Carniny bow out of Junior Shield

CARNINY Rangers finally played their Paddy Power County Antrim Junior Shield semi final and failed to bring their local League form into the match as they were beaten 5-3 by Ardoyne WMC in a match they should have possibly won.

Carniny got off to a dream start with the opening goal in six minutes when Roger Jones cut in from the right played Leslie McCaughran through and he laid the ball into the path of Chris Dowie who had the simple task of tapping the ball home.

Dowie should have doubled Carniny lead on 20 minutes when Alan Gaston threw in a long throw in which was knocked on by Mark Waddell for Jason Robinson to head the ball onto Dowie but he shot wide.

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Although Carniny were well on top in the first half of the first half Ardoyne were always dangerous on the break and on the half hour mark they snatched an equaliser when a low cross from the right was dropped by Carniny keeper Alex McCosh and a Ardoyne forward had a simple tap in.

This unsettled Carniny and spurred on Ardoyne for they took the lead 10 minutes later when a slip up by a Carniny defender let in Ciaran Murphy and he found the net with a powerful shot which saw them going in 2-1 up at half time.

Carniny were hit with another two quick goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half when they conceded a penalty kick which was converted then Ciaran Murphy hit another goal to give Ardoyne a 4-1 lead.

This was the signal for all out Carniny pressure which paid off half way through the half when Maurice McDowell slipped the ball through to Chris Dowie who found the net with an unstoppable shot. They were then denied a penalty when Chris Dowie was brought down in the penalty as they pressed to reduce the deficit.

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Ardoyne soaked up the pressure and broke through Ciaran Murphy who slipped his marker before finding the net via the upright to make the score 5-2 for Ardoyne. Carniny never gave up and pulled another goal back in the last minute through Chris Dowie who completed his hat trick but it was too little too late.

Carniny now have to pick themselves up for their second major semi-final this Thursday when they take on Immaculata in the Coca Cola Junior Cup at Ballyclare. This time they must produce their best form if they are going to put out the holders.

BSML DIVISION ONE

Harryville Homers 3, All Saints OB 1: This was the big game of the week with League Leaders Harryville Homers meeting close rivals All Saints OB to the pressure on chasing Carniny Rangers but in the end two goals from Jason Stevenson in each of the halves was enough to give Homers the three points.

Both teams opened brightly but it was the home team who made the important break through on 25 minutes when Gary Baird sent over a free kick from the right for Alan Rainey to nip in at the near post to head the ball home.

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This unsettled Saints for ten minutes later Jason Stevenson chased a long ball out of defence shook off his marker and fired the ball into the bottom corner of the net from 18 yards to send Homers in with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

Saints pushed forward in search of a goal but were hit with a sucker punch on the breakaway when Jason Stevenson ran onto a slack pass and fire past Saints keeper Brian Martin.

A few changes in the Saints line out brought the visitors to life and they started to create chances and their pressure paid off with five minutes to go when Aidan O’Kane sent in a free kick which Stephen Tully headed home but it was just too late as Homers ran out comfortable winners and stay top of Division One.

The race for the Division One Title is now a three team race with Carniny Rangers chasing Harryville Homers and Abbeyview while All Saints OBs have qualified for the Top Four next season.

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At the bottom Templepatrick are relegated while the battle for the two teams to join them is between Holywell, Ballykeel, FC Antrim Carnlough Swifts and Glenarm Rovers who are only separated by three points.

GEORGE MCAULEY CUP QUARTER-FINAL

Shore Wanderers 3, FC Inter Stars 3: (Shore won 5-4 on pens): Inter Stars had plenty of early domination but created no chances until Kevin Downey was caught in possession on the edge of his box and Florin Bordeianu fired home.

Shore managed an equaliser on the 30 minute mark when Sean Hale beat the offside trap and slotted past the Inter keeper. Shore then took the lead five minutes later when Gavin Andrews played Hale in again to beat the offside trap again to grab his and Shore’s second to send the home team in one up at half time.

The second saw both teams battle in midfield with few chances for either side, until a defensive mix-up by let Inter in to score an equaliser through Florin Bordeianu.

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Shore hit back 5 minutes later when an Aaron Scott free-kick was headed in by Shane Ruddy. This lead was held until 10 minutes from time when Vladimir Brzak broke into the penalty area from the right before squaring the ball for Marius Abiculesei to knock home and force the game into extra-time.

