Following Tuesday night’s disappointing 4-2 reverse to Athboy, Johnstown welcomed title-chasers Ardee Celtic to the MDL on Friday night.
Determined to have some say in this season title race, Johnstown were much improved from their last outing and matched the visitors in all aspects in the early exchanges.
A quick corner routine between Sean Challenger, captain in the absence through injury of Darren McQuillan, and Arnold Luco led to the former seeing his fierce shot whistle narrowly wide with a quarter of an hour played.
10 minutes later, Johnstown opened the scoring. An Ardee Celtic corner produced a chance which Dylan Byrne gathered comfortably before his quick clearance found Challenger in midfield. His chipped pass, weighted perfectly over the retreating backline as Johnstown broke at speed, fell perfectly for top scorer Luco who blasted the ball past the keeper giving the home side the lead.
Shortly after, Luco should have doubled his tally for the evening. Vinny Murphy, tricky as ever crossed along the ground to Luco at the back post. Unfortunately, he could not keep his shot under the bar.
Ardee’s best chance of the half came just shy of the interval as they beat Johnstown’s offside line. Bearing down on Byrne in the Johnstown net, all in attendance could only watch as the attacker drilled his shot well wide.
The second half was played out in an increasingly tense fashion with few chances falling to either side until the mid way point. A long ball out by Ardee led to both home centre backs slipping, freeing the way forward for the Louth men. Only a last ditch tackle by Jake McDermott prevented the visitors getting their shot away.
Ardee continued to exert pressure as the second half wore on and on 72 minutes would have equalised but for Jay Colton’s goal-line clearance.
Unfortunately for Johnstown, that equaliser did arrive just 6 minutes later. A long free kick from Ardee was allowed to bounce in the area, before the visiting forward tucked the ball passed Byrne, drawing his side level.
With eyes firmly on the upcoming semi final against Navan Cosmos, Johnstown will be pleased with the improved level of performance and hope to have a fully fit side back in time for their cup tie.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, J. Connolly, J. McDermott, D. Grumley, S. Challenger (c), V. Murphy, C. O’Sullivan, A. Ivers, A. Luco
For the second time in 4 games, and just the third time all season, Johnstown kept a clean sheet as they saw off Division 2 challengers Baileborough Celtic in their Tully Cup Quarter Final tie 3-0 at the MDL on Friday night.
The gulf in talent between the 2 sides was apparent from the off. The home side could and perhaps should have been 3 up inside the opening 10 minutes.
Kacper Zeberek, looking back to his best, took possession on half way in the second minute and proceeded to dance his way through the opposition, leaving Baileborough chasing shadows. As he bore down on goal, the keeper advanced. Zeberek’s low shot was well saved by the keeper legs.
The next opportunity, less than 3 minutes later, saw Dan Halligan and Arnold Luco combine well on the left but the latter’s shot could only find the keeper’s midriff. Halligan was again involved in Johnstown’s next chance as he crossed to Zeberek in the area but he could only steer his effort over the bar.
Just shy of the quarter hour mark, a poor delivery by Challenger from a corner on their left was almost converted as Jay Colton caught it on the half volley at the near post, only to watch it come back off the base of that same post.
And the chances kept coming. Zeberek, Luco, Aaron Mooney, Halligan, and Josh Gaffney all went close and kept the Baileborough keeper busy.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Jay Colton rose highest in the Baileborough area and met a Sean Challenger corner perfectly with his head. Having seen an earlier chance come back of the woodwork, Colton knew it would not be his night, as on this occasion his downward header was gathered gratefully by the custodian low at his feet.
Shortly after, Baileborough almost punished Johnstown’s profligacy in front of goal. In a rare venture upfield, the men from Cavan crossed from the right. With his back to goal, an improvised overhead kick dropped over the bar. It was to be the only chance the Johnstown back four, consisting of McQuillan, Colton, Connolly and Gaffney, were to concede in the match.
Finally the breakthrough came on the stroke of half-time. Sean Challenger released Luco down the left. The front man powered his way into the area before hitting a low hard cross towards the near post. Having played his part in creating a number of chances earlier, this time it was Halligan’s turn to be on the end of the move as he showed how to finish it off with a neat flick into the net ensuring Johnstown went into the break with a deserved lead.
