Keenan pleased to pick-pocket plucky Institute at windy Seaview
CRUSADERS goalkeeper Chris Keenan emerged the hero of the hour as his team consumed a second-half battering against a towering Insititute at Seaview.
The 21-year-old somehow withstood a second half ariel onslaught from John Gregg's team which helped the Crues somehow pocket three crucial JJB Sports Premiership points to keep them in the slipstream of leaders Glentoran.
Keenan's most impressive piece of work came late in that frenetic second period when substitute Calvin Mooney escaped the clutches of Colin Coates.
With Institute attempting to cancel out David Rainey's controversial 26th minute opener, Mooney bore down on goal, only for Keenan to spread himself and spectacularly clutch his low effort.
The Crusaders net minder, currently on loan form Larne, also blew a sigh of relief when Mooney's curling free kick from 18 yards clipped the crossbar.
Little wonder Keenan punched the air at the finish. He knew the Crues had just pick-pocketed the points.
"It was one of those days . . . blowing winds, pouring rain. We had to go out and battle," he said. "We got the three points and that's what counts.
"They bombarded us for the entire second 45 minutes. So it is credit to the likes of Colin Coates and Davy Magowan that they (Institute) didn't score.
"We had a little bit of luck with the free kick. It was a great effort. The guy (Mooney) almost put it into the top corner.
"I couldn't do anything about. I just prayed it missed. Luckily it clipped the angle of the bar and post.
"It certainly wasn't the only time they troubled us in the second half. But the result was a good response from our midweek defeat at Newry."
Institute have every right to feel hard done by. They bombarded the Crusaders goal for almost the entire second half, using the towering Paul Brown as their main battering ram.
"Every set piece was a problem, because they have so many big fellas in the team," added Keenan.
"But you have to give credit to the back four (Coulter, Coates, Magowan and McBride), because they stood strong.
"Regardless of their size and their physical presence, Institute still didn't manage to break us down.
"I managed to keep a clean sheet, so I can't ask for any more than that."
Keenan admits he would relish the opportunity of making his short term deal at Seaview into a more permanent arrangement.
He added: "I'm on loan at the minute. All I can do is hopefully go out and play well and put myself in the shop window.
"My contract at Larne runs out in March. Since I've come to Crusaders, I've gelled well with the boys.
"I've really enjoy it here. I'm on loan until January and we'll see what happens after that."
Rainey's goal left Institute boss John Gregg seething. Stephen McBride’s cross was nodded on by Alain Emerson for Rainey to head past Michael Doherty.
But Gregg insists both Emerson and Rainey fouled their respective markers – Ruari McClean and Sean Roddy.
“I’ve looked at the goal on the television, but I didn’t need the benefit of a replay, I knew it the time it was a free kick,” roared Gregg.
“If I’m 50 to 70 yards away from the incident and I can see it, why can’t the referee?
“It’s probably not fair to just blame the ref, because his assistant was only 20 yards away.
“The lad (Emerson) clearly pulled McClean down by the shoulders. He headed the ball across the goal and the same thing happened again, this time Rainey on Roddy.
“Apart from those incidents, we didn’t get a decision all afternoon.
“Not only were we competing against Crusaders today, we were competing against one or two more!”
Apart from the goal, Gregg felt his team deserved something from the game.
He added: “I’m feeling really hard done by – we were robbed.
“I feel sorry for the lads because everything you need to do to get a result at Seaview they did.
“Luck plays a big part of football – but we didn’t have any today.
“However, we have no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We’ll dust ourselves down and go at it again next week.”
Crusaders: Keenan, Coulter, Coates, Magowan, McBride, Doherty, Black, Emerson (Caddell 93), Donnelly (Spence 76), Rainey, Dickson. Bowers, McAllister, Arthurs.
Institute: Doherty, Roddy, Seydak, McLaughlin, McClean (Mooney), Ogilby, O’Loughlin, Lowry, Kee, Brown, Harkin (McCreadie 81). Subs: Divin, Ryan, Campbell.
Referee: Trevor Moutray.
News Letter Man of the match: Keenan (Crusaders)
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Weather for Belfast
Wednesday 15 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South west
