Late McMahon strike breaks Killough hearts

Late McMahon strike breaks Killough hearts

4 March 2020

SEAN McMahon was judge and executioner when he settled an absorbing NFU Mutual Harry Clarke Cup semi-final at Bignian Park on Friday night.

McMahon came off the bench midway through the second half and with almost 80 minutes played and the game level at 2-2, he stooped to head in a sensational, innovative overhead cross from Jay Gibney to put some daylight between the sides. 

Celtic closed up shop after this and spent the remaining 20 minutes repelling wave after wave of Killough attacks, but it wasn’t to be for the cup holders as they relinquished their grip on the trophy.  

The Hoops settled first and Jordy Curran, who was his usual hostile self, produced a telling pass out right to Jordan McCoubrey. The former Donegal Celtic striker cut inside Ben McLaughlin and unleashed a fierce drive that just flew past the far upright.

Killough, who essentially played five across the middle of the park, soon put the brakes on Celtic’s forays and it was another 15 minutes before we saw the next piece of goalmouth action when the busy Gibney flashed an effort wide after Curran had done the spade work in the engine room.

Celtic were asking all the questions at this stage and Robbie Hagan produced a telling, covering tackle to prevent Gibney from opening the scoring. With 24 minutes gone Sean Og Burns cleared a Gibney header off the line in an untidy goalmouth scramble, but Killough were holding on.

Killough goalkeeper Eddie Hinc then saved the day when he did well to keep out an effort from Marc Feenan as the pressure started to build.

Very little was seen of Killough at the opposite end of the pitch and without the rampaging Gareth George they looked blunt when going at the Celtic back four.

The first real shot in anger from Killough came in the 29th minute when Ryan McIlhone twisted and turned inside the box, but fired wide. Almost immediately at the opposite end, Gibney fashioned out an opening, but he too was off target.

Celtic had a big penalty claim waved away in the 32nd minute before the Hoops finally broke the deadlock two minutes later.

Foe once, Killough had lost their defensive shape as they pushed forward and a long ball from Chris Laverty picked out McCoubrey, A dip of the shoulder sent his marker to the shop and he laid the ball perfectly into the path of Gibney to make it 1-0.

Killough threw off the shackles as the first half drew to a close and a Jack McLaughlin was powerfully headed home by Tony McIlhone completely against the run of play.

No sooner had the Killough celebration died down when Shaun Megahey scored a brilliant goal from just inside the box after linking up with Chris Mullan as an avalanche of goals arrived when least expected.

Killough had it all to do after the break, but they weren’t found wanting an 10 minutes in they conjured up a piece of footballing magic when Matt McKiernan and Declan Burns combined to carve out an opening for Riain Burns.

Nothing looked on when the teenage winner received the ball, but he somehow took his chance and lobbed the ball over a stranded Nathan Curran to make it 2-2.

The game was there for the taking and after Ross Armstrong and Feenan had shots off target at either end, Celtic struck gold.

Gibney battled for possession with Hagan out on the right flank, near the corner flag.

Gibney was faced the wrong way when the loose ball bounced in front of him, but a classy overhead cross caught Killough out and McMahon, anticipating something was going to happen, gambled on a run into the six yard box where he headed in the sublime cross, 3-2 Celtic. Things got a bit hot and heavy in the middle of the park and referee Peter Kelly had to flash red cards to Killough’s Riain Burns and Celtic’s Michael Burns. 

With normality restored, Killough laid siege on Celtic’s penalty area and Nathan Curran had to produce a world class save to tip away a screamer from Declan Burns that ordinarily would have ended up in the top corner of the net.

Celtic where now content to let Killough come at them, but almost paid the penalty in the 88th minute when a speculative strike from Armstrong that crashed off the crossbar, was headed wide from close in by Jack McLaughlin.

This was the last real chance of the game as Celtic held on for a hard-earned victory.

Celtic Bhoys: Nathan Curran, Shaun Megahey, Chris Laverty, Chris McDowell, Mikey Rice, Jordan Curran, Jordan McCoubrey, Caoimhin Groves, Jay Gibney, Marc Feenan, Chris Mullan. Subs: Michael Burns, Sean McMahon, Patrick Ferris, Caolain Fitzpatrick.

Killough: Adrian Hinc, Robbie Hagan, Ben McLaughlin, Sean Og Burns, Colm Stranney, Matthew McKiernan, Jack McLaughlin, Tony McIlhone, Ross Armstrong, Ryan McIlhone, Riain Burns. Subs: Declan Burns, Lee Murphy, Eamon Gargan, Eoin Tumelty, Chris Mallon.