Division 3 – Saturday the 07th February 2026
SC&K United FC ‘B’ 0–5 Burncourt Celtic FC
After weeks of enforced inactivity following the Christmas break due to persistent poor weather, Slievenamon Celtic/Kilsheelan United ‘B’ ensured their return to competitive action went ahead by switching Saturday evening’s fixture to the astro-turf at Cahir Park. The priority was clear: get valuable minutes into the legs and restore match sharpness.
Both sides started with intent, moving the ball well in the opening exchanges and showing little sign of rust. Burncourt Celtic, however, settled quicker and began to assert control in midfield, asking early questions of the SC & KU back line.
The breakthrough arrived on 18 minutes. Keelan Darcy showcased his sharpness by evading a defender with a clever touch before calmly slotting past the goalkeeper to open the scoring. It was a goal that gave Burncourt confidence and momentum, while SC & KU were forced to chase the game.
The home side attempted to respond, pushing higher up the pitch in search of an equaliser, but this left space at the other end. Burncourt capitalised just before the interval when David Collins rose highest at a corner-kick to power a header into the net, sending the visitors into the break with a commanding 2–0 lead.
Any hopes of a second-half response from SC & KU were quickly dampened. Just seven minutes after the restart, Darcy struck again, finishing clinically to make it 3–0 and effectively place Burncourt in control. From that point, the visitors played with freedom and confidence, moving the ball efficiently and exploiting gaps as SC & KU tired.
The fourth goal arrived on 66 minutes when Dylan Ryan reacted quickest inside the box, steering a close-range effort into the bottom corner to further extend Burncourt’s advantage.
Darcy, who was a constant menace throughout, completed a well-deserved hat-trick eight minutes from time. Applying pressure high up the pitch, he forced another opening before coolly slotting home to cap an outstanding individual performance.
Despite the heavy scoreline, the fixture achieved its purpose for Slievenamon Celtic/Kilsheelan United ‘B’, who will take positives from simply getting back on the pitch after a disrupted spell. For Burncourt Celtic, it was a dominant and clinical display that underlined their sharpness and attacking threat as the season resumes.
Verdict:
Burncourt Celtic were ruthless and well-organised, with Keelan Darcy’s hat-trick the standout feature of a comprehensive away victory. SC & KU ‘B’ showed early promise but were ultimately undone by Burncourt’s superior sharpness and efficiency in front of goal.