Crettyard winless in three as Burrin pick up fourth successive draw
The Burrin Celtic team that drew 1-1 with Crettyard
Crettyard are now winless in three games as Ryan Byrne’s late strike rescued a point for the 2023/24 champions on Saturday night against a Burrin Celtic side who picked up their fourth successive draw of the season to remain unbeaten at home. Burrin were strong at the back and were difficult to break down, whilst Crettyard struggled to break them down for large periods, missing some creativity and firepower in the middle of the park. Burrin struggled up front too, unable to break down an experienced Crettyard defence.
Crettyard went closest early on as Gearoid Cuddihy’s free was cleared after ten minutes. Two minutes later, Burrin took the lead as a cross from the right from Alex Kelliher was knocked in at the back post by Adam Feeney into the bottom right hand corner to open the scoring.
Crettyard started growing into the game as a Craig Comerford free from the left was cleared before Mark FitzGerald down the right put in a cross into the box but there was nobody waiting in the middle for it. Burrin went close when a ball was put into the box for Shane Duffy but he couldn’t get onto the end of it. Dylan Waters had an effort blocked as it deflected wide. The resulting corner from the left was headed wide at the back post by Mark Lyons.
On the half hour mark, Noah Cullen down the right just outside the box hit an effort over the bar for Burrin. Three minutes later, a Cuddihy corner from the right for Crettyard was cleared. With ten minutes to go until half-time Kelliher had a great effort saved by Matt Kelly in the Crettyard goal who went on to spill the ball before collecting it again.
Two minutes later, Waters hit an effort from the right across the box. A Cuddihy effort from the right outside the box was hit wide on the far side. Just before half-time, a Duffy effort from the left was hit wide on the near side under pressure.
Straight after half-time, a Kelliher free from the left was hit off the wall for Burrin. Crettyard went close through a Cuddihy corner from the left but it was headed wide across the box at the back post. Jack Brady struck an effort from distance over the bar. Ten minutes in, a Waters cross from the left found Jamie Maher at the back post but his effort was saved.
A Kelliher free for Burrin was cleared. On the hour mark, a Comerford free from the left was cleared. Four minutes later, Ryan Byrne who came off the bench for Crettyard hit an effort straight at the Burrin ‘keeper. 20 minutes in, a Ross FitzGerald’s free was cleared. A Comerford ball was hit into the box where Waters went close with a diving header but he could only setter his header into the ‘keeper.
With 20 minutes to go, a Kelliher corner from the right was headed over at the back post by Treasure Echipue. Three minutes later, a Comerford free for Crettyard from the edge of the box from the right was palmed off the crossbar and eventually it was knocked wide on the right.
With ten minutes to go, Crettyard’s pressure paid off when a Mark FitzGerald corner from the right led to a scramble in the box before Ryan Byrne headed in to bring them level. With two minutes to go, Burrin had a glorious chance to take the lead again when Alex Kelliher’s free from the edge of the box on the left was hit straight at Kelly in the box. In stoppage time, Ross FitzGerald’s effort from the edge of the box was hit well wide.
Craig Doyle, Noah Cullen, Adam Feeney, Josh Fernandez, Shane Smith, Ryan Clarke, Treasure Echipue, Shane Duffy, Mark Morrissey, Alex Kelliher, Dylan O’Reilly.
Nijin Ilori, Cian Byrne, Charlie Clarke, Cillian Fagan.
Matt Kelly, Jack Brady, Craig Comerford, Mark Lyons, Ross FitzGerald, Cormac Murphy, Mark FitzGerald, Gearoid Cuddihy, Dylan Waters, Jamie Maher, James Dowling.
Anthony FitzPatrick, Ryan Byrne, Riogan Doran, Lee Salter, Fionnan Brennan, Eoghan Moore.
Ross Cole assisted by Nathan Bannon and Shane Farrell
