PREVIEW: Park Celtic to face Robinstown FC in NEFL Div3 clash
JUSTIN BURKE
Sunday 16th September 2018
North East Football League Division 3 (11:15am)
Park Celtic Summerhill v Robinstown FC
This match has all the signs of a cracking game with Park Celtic Summerhill looking very attacking this season with goals coming in every game so far, although they finished mid-table last season the previous year they finished runner-up in Div 4 and won the O'Neill shield.
Robinstown finished a respectful third last year in Div 4 and were duly promoted to Div 3 as they went 13 games unbeaten at end of season.
Park Celtic Summerhill began this season with a 4-3 win at home to Kilmessan followed by a 3-2 win away to Kells Celtic with last minute winners in both of them games.
They were hammered in their next match (6-2) by BJD Celtic but last week's Challenge Cup win at home to Navan Cosmos lifted their spirits again.
Robinstown started with a 2-1 against Glenmuir followed by a 0-0 draw against Kells Celtic with both games at home.
They were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Electro who won 4-2 and then another home match saw them beaten by Chord Celtic. Last week's away loss to Donacarney Celtic leaves them without a win in four games.
Park Celtic will wait on news to see if their captain Brian Rispin has recovered in time for this match, but will be happy striker John Farrell returns after a holiday.
Robinstown will be without influential Paul Curtin who is away at a wedding and will await to hear if goalkeeper John Kelleher is ok to play after he dislocated his finger in last week's match against Donacarney Celtic.
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Park Celtic should be confident knowing John Farrell is back for this game as his striking partnership with Mark O'Donoghue has seen them combine for six goals between them and they create a lot of chances when in same team.
Robinstown know Ciaran Roche can score goals but his link up player Paul Curtin who also scores their goals is away.
Key players to watch out for in this match are Park Celtic youth player Can Hussey, Kevin O'Neill in midfield and joint player managers Brian Rispin and Mickey Corrigan.
Johnny Corrigan will also be a player to watch out for on the wing.
Robinstown pride themselves on their defensive set up this season driven by new signing Enda Sweeney, Wayne Noone and Cormac Harten. Youth players Mark Lynch and Tommy Carroll have stepped up to senior and impressed this season.
Park Celtic joint manager Brian Rispin said he would be hopeful of a win against as they beat Robinstown twice in the league two seasons ago but Robinstown have a young team now so it be a tougher game this time out.
Robinstown manager Damien Sheridan said his side gave a good account of themselves in their last two meetings with Park Celtic Summerhill,and he knows it will be tough given they lost their last three outings but is confident his side will produce on the day.
Prediction - With Robinstown on a bad streak and down one of their strikers its hard not to pick a home win here given they have there main striker back and confident after a shock 4-2 win in the challenge cup against Navan Cosmos.
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