COCKHILL Celtic face a long trip to Cork for an Intermediate Cup third round replay after being held by Midleton at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds this afternoon.
Cockhill Celtic 1 Midleton 1
Cockhill will feel they should have progressed after seeing two goals disallowed and two big penalty shouts being waved away.
Cockhill settled quickly forcing Midleton back in the opening stages.
Therefore it was a surprise when the away side opened the scoring on 8mins in their first attack. A throw in on the left released James Leahy whose cross was finished on the half volley by the arriving James McCarthy from seven yards out.
Cockhill responded positively and created a number of chances.
On 12 minutes good work from Cathal Farren found James Bradley whose scuffed effort was gathered by Andrew O’Donoghue. On 19 minutes a quick free kick released Farren and his goalbound effort was parried by O’Donoghue.
Cockhill thought they’d equalised midway through the half when an Adam Duffy header from a corner hit the bar, bounced down and was cleared. They also had a big penalty claim waved away when a Midleton defender appeared to handle in the box.
Midleton were content to soak up pressure and were dangerous on the counter with Tijani Aibor a great outlet. On the half-hour he linked well with Leahy who produced a great cross from the left which caused panic in the Cockhill box before being cleared.
Cockhill continued to press at the start of the second half forcing a corner. The corner was cleared as far as Stephen Duffy whose shot was turned home by Bradley who was flagged offside.
On 56 minutes Midleton threatened when a Leahy volley from the edge of the ‘D’ was tipped over by Harry Doherty.
There was more frustration for Cockhill when Malachy McDermott released Laurence Toland. Toland got to the ball first and his attempted lob was handled by O’Donoghue outside the box. Before Toland could turn the ball home, play was brought back for a free kick to Cockhill in the centre circle.
On 63 minutes Toland was released down the right and Adam Duffy was pushed over as he attacked Toland’s cross but, again, Cockhill’s protests were in vain.
Two minutes later Cockhill had another ‘goal’ disallowed when a cross from the left was punched out by O’Donoghue and Jason Breslin fired home but the flag was up for offside on the initial cross.
Cockhill did equalise on 68 minutes when Malachy McDermott broke two tackles in midfield before releasing Stephen Duffy who fired low past O’Donoghue.
It was all Cockhill now as they pushed for the winner. Stephen Duffy and Breslin had shots saved before Midleton’s Jamie Collins was sent off for a second yellow on 86mins.
Cockhill had the last chance on 87mins when Duffy was again denied by O’Donoghue tipping his goal-bound effort away for a corner.
Cockhill Celtic: Harry Doherty; Jason Brwslin, Oisin McColgan, Peter Doherty, Lee McColgan; Ronan Doherty, Bradley Callaghan; Stephen Duffy, James Bradley, Adam Duffy; Cathal Farren. Subs used: Malachy McDermott, Laurence Toland, Mark Moran