The second half saw the one-way traffic continue. An earlier chance fell to Mooney but once again the visiting custodian was on hand to keep his side in the game.
Johnstown did not have to wait too long for the second. Again, a fine ball from Challenger set Luco free before he set the ball for Zeberek to make 2-0.
With an hour gone, Luco raced clear after Dave Grumley won the ball in midfield. Having missed a couple of earlier chances, Luco made amends and slotted away his side’s 3rd of the evening.
10 minutes later it was nearly 4-0. Second half substitute Vinny Murphy scooped a pass high over the Baileborough back line to Luco who caught it on the volley which produced a remarkable double save from the keeper, first when he saved the initial shot and second as he athletically clawed the ball back from the line.
Despite their first half dominance continuing throughout the second half, Johnstown were not as incisive and did not create as many chances but they were more clinical. At the back, Johnstown were solid and never looked likely to let the visitors back in the game, leaving Dylan Byrne a virtual spectator for the 90 minutes.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, J. Gaffney, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, D. Grumley, S. Challenger, K. Zeberek, A. Mooney, D. Halligan, A. Luco
Subs: V. Murphy for Challenger, D. Bollard for Connolly, W. Cahill for Halligan, J. Flynn for Zeberek, C. O’Sullivan for Mooney.
Johnstown avenged their opening day defeat to Navan Town, running out victors by 3 goals to nil in their O’Neill’s Sportswear Division 1 clash at the MDL on Sunday morning.
The first half saw the home team dominate proceedings and were in front after just 10 minutes. Quick thinking from Sean Challenger saw him play a corner on the Johnstown left out to Vinny Murphy standing just outside the area. The right-sided midfielder struck a low drive across the area and into the net.
Murphy was to turn provider 8 minutes later as his corner on the opposite flank was cleared to the feet of Challenger in the middle of the goal 20 yards out. Despite the presence of 2 closing defenders, Challenger readjusted his feet quickly and hit a left footed drive low past the despairing dive of the visiting keeper to double his side’s advantage.
Just before the half hour mark, a rampant Johnstown went 3 goals clear. Justin Flynn weighted his through ball perfectly as Aaron Mooney broke a disciplined rear line. With 1 touch he rounded the keeper, before lifting his finish into the net as 2 covering defenders slid low in vain.
Despite the gulf in performance between the two sides, that was where the scoring ended. Indeed, chances for the rest of the match were at a premium.
Just after the restart, Wayne Cahill and Arnold Luco combined well to set up Aaron Mooney. Unfortunately for Johnstown, as he lifted his attempt over the keeper, Mooney could not keep it down under the bar.
As the second half wore on, the visitors came back into the game and could have pulled a goal back on the hour mark. Getting far more joy down their left, Navan Town crossed from out wide. It was met by the strong head of their front man, free about 6 yards out. Rather than hitting the back of the net, the header produced a tremendous point blank save from Dylan Byrne, who was then aided by Jay Colton clearing any follow up.
Shortly after, Challenger released Luco from deep. With the keeper flying out of his area, and under pressure from his marker, Luco dispatched an early shot low but was well saved by the keeper’s legs outside his area.
With 8 minutes left to play, Joke McDermott played in Stephen Ivers. With the keeper beaten, the Johnstown substitute’s shot smacked off the base of the near post.
Despite the drop in intensity once 3-0 up, Johnstown will be happy to have secured their first win 4 games.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. McDermott, W. Cahill, S. Challenger, J. Flynn, V. Murphy, A. Mooney, A. Luco
Subs: S. Ivers for Flynn, J. Forde for Challenger, J. Gaffney for Murphy.
Johnstown completed an unbeaten January with a fine 6-2 victory over Friday night’s visitors to the MDL, Woodview Celtic.
The Dundalk side were unlucky not be in front after a dominant opening period, being thwarted a couple of times by Dylan Byrne in the Johnstown nets & a superb last ditch tackle by Jamie Connolly with Woodview through on goal.
