end of a cross from Sean Russell, but Chris Mallon saved well,

Steele them had a header cleared off the line by the towering Colm Stranney, who gave his usual commanding display at centre half. The action continued unabated and with 20 minutes gone Gelston broke the deadlock.

O’Connor, who was like a persistent, nagging wasp on the right flank, conjured up an improvised cross that Gelston tucked past a bemused Watson to give Killough a deserved lead.

Castlewellan tried to respond, but they lacked conviction and energy and they definitely were not themselves as, maybe Killough didn’t let them be.

Anyway, with 33 minutes they did manufacture a good chance when Barry Travers worked an overlap down the right, and crossed for Paddy Keown, but the Kaiser’s effort was saved by Mallon.

Stevie Trainor then supplied a good ball into Keown, but he was again denied by Mallon as the first half drew to a close, but the drama was still far from over. Travers bombed forward from his right back berth and surged into the penalty box only to be brought down by Matthew Burns.

Referee Jess immediately pointed to the spot and Kaiser Keown made no mistake to bring the sides level at the break.

The second half was every bit as entertaining and with just a minute gone Travers cleared a Gelston effort off the line as Killough went for the jugular. Less than 60 seconds later Stranney fired the ball into the box, but Gelston’s scissors kick went wide.

Back came Castlewellan and Trainor wasn’t too far away after he got on the end of a cross from McArdle before Steele and Russell combined beautifully to create an opening for Trainor, but he shot over the top.

With 77 minutes gone Matthew Sharvin crossed for Gelston, but his header crashed off the crossbar and flew to safety. Killough then survived a goalmouth scramble and Sean Dornan shot wide after good work from Liam McKibben as both sides looked to kill the game off.

Dornan had a glorious opportunity to seal victory for Castlewellan two minutes into stoppage time after enterprising play from Dean Anderson, who got stronger as the game went on.

Four minutes later, pandemonium broke out.

McIlhone somehow managed to control a slightly over hit ball from O’Connor and launched it to the back post for Gelston to get his head to. The big striker hovered in the air and headed goalward.

The rest is now history and it is irrelevant whether I or anyone else thinks that the ball hadn’t crossed the line. The goal was awarded — end of story.

Killough: C. Mallon, K. Sharvin, J. Clarke, M. Burns, C. Stranney, F. O’Connor, A. George, T. McIlhone, M. McKiernan, M. Sharvin, P. Gelston. Subs: C. Doyle, K, Groves, L. Noble, C. McCullough.

Castlewellan: M. Watson, B. Travers, C. Corrigan, R. McArdle, A. Kelly, S. Russell, D. Anderson, N. Toner, D. Steele, P. Keown, S. Trainor, Subs: L. McKibben, S. Dornan, C. Flanagan.

ClubSport NI man of the match: Freddie O’Connor (Killough).

Killough 2

Castlewellan 1

HARRY CLARKE CUP FINAL