SML round-up: Glenravel mark Junior Shield debut with impressive win

There were outstanding performances for Glenravel, who beat Amateur League Finaghy, and Abbeyview, who eliminated highly-faniced Ballybogey.

CO ANTRIM JUNIOR SHIELD

Glenravel 2, Finaghy FC 0: Glenravel, in their first ever game in the Junior Shield saw off Amateur League side Finaghy FC with a goal early on and a goal in the dying minutes enough to see them through.

The Glens side started well and their early pressure paid off on nine minutes when Darren Burgoyne played a great long ball inside the visiting full back for Cormac Gordon who beat the Finaghy keeper to the ball to lob the ball home from just inside the box.

As the game went into injury time Glenravel struck the all important second goal when Gordon Dillon flicked the ball past his man and into the path of Declan Higgins who raced clear cut inside before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to send his side into the next round.

Abbeyview 3, Ballybogey 2: After a scrappy opening Bogey took the lead when an in swinging free kick fell kindly for Johnny Nichol to poke home but Abbeyview hit back quickly through Jordan Lynn after good work down the right hand side by Alan Donnelly.

Abbeyview took a deserved second half lead when Dee Thompson beat the offside trap before lobbing the ball over the Bogey keeper.

With little in the game it looked like Abbeyview would see it out until a momentary lapse of concentration in the backline allowed Bogey to equalise.

However there was to be one final twist in the tie with seconds remaining a speculative 60 yard drive from Scott Bruce was tipped over the bar and from the resulting Roy Robinson corner, Dee Thompson rose to head in a deserved winner for Abbeyview.

Ahoghill Thistle 5, Remo 3: Thistle saw off BIPL Junior Division Two side Remo, but had to come back from two goals down in the second half to come out on top.

Thistle took the lead on 37 minutes when a corner kick by Alan Moore was met by a diving header from Ryan Sands.

Just as Thistle thought this goal would open the floodgates Remo started to play their best football and three minutes before the break they snatched an equaliser to send the sides in level.

Remo started the second half as they finished and took the lead five minutes in with a free kick which caught the Thistle defence napping. Seven minutes later Thistle were shocked again when Remo snatched a third goal to make it 3-1.

This really shook up Thistle who sent extra men forward and on 61 minutes they reduced the deficit to one when a cross by David Tennant found Ryan Sands to score his second goal of the game.

Five minutes later a great run by Alan Moore down the right resulted in him crossing to the back post for David Drummond to head back across goal and into the corner of the net to draw the side’s level.

It was Thistle who got the next goal when they hit Remo on the break. George Courtney picked up the ball in his own half, shook off three challenges before driving the ball into the bottom corner of the net from 25 yards out to put his side 4-3 up.

Daniel Brown’s snapshot went under the Remo keeper to round off the scoring and send his side into the next round.

Elsewhere in the Junior Shield, three more BSML sides made it into the next round.

Connor had the best result as they hammered Carnmoney FC 9-1 at Kells. Galgorm Blues travelled to Rathcoole and turned in a great display to dispatch of their hosts 4-1, while Seven Towers had a 3-2 home victory over Realta Na Cromogie.

CO ANTRIM POST O’KANE CUP

Carniny Rangers 2, Harryville Homers 4: Homers triumphed in this cup tie thanks to two injury time goals with the game poised to go into extra time. 

Carniny scored first when Richard Reid dispossessed Darren Campbell and ran at the Homers back line before being upended in the penalty area by Ricky Nicholl. Reid himself sent Alex McCosh the wrong way to give his team the lead.

Homers’ reply was instant as Alan Rainey netted a minute later from Ryan Stewart’s cross. Five minutes later the home side went in front with Richard Reid instrumental once again. His header across goal left Alex McCosh grasping for the ball and the faintest of touches from Darren Kidd saw the ball over the line.

Once again Carniny gave up their lead straight away as Jasin Magill was brought down in the area by James Gracey.

Darren Campbell tucked away the spot kick to see both teams level at the turnaround. 

David Nicholl thought he had won the game for Homers with three minutes to play but his header from Alan Rainey’s cross came back off the post. 

In the second minute of injury time Carniny had a free kick twenty yards from goal.

Richard Reid’s effort was gathered by Alex McCosh whose clearance then found sub David McWhirter whose pace took him to the byline and his ball back across the box was finished by David Nicholl. 

Darren Campbell added gloss to the score line four minutes later when he scored from 12 yards to take his side into the quarter final where they will play host to Glenravel.

FIRMUS ENERGY DIVISION ONE

FC Moylena 0 All Saints OB 2: Saints travelled go Antrim to take on struggling Moylena and claimed all three points thanks to a Gavin Burnside goal in each half.

Saints got themselves in front on 21 minutes when Philip Lynn slipped in Burnside who won the challenge with Chris Foster and the ball ended up in the net. 

Saints doubled their lead just after the hour mark. Stephen Sexton lobbed the ball into Philip Lynn who crossed to Burnside to head into the empty net. 

OTHER RESULTS

Toals Co Antrim Junior Shield Round 1b: Woodside 1, FC Whiteabbey 4; Ards Rangers II 7, Carnlough Swifts 0; Castlewellan Town FC 12, Steadfast 0; Cullybackey Olympic 3, Albert Foundry II 5; Riverdale 1, Sandy Row FC 2.

Co Antrim Post O’Kane Cup 3rd Round: Clough Rangers 3, Holywell 2 .

firmus energy Division One: FC Antrim 2, Ballykeel 1.

firmus energy Division Two: Lisnafillan Swifts 3, Braid United 0; St Comgalls 2, Cloughmills 3; Waveney Swifts 4, Ahoghill Rovers 2.

firmus energy Division Three: Sporting Ballymoney 1, Atletico Antrim 3; Randalstown 3, Rectory Rovers 1; Templepatrick 1, Wakehurst Star 1.

FIXTURES

Saturday 11th October - Co Antrim Post O’Kane Cup 3rd Round (10.15am): All Saints OB v Cullybackey Olympic (Showgrounds 5); Connor v Lisnafillan Swifts (Connor).

firmus energy Division One: Ahoghill Thistle v Carniny Rangers (Ahoghill); FC Moylena v Clough Rangers (Forum); FC Antrim v FC Penarol (Forum); Harryville Homers v Ballykeel (Wakehurst 2); Raceview v Abbeyview (Broughshane).

firmus energy Division Two: Carnlough Swifts v Cloughmills; Galgorm Blues v Glenravel (Galgorm); Newpark Olympic v Braid United (Chimney Corner); Holywell v Waveney Swifts (Forum); Seven Towers v Ahoghill Rovers (Showgrounds 4); St Comgalls v Riverdale.

firmus energy Division Three: Rectory Rovers v Steadfast (Waveney 2); Sporting Ballymoney v Cushendall; Templepatrick v Randalstown (Forum); Wakehurst Star v Woodside (Dunfane 1).