Johnstown began to grow into the game & it was not too long until they made Woodview regret their missed opportunities.
A quick fire double from Kacper Żeberek put his side in control just after the half hour.
His first came from a quick corner on Johnstown’s right as Żeberek met Sean Challenger’s far post cross with a superb diving header.
3 minutes later, it was 2-0. The ever influential Challenger released Dylan Bollard with an excellent ball down the right. The Johnstown right back powered in the area and played in Żeberek who slotted home across the keeper.
With a few minutes to play in the first half, Arnold Luco was through on goal. He went down under the challenge of a defender in the box but the referee waved the away loud appeals from the home side.
The hosts came out after the interval, firing on all cylinders once again and within 2 minutes were 3-0 up. Wayne Cahill’s perfectly weighted through ball found Vinny Murphy’s run. As he entered the area, Murphy pulled his left foot shot across the keeper into the bottom corner.
As Johnstown’s dominance grew in this period of the game, they could have been further ahead. Luco was first denied by a combination of keeper & post before Murphy was released in an almost carbon copy move that lead to his goal, but as the keeper stood tall, the Johnstown man could only chip into the waiting keeper’s hands.
Then came the moment that breathed life back into Woodview Celtic’s challenge in the game. With an hour elapsed, their forward tumbled in the box under a challenge from Darren McQuillan. The referee showed no hesitation this time in awarding the penalty. Despite his best efforts, Byrne could do little to keep out the spot kick as his side’s advantage was reduced to 3 goals to 1.
This set back did not deter the home side, and soon after, they restored their 2 goal cushion. Challenger’s vision & execution of pass freed Wayne Cahill who grateful accepted the chance to chip in his 10th league goal of the season.
With 15 minutes left, Woodview came back again. They stole possession high up the field on their right and following a quick interchange of passes laid the ball back for a shot driven home low to Byrne’s right.
The game stood at 4-2, and as the old cliché goes, the next goal would be crucial and it came with 5 minutes left. Kacper Żeberek held off a number of defenders before laying the ball off across the face of goal to the waiting Adam Ivers. The second half substitute tapped into an empty net making it 5-2, securing the points for his side.
In the final minute, Ivers turned provider as he set up Arnold Luco for another tap in finishing off the scoring.
This 6-2 win ensured Johnstown finished January unbeaten with 3 wins & a draw from their 4 games and will fill them with confidence ahead of a return to cup action next week.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, D. Grumley, W. Cahill, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: J. McDermott for Colton, A. Ivers for Murphy, P. Challenger for S. Challenger, P. Dempsey for Cahill.
Table toppers Black Bull were the visitors to the MDL on Friday night, where they played out a 2-2 draw with Johnstown.
The opening quarter of an hour saw both sides have their share of possession without either showing any real cutting edge until a fine ball by Dylan Bollard released Vinny Murphy on the right. He cut into the area and fired his shot high over the keeper only to see it thunder back off the crossbar.
Dylan Bollard was instrumental in the next chance created in the game 5 minutes later. This time, however, he was key to keeping his side level as he cleared a Black Bull header from a corner off the line.
The scoring was opened shortly after as a precise move down their right saw Black Bull cross to their front man free in the area to slot home a low shot across goal.
The hosts had a couple of chances to level things before the break, both falling to full back Jason Colton. The first was an acrobatic effort as he connected with a cross from Vinny Murphy. The second, a header from a Sean Challenger delivery from a free kick. Unfortunately neither effort found the net.
Johnstown’s equaliser came 9 minutes into the second half. A foul on Colton gave Johnstown a free kick 20 yards out on the left of the penalty area. Kacper Zeberek’s shot took a wicked deflection as it passed through a gap on the end of the wall and snuck into the bottom corner at the far post with the keeper completely wrong footed.
Within a minute, Johnstown hit the front. Zeberek’s ball freed Arnold Luco on the left. He held off a number of defenders as he ran across the area before pulling his shot back across goal into the net.
The first red card of the night came on 64 minutes as a deliberate handball in midfield resulted in a second caution for the Black Bull man reducing his side to 10 men.
