Woodview move joint-top of Division Two as Macken and Carr seal crucial win in Bailieboro
Bailieboro Celtic 1 Woodview Celtic 2
NEFL Division Two
Bailieboro Celtic 1 Woodview Celtic 2
Woodview Celtic moved joint-top of Division Two with victory over Bailieboro on Friday night.
Their player/manager, Conor Macken, and Barry Carr were on the scoresheet as they held off a late Bailieboro fightback to move seven points clear of their fourth place opponents, who, albeit, have three matches in hand.
Raymond McCann (2) and Carr went close to breaking the deadlock for Woodview in the first half as their pressing game produced its rewards.
Kyle Carroll - normally an out-field player - took his place between the visiting sticks for this one, with Pádraig Gorham unavailable, and he enjoyed a trouble-free opening 45'.
Woodview took the lead on 49 minutes when a move involving Gavin Gaffey and McCann saw the ball fall to Macken who smashed to the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Gaffey was again involved in goal number two as his cut back and cross found the head of Carr who nodded to the corner of the net.
Two-nil ahead, Woodview conceded a sloppy goal during the hosts' best spell of the match. They were subjected to corner-after-corner during this period. But they recovered and comfortably held on for the three points.
Woodview Celtic: Kyle Carroll; Deane Browne, Shane Taaffe, Daniel Mulligan, Stephen Begley; Gavin Gaffey, Conor Macken, Paul McArdle, Caolan Dines; Barry Carr, Raymond McCann
Subs: Niall Mackin, Anton Webb