Extra-time was without incident, with two tired teams failing to create little and so the game went to penalties.

In the shoot-out Shore hit the net with five penalties but Inter Stars’ fifth penalty by Florin Bordeianu was saved by Shore keeper Chris Wheatley and Shore Wanderers qualified for the Semi Final.

BSML DIVISION TWO

In the big Division One game during the week Connor FC were held to a goalless draw by Michelin but this point is enough to ensure them promotion for the second year in a row while Broadway Celtic are also promoted after a 4-1 win at Braid United.

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Riverdale are relegated with Blackstone Rovers favourites to go down with them as one more defeat would see them relegated. Clough Rangers, FC Penarol, Braid United and Waveney Swifts are all in a battle to avoid the drop and are only separated by five points.

OTHER RESULTS

BSML Division One: Ahoghill Rovers 1, Harryville Homers 3; North End 1, Randalstown Sky Blues 0; Holywell 0, FC Antrim 1; Carnlough Swifts 3, Randalstown Sky Blues 1; Carniny Rangers 6, North End 1; Glenarm Rovers 3, Abbeyview 4; Templepatrick 0, Holywell 1.

BSML Division Two: Ahoghill Thistle 0, Clough Rangers 1; Seven Towers 2, Waveney Swifts 1; Braid United 1, Broadway Celtic 4; Riverdale 0, Shore Wanderers 5; FC Penarol 5, Blackstone Rovers 2; Connor FC 0, Michelin 0; Seven Towers 5, Shore Wanderers 1; Riverdale 0, Clough Rangers 5; Ahoghill Thistle 2, FC Penarol 0; Waveney Swifts 4, FC Inter Stars 2; Blackstone Rovers 3, St Comgalls 5; Ahoghill Thistle 5, Riverdale 1; Seven Towers 1, Clough Rangers 2; Blackstone Rovers 1, FC Penarol 3.

BSML Division Three: Inver Athletic 1, Randalstown 2; Westend Athletic 1, Lisnafillan Swifts 0; Wakehurst Athletic 1, Woodside 1; Demesne Star 3, Cloughmills Thistle 3; Wakehurst Athletic 1, Steadfast 2; Cullybackey Olympic 1, Inver Athletic 1; Inver Athletic 4, Cloughmills Thistle 0.

Rainey Cup, round two: Demesne Star 1, Braid United 7.

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Sammy Moore Trophy semi-final, second leg: Randalstown 1, Dunloy Athletic 3 (Dunloy win 12-3 on aggregate).

FIXTURES

Tuesday, April 27 (6.45pm) - BSML Division One: All Saints OB v Abbeyview (Waveney 2); Ballykeel v Holywell; Harryville Homers v FC Moylena (Wakehurst 2); Carnlough Swifts v Glenarm Rovers.

Wednesday, April 28 (6.45pm) - George McAuley Cup Semi Finals: Connor FC v Broadway Celtic; Shore Wanderers v FC Inter Stars.

Division Two: St Comgalls v Blackstone Rovers; Waveney Swifts v Seven Towers (Waveney 2).

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Sammy Moore Trophy Semi Finals second leg: Westend Athletic [1] v Wakehurst Athletic [1] (Wakehurst 1).

BSML Division Three: Atletico Antrim v Cloughmills Thistle; Woodside v Cullybackey Olympic (Wakehurst 4).

Thursday, April 29 - Coca Cola Junior Cup Semi Final (7.30pm): Carniny Rangers v Immaculata (Dixon Park Ballyclare).

Rainey Cup round two (6.45): Ahoghill Rovers v Randalstown Sky Blues; Templepatrick v Steadfast (Forum).

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Saturday, May 1 (10.15am) - Rainey Cup round three: Shore Wanderers v Connor FC; Westend Athletic v North End (Wakehurst 4).

Ace Cup round one: Holywell v FC Moylena.

BSML Division One: Carniny Rangers v Templepatrick (Wakehurst 1); Harryville Homers v Abbeyview (Wakehurst 2); Carnlough Swifts v Randalstown Sky Blues.

BSML Division Two: Ahoghill Thistle v Blackstone Rovers; Broadway Celtic v Waveney Swifts (Showgrounds 4); Michelin v Clough Rangers; Shore Wanderers v Braid United; Riverdale v Seven Towers (Wakehurst 4).

BSML Division Three: Randalstown v Woodside; Cloughmills Thistle v Inver Athletic.