Worse was to befall the men from Drogheda as 3 minutes later, they were further reduced to 9 men. Luco ran on to a through ball, rounded the keeper and shot from wide. It was destined to make it 3-1 until the timely but illegal intervention of a defender, as he reached out and handled on the line.
The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, and after a further confrontation the area, a red card to the guilty party. On as a second half substitute, Pierce Challenger took the responsibility of taking the penalty. His well struck spot-kick was brilliantly saved by the visiting custodian.
5 minutes after all the drama, Johnstown were made to pay. A ball from deep caught out the Johnstown defence and saw a Black Bull forward steal in ahead and nick the ball over the advancing Byrne in the Johnstown net before hammering home to level matters.
With a 2 man advantage it was no surprise that Johnstown dominated the remainder of the game but they rarely troubled the opposition goal.
As the final whistle sounded, the air of disappointment around the Johnstown camp was palpable as the reality of what was 2 points dropped against the league leaders sunk in.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, D. Grumley, W. Cahill, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: P. Challenger for Grumley, J. McDermott for Colton, A. Mooney for Cahill, A. Ivers for Bollard, M. Grumley for Murphy
For the second time in three days, Johnstown secured progression in knockout competitions with a highly competitive 3-2 Tully Cup win over Division 3 side Albion Rovers at the MDL on Friday Night.
With the game just one minute old, Albion broke swiftly down their right and delivered a cross to the back post where the waiting man could not take advantage of his free header. A portent of what was to come.
Just 4 minutes later, a Johnstown pass in midfield was charged down. The ball rebounded to an Albion striker clear of the defence. Despite protestations from the home side, he bore down on goal before giving his side the lead at the second attempt after his initial effort came back off the post.
For much of the opening half hour, Johnstown failed to impose any control over their lower division opponents with Albion looking much the better side.
Then with 32 minutes on the clock, Johnstown began a spell of 3 goals in 9 minutes.
First, Sean Challenger showed great vision to release Arnold Luco down the right. Luco cut infield and across the 18 yard line, passed a number of Albion defenders before pulling his left footed shot back across the keeper and into the net.
Five minutes later, Kacper Zeberek made it 2-1. Taking possession in midfield, Zeberek turned and ran at the defence, beating 3 players before unleashing an unstoppable shot from distance that dipped over the keeper into the net.
On 41 minutes, the combination of Challenger and Luco proved decisive once again for the home side. Challenger’s perfect through ball found Luco cutting in from the right. Despite the keeper’s best efforts, the Johnstown man’s shot found the inside of the far post giving his side a 3-1 lead going into the break.
During a second half dominated by the home side, Johnstown should have put the game to bed. A number of chances went abegging.
With 15 minutes to go, Luco raced clear. He rounded the advancing keeper, but only succeeded in further narrowing his angle. From this tighter position, he watched his attempt ricochet off the foot of the near post and away.
Two minutes later, Albion pulled a goal back as they finished across Dylan Byrne in the Johnstown net to set up a nervy end to the game.
The Louth side finished off the game with 2 excellent chances to get back on level terms. However they were thwarted on both occasions by Byrne.
With Albion constantly probing for the equaliser, the final whistle was greeted with more sighs of relief than outright celebration as Johnstown avoided a cup shock and moved onto the next round.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, D. Bollard, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), D. Grumley, W. Cahill, S. Ivers, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: A. Ivers for Murphy, A, Sirb for Cahill, J. Caffery for Challenger
After a disappointing end to 2016, in which they lost their last 4 games, Johnstown bounced back with a perfect start to the New Year with a superb 4-2 win over Premier side Rock Celtic in the LMFM Kilmessan Shield on at the MDL Tuesday night.
It took the hosts less than 5 minutes to open the scoring. Vinny Murphy received the ball in space and beat 2 Rock Celtic defenders before unleashing a shot from 25 yards which sailed into the net high above the keeper.
Murphy almost doubled his side’s lead a little over 10 minutes later with an almost carbon copy effort, only to see his wickedly swerving shot thunder back off the crossbar.
With 5 minutes left in the first half, this season’s top goal scorer, Wayne Cahill scored Johnstown’s 2nd of the evening. Having timed his run to perfection, Cahill found himself clear of the defence just inside the area, where he met Kacper Zeberek’s pass with little dink over the keeper.
