Donegal Celtics Paul McVeigh celebrates after scoring from a free kick against larne
McVeigh fuels a four-star display
Donegal Celtic 4 Larne 3
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Paul McVeigh scored four times at Celtic Park today to maintain Donegal
Celtic's unbeaten home record in 2008 and end the season on a high.
But the Hoops were made to fight right to end to preserve their lead over
10-man Larne who also had manager Graham McConnell sent-off.
Even when McVeigh's fourth gave Celtic a 4-2 lead in injury-time, the
visitors hit back. Former Celtic man Anto Lagan dispatching a penalty just
minutes after his superb long-range effort ripped the Celtic net and cut
into the hosts' 3-1 advantage.
The opening 10 minutes of this game provided more drama than most do in 90,
with Larne reduced to 10 men and goals coming from set-pieces.
Former Linfield man Paul Hamilton was shocked when his season came to an
abrupt end after just five minutes. The centre-half was penalised for his
foul on the advancing McVeigh just outside the goalmouth.
Before Hamilton could reach the dressing room, McVeigh had curled the
free-kick superbly beyond the reach of former Celtic goalkeeper Alex
Spackman.
Larne struck back just five minutes later via a free-kick that caused chaos
in the goalmouth.
Celtic 'keeper Declan Brown did well to parry Andrew Dickson's shot but the
ball fell to Mark Miskibbon to level from close range.
In the 19th minute, the Larne goalscorer almost put his side in front but
headed Noel Corrigan's cross wide of Brown's goal.
Corrigan upended McVeigh to concede a penalty in the 52nd minute and for the
third time this month, the Celtic hit-man scored from the spot. His best of
the game came in the 76th minute when he brilliantly volleyed Paul
McDonald's smart header beyond Spackman.
Lagan hit back with five minutes remaining. Then McVeigh grabbed his fourth,
slipping the ball past Spackman after collecting Ciaran Gargan's
defense-splitting pass.
Lagan's penalty was virtually the last kick of the game and Larne's last act
in the Premier League before the east-Antrim club returns to intermediate
football next season via the PIL.
DONEGAL CELTIC: Brown, Heagney, Donaghy, McClean, Caldwell, McAlorum,
Munster, L Bradley, Armstrong, Kearney, McVeigh. Subs: Gargan, Shannon,
Bonner, Lavery, McDonald.
LARNE: Larne: Spackman, Cleary, Hagan, Corrigan, Hamilton, Lagan, Hand, R
McLaughlin, Miskibbon, Dickson, Fulton. Subs: Anderson, Rafferty, Harris,
Robinson
Referee: Alan Black
