By Aron Hegarty
Esker Celtic 3
Wayside Celtic 2
Aaron Byrne scored a second half double as Esker Celtic twice came from behind to win a gripping Sunday LSL Division 3 clash with Wayside Celtic recently. Esker trailed at the start and end of the first period, but winger Byrne netted twice after the restart to complete a remarkable turnaround at Willsbrook Park. First Byrne fired in a low shot to level minutes after the break, then applied a neat finish in the 93rd minute to win it. A late goal was required to settle their first meeting in August, where Wayside won 2-0, and again there was to be late drama to decide the outcome of the return fixture. Both sides went on the offensive throughout the match and this was evident as early as the first minute when Wayside went in front through captain Ciaran Mooney, who took advantage of indecision in the home defence to score.
Esker hit back in the 12th minute to equalise when Liam Treacy fired the ball into the roof of the net. The hosts began to get more of a foothold in midfield as the half wore on and carved out some decent chances. Most notably from striker Shane O’Neill, whose lob sailed just past the post and shot straight at the keeper following an advancing run. However it was the visitors who took advantage of a mix-up in the home defence to retake the lead with Ramish Rizwan slotting into an empty net on the stroke of halftime.
Just three minutes into the second period, Esker were again level when the visiting defence failed to deal with a bounce from a high cross and Byrne was on hand to fire into the corner. Wayside upped the tempo following the concession and responded with several threatening attacks past the hour mark.
Replacement Joe O’Connor and Oisin McLaughlin both missed half-chances then Rizwan was denied in a one-on-one with Esker keeper Jason Gibbons.
The resulting corner was headed off the line and moments later, substitute Luke Wevill pulled his shot wide at the other end after being sent through from a long ball forward. The away side pressed in the final quarter with Rizwan again being thwarted by Gibbons and Shane Kerins coming to the hosts’ rescue in clearing off the line. As both teams began to tire, the contest looked to be heading for a draw until Byrne broke through on goal with seconds remaining and slotted the ball past Rameel Rizwan to win it for Esker.
Esker Celtic: J Gibbons, C O’Donnell, J O’Neill, A Pierce, S Kerins, L Ponder, O Forde, L Walsh, A Byrne, S O’Neill, L Treacy.
Wayside Celtic: Rameel Rizwan, L Sheehan, N Cushew, C Mooney, C Corcoran, R Dolphin, M Gannon, C Caffrey, Ramish Rizwan, O McLaughlin, J Earls.