Rock Celtic began the 2nd half the strongest and, but for a couple of smart saves from Dylan Byrne, they could have pulled one back before, on 54 minutes, a cross from Celtic’s left went through Byrne’s hands and dropped into net.
60 seconds later, the Louth side missed a chance to equalise as they could only send their effort wide.
Johnstown’s next attack was started by Mark Grumley as he played a fantastic ball down Johnstown’s left. Arnold Luco’s powerful run allowed him to reach the goal-line inside the area, from where he pulled the back setting up Zeberek who fired home Johnstown’s 3rd, leaving the visitors to rue their earlier missed opportunity.
With 10 minutes left to play, Zeberek was again on hand to score Johnstown’s 4th. Sean Challenger’s through ball released him into space and into a 1-on-1 with the Celtic keeper, who came off the stronger following Zeberek’s first effort but could do nothing as the Johnstown man finished at the second time of asking.
With the game deep in injury time, Rock Celtic pulled a second goal back, as their player chipped Byrne, amidst appeals for offside, completing the scoring on night, and seeing Johnstown progress the next round by 4 goals to 2.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, J. McDermott, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, W. Cahill, D. Grumley, S. Challenger, V. Murphy, K. Zeberek, A. Luco
Subs: M. Grumley for McDermott, D. Bollard for Murphy, S. Ivers for Luco, J. Gaffney for Cahill, E. Donnelly for Zeberek.
Johnstown stretched their unbeaten run to 6 games in all competitions with a comfortable 4-0 win over visitors Kentstown Rovers at the MDL on Friday night.
The first half was a fairly scrappy affair with neither side taking control. Both Aaron Mooney and Adam Ivers went close for the hosts without finding the back of the net before Dylan Bollard opened the scoring 5 minutes before the break. A Johnstown corner was not dealt with, prompting a goal line scramble, before Bollard poked home from close range.
Johnstown’s second came immediately after the break. Under pressure, Dylan Byrne in the Johnstown net cleared towards Arnold Luco. Chasing what appear to be a lost cause, Luco’s pace put him ahead of the defender. Once he reached the byline, Luco pulled the ball back to the unmarked Wayne Cahill. He took one touch before dispatching his shot into the net.
Shortly after, Kentstown had their best chance on the night. A strong run through the Johnstown backline saw their man through 1-on-1 with Byrne. The shot was wide of the Johnstown keeper but also crucially wide of the target.
On a blustery evening the next opportunity of the game came on the next attack. A Dylan Bollard cross was caught by the wind, destined to sneak in at the back post, until Rovers’ keeper tipped it on to the bar.
With 20 minutes to go, Johnstown made it 3-0. Jake McDermott at left back moved forward in possession before picking out Luco in the area. His close control and tight turns manufactured the space he needed to hammer home his shot.
The night’s scoring was completed 4 minutes later. Kentstown’s keeper took a poor kick out straight to birthday boy Cahill gifting him is 2nd of the night and 10th in all competitions this season as he chipped the stranded keeper making it 4-0.
The home side saw out the rest of the game with relative ease and little threat to their first clean sheet of the season, a timely confidence boost for the defence as, on the horizon, are 2 trips to Dublin to face AUL side in the Leinster and FAI Junior cups.
Johnstown FC Team: D. Byrne, J. McDermott, J. Colton, D. McQuillan (c), J. Connolly, W. Cahill, P. Challenger, A. Ivers, D. Bollard, A. Mooney, A. Luco
Subs: K. Zeberek for Mooney, J. Forde for McQuillan, V. Murphy for Bollard, C. Murphy for Ivers, S. Conroy for Luco.
Last night the NEFL did their Cup Draws live on Facebook and for those that missed it here is how we fared.
Senior First time have gotten a bye to the Second Round of the NEFL Tully Bookmakers Challenge Cup.
Second Team will play Belurgan Away in the Reserve Cup.
Third Team will play Ardee Celtic Away in the Reserve Cup.
None of the games are scheduled yet but keep an eye out for updates when it does happen.
