Clough face Dromara trip in Steel Cup

CLOUGH Rangers Athletic, the last of the Ballymena borough-based teams still left in the County Antrim Steel & Sons Cup, take their first steps towards a fairytale Christmas morning final this weekend.

Alan Boyd's side make the long journey to County Down to take on Dromara Village on Saturday, on the back of three league defeats in which they have yet to register their first goal of the new campaign.

Across the league in general, this week sees the last of the midweek games as the nights draw in, while there is a restricted fixture list for this Saturday due to Black Saturday.

FIXTURES

Matches involving locally-based sides this week are:

Wednesday, August 25 – Intermediate League (6.45pm): Rasharkin United v Clough Rangers Athletic.

Linda Welshman Memorial Cup semi-final (6.30pm): Carniny Amateurs v Ballymoney United Reserves.

Saturday, August 28 – Intermediate League: Kilbride Swifts v Portglenone.

Steel & Sons Cup, round two: Dromara Village v Clough Rangers Athletic.

Junior Division One: Magherafelt Sky Blues Res v Carniny Amateurs.

Junior Division Three: Antrim Rovers v Red Star.

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

FC Ballynure 0, Raceview 6: After a steady start Raceview took the lead when David Tennant scored on the 29th minute then doubled their lead through Jonny Hume on the 56th minute.

Ballynure then had a man sent off on the 61st minute and with the extra man Raceview scored four more goals through Jordan Lemon, Ricky Forsythe, Bobby Hanna and Alastair Forsythe.

Portglenone 1, Rasharkin United 4: This was the first derby game of the season between the two neighbouring teams and for the first 44minutes there was nothing between the teams.

As half-time was almost reached Karl Smith put Rasharkin ahead then on the 48th minute Lee Barr doubled this lead.

Portglenone got back in the game after Colin Craig scored on the 50th minute but two more goals scored by Karl Smith and Joe Patton on the 71st and 82nd minute sealed the win for Rasharkin.

Other results: Ballycastle United 4, Kilbride Swifts 1; Brantwood 2, Desertmartin 0; Clough Rangers Athletic 0, Cookstown Olympic 1.

Midweek results: Cookstown Olympic 1, Desertmartin 3; Brantwood 5, FC Ballynure 0; Ballynure Old Boys 1, Kilbride Swifts 2; Ballycastle United 2, Raceview 3; Dunloy 2, Rasharkin United 1.

JUNIOR DIVISION ONE

Chimney Corner Reserves 1, Moyola