Non-League and Academy football writer

FC Irish of London faced Celtic in this big step 8 non-League match, in the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division One North & West, on Saturday. This was both side’s final league match of the 2023/24 season, and second place FC Irish of London needed to win this match against third place Celtic, by six goals, to win the league ahead of first place London Cheetahs. Played at Queens’ School Grounds, in Bushey, this really important game of football would finish 7-0 to FC Irish of London, and with that they celebrated winning the league title after the match. Ahead of this match, which was played on a very warm and sunny Saturday afternoon, the FC Irish of London outfield players had to wear their shirts inside out, because of there being a kit clash with the Celtic jersey.

FC Irish of London were the better team during the early stages of the match, but it was quite a cagey start to the game, with the home side unable to create any real goalscoring chances. The first real chance of the game arrived after the ten minute mark, following a good forward run into the Celtic box from the left flank by Nathan Dean, would result in him having an effort saved by the Celtic goalkeeper, at his near post. Following on from that chance, Celtic managed to create a good chance, from a good passing move. However, the Celtic number 10, who found himself through on goal inside of the FC Irish of London penalty area, would drag his low effort wide of the goal. FC Irish of London goalkeeper Roberto Beschizza would make a save from the Celtic number 8’s low effort on his goal, a couple of minutes later.

Tenacious both with and without the ball, FC Irish of London were playing the game with urgency, as they needed to get some goals during the first half of the match. They would really dominate the match from this point onwards, in terms of chances created. Conor Farrell’s corner kick to the near post of the Celtic goal was nodded wide by Patrick Phillips, before the same player headed an effort wide from a cross towards the back post, a couple of minutes later. Then, a couple of minutes after that chance, FC Irish of London took the lead in the game. The impressive Nathan Dean’s well delivered low cross from the left flank, was met by the on rushing Conor Farrell at the back post, as he used the pace on the cross to head the ball into the goal, 1-0.

Soon after scoring their first goal of the game, FC Irish of London’s second goal arrived. It came from a quick move, as Nathan Dean’s low cross into the Celtic box, was met by Henry Walsh, who finished well and low into the goal, 2-0. Following a Celtic free-kick, shortly after the game had been resumed, their number 16 volleyed an effort over the FC Irish of London goal. The game would continue to be played at a really fast pace by FC Irish of London, and their third goal of the game would arrive shortly before half-time. After Aidan Harte had received Patrick Phillips’ pass inside the centre of the Celtic penalty area, there was a bit of a scramble for the ball, before Harte was able to find the bottom left-hand corner of the goal, 3-0. And  just before the referee had sounded his whistle for half-time, Conor Farrell had an effort from 20 yards out from the Celtic goal, which was saved by their goalkeeper.

FC Irish of London started the second half of the match with the same energy, intensity and urgency that they had finished the first half with. Very early on in the second half the impressive Patrick Phillips would do well to take the ball around Celtic’s number 14, inside of their penalty area, before hitting a low effort wide of the goal, with the outside of his boot. Conor Farrell would then go on a good forward run into the Celtic penalty area, before taking the ball past a defender, and then hitting a low effort just wide of the Celtic goalkeeper’s right-hand post. A penalty kick was then awarded for the home team, after Darren Lynch’s good low cross into the Celtic box from the right flank, was met by Nathan Dean, who was brought down by a sliding Celtic defender (number 6), leaving the referee with no other option than to point to the penalty spot. Conor Farrell stepped up to take and score the resulting penalty kick, leaving the goalkeeper rooted to his spot, from his clinical low finish, 4-0.

FC Irish of London were wasting no time in trying to get that six goal advantage, that they needed in order to win the league. After FC Irish of London’s top scorer this season (Conor Farrell) sent a good lofted ball towards Nathan Dean on the left side of the Celtic penalty area, Dean hit an effort just wide of the goal. Just after that chance, Eamonn Scullion hit a fine looping effort towards the Celtic goal (from the edge of their penalty area) against their goalkeeper’s crossbar, before Aidan Harte came very close to extending the home team’s lead. A good cross from Patrick Phillips into the centre of the Celtic box, to Aidan Harte, resulted in his header being really well pushed away by the Celtic goalkeeper.

Celtic’s number 11 would hit an effort over from the left side of the FC Irish of London box, before Conor Farrell hit an effort into the side-netting of the Celtic goal, at the other end of the pitch from inside of their penalty area. However, goal number five of the afternoon would arrive soon after, for FC Irish of London. Some more impressive wing play would result in a well delivered low cross into the centre of the Celtic penalty area, being met by Henry Walsh, whose low first time finish found the back of the goal, 5-0. The referee would award the second penalty of the game for FC Irish of London, in the resulting minutes. This penalty was awarded after Henry Walsh’s effort from inside of the Celtic box, was handled from close range by a defender. Conor Farrell stepped up once again to calmly finish low into the goal, 6-0.

Shortly after Conor Farrell had hit an effort over the Celtic goal, from distance, FC Irish of London pretty much secured the league title, when they got their seventh goal of the afternoon. Aiden Lynam’s effort from the edge of the Celtic penalty area, was kept out of the goal by the Celtic goalkeeper. However, he was unable to gather the ball, which came to Conor Farrell inside of the box, and Farrell’s effort wasn’t kept out by the goalkeeper, who couldn’t prevent the ball from crossing the goal-line, or keep hold of the ball, 7-0. There were to be two very late efforts in the game, with the first one being from a free-kick from Celtic’s number 5, whose effort from distance went over Roberto Beschizza’s goal, before Aidan Harte had hit an effort over the Celtic goal, some 20 yards out from goal.

Many congratulations must go to FC Irish of London, on winning the 2023/24 Middlesex County Football League Premier Division One North & West league title. That is a really big achievement, and it will be very interesting to see whether they will play their football at step 7, next season. I was so impressed with how their whole team played today, against Celtic, for the entirety of the match. They worked incredibly hard, pressed well and were clinical in front of goal. With four goals and a really good all-round performance (especially in the forward areas of the pitch), Conor Farrell was my player of the match on Saturday. However, I could’ve given this award to any one of the FC Irish of London players, as they really were outstanding.

FC Irish of London’s captain (Ben O’Mahony) was outstanding in central defence, and the whole defence were dominant, in all that they did. Also, the skilful Nathan Dean, and Patrick Phillips, were very impressive, in my opinion. However, once again, it was a real team performance which saw FC Irish of London win this game 7-0, earlier today.