Reigning league champions fell to their third successive league defeat of the season, under the lights against league newcomers, Ardstraw. The win, a decisive one for the home side, also saw Draperstown’s recent run of bad luck continue. The Ardstraw woodwork was rattled three times while two goal line clearances with the keeper beaten and a “goal” not given even though the ball was some two feet behind the line just about summed up Celtic’s night and season so far.
Draperstown did start very well with Murray and Mulholland proving a real handful for the Ardstraw defence. Ross Murray saved from his namesake Eamon’s free on 5 minutes and did better on 16 minutes when the Celtic striker nutmegged Gowley but the Ardstraw keeper saved well. It was then Mulholland’s turn to open the home defence on 20 minutes when after beating two defenders his shot beat the keeper but also the far post.
It was very much against the run of play when Ardstraw took the lead in spectacular fashion. Stephen Dunlop’s 25 yard strike into the top corner was their first shot on target but Celtic almost equalised right from the re-start when Ally McLean’s header from Conway’s free, hit the bar with Murray stranded. It was Eamon Murray’s turn to hold his head in anguish on 36 minutes when after a good pass from Gavin Bradley, he rounded the Ardstraw keeper but Darren Boyd slide in to clear off the line and rescue the home side. Ian Hill almost increased the lead on half time but failed to make contact with Watson’s inviting cross.
The second half was only two minutes old when Celtic were denied an obvious goal. In a period of pressure on the home goal, Gowley cleared off the line from Murray at the expense of a corner,. The resulting kick eventually saw the ball well over the Ardstraw line before Ross Murray flick the ball clear. The referee saw fit to wave play on which resulted in Hill breaking clear at the far end and score past McNicholl in the Celtic goal and put Ardstraw in a commanding position. Two almost became three but McNicholl saved wonderfully from Irwin. A third goal for the home side did come on 65 minutes when Hill took advantage of poor Celtic defending while Celtic’s consolation came on 75 minutes when Murray headed in Bradley’s cross. There was still time for Mulholland to hit the crossbar again but it was not to be Draperstown’s night and their first league win of a disappointing season has yet to be claimed.
