Controversial injury time penalty denies Cockhill Celtic victory in Galway

A chaotic finale proved costly for Cockhill Celtic as the concession an injury time penalty denied them a famous win on the opening day of the new National League season in Galway on Saturday afternoon.

Holding on to a slender advantage that was created by an early second half goal from Tiernan Ruddy, the visitors looked to be coasting to victory as Mervue's offerings were rather timid in the last third of the park.

However, the outcome of game was to change on 94 minutes when a Daniel Brennan cross into the box was dropped by advancing goalkeeper Shane O'Gara. In the meantime, right-full Lee McLaughlin had fallen over in contact with his goalkeeper and was deemed by the referee to have handled the ball on the ground and despite the protests of the Cockhill players, the penalty decision was not changed and Gavin Smyth duly drilled a low effort into the net to tie up matters at 1-1.

It was a decision that outraged Celtic manager Gavin Cullen and speaking to the Inishowen Independent afterwards he expressed his disappointment at the outcome. “Overall I'm very pleased with the performance, but getting caught with that sucker punch in the last minute was really disappointing. I don't think anyone in the ground thought it was a penalty. It was a really mental decision. Really frustrating”.

Now if the visitors were frustrated by the finish, they will also have been disappointed at not taking the lead into half time after creating almost all the opportunities in the first half.

On nine minutes, Seamus McLaughlin crashed an effort off the crossbar, before Adam Duffy with a free kick, Garbhan Friel with a header and Kieran McElroy with another close-range header all failed to hit the target.

Dominant in defence as Kieran McElroy and Odhran O'Brien Daly reigned supreme, while Adam Duffy, Tiernan Ruddy and Conor Graham did enough in the midfield sector to keep their side on the front foot, but despite that they were making little impression on a solid Mervue back four and behind them goalkeeper Peter Healy who kept his side in the game with some late heroics.

On 36 minutes the custodian tipped a Duffy free kick over the crossbar, before later getting low down to his left to push away a Luke Rodden set piece and from their seventh corner of the half, a header by O'Brien Daly was again kept out by Healy.

Right on the stroke of half time, Mervue offered their only real threat on goal when Jack Naylor set up Aaron Neary, but his shot was deflected away by the legs of the advancing O'Gara.

The resumption saw Cockhill Celtic make the perfect start when, on 47 minutes, a left wing delivery was cushioned down in the box by Friel and Ruddy was free to drill a low shot to the net for a 1-0 advantage. As defences continued to dominate, chances were few and far between at both ends of the park, with a cracking off target effort by Conor Graham the closest to giving the Inishowen side a second on 87 minutes.

Now while Mervue certainly upped their intensity in the closing minutes, they seldom looked like gaining any lifeline until fate offered them the late penalty as Smyth's spot kick gave them a slender reward.

Elsewhere in Group I, Bonagee United and Home Farm shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw, with the Dublin side the next visitors to the Charlie O'Donnell Sportsgrounds next Saturday/

Mervue United: P. Healy, Brennan, O'Malley, Murray, Asogu, McDonagh (McNamara 66mins), Naylor (Waweru 78mins), Neary (McSweeney 78mins), Concannon (A. Healy 66mins), Smyth, McCann (Toland 75mins).

Cockhill Celtic: Shane O'Gara, Lee McLaughlin, Lee McColgan, Odhran O'Brien Daly, Kieran Mc Elroy, Adam Duffy, Tiernan Ruddy (Jack Mullen 69mins), Conor Graham, Luke Rudden (Brendan McLaughlin 85mins), Garbhan Friel (Danny McDaid 63mins), Seamie McLaughlin (N McDaid 85mins).

Referee: Brian Higgins (Limerick).