News
Celtic hoping for big crowd at FAI clash
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An epic battle of titanic proportions beckons on Sunday at Celtic Park as Killarney Celtic and North End United meet to decide who will progress to the quarter-finals of this year’s FAI Junior Cup.
The FAI Junior Cup is the Holy Grail of junior soccer in Ireland and is the single biggest knockout tournament in Europe, commencing with 600 teams at the outset.
Celtic have a very good pedigree in this tournament reaching the semi- finals last year only to exit on penalties to the eventual tournament winners Sherriff YC.
North End United from Wexford are no shrinking violets and have over the last few years been knocking around the latter stages of the competition. They will be arriving in Celtic Park on Sunday hot off the heels after defeating Ballymun United 6-0 in the last round of the competition, and they have also claimed the scalp of Limerick league toppers Janesboro along the way. Janesboro would have been one of the favourites at the start of the competition. Whilst Killarney Celtic have home advantage you would expect North End to start favourite with the bookies but the in-form Killarney side, who remain undefeated in all competitions thus far this year, will have other ideas about that.
As always the support will be a huge factor in these games and manager Eoghan Donnellan has said that the 12th man will be of significant importance in Sunday’s game. Celtic Park is not an easy venue for visiting teams to come to with the huge local support that the team gets.
Sounds like it is going to be something special and if last year’s games are anything to go by you can expect a massive turnout in support of the Hoops on Sunday.
Kick-off is at 2pm tomorrow Sunday 11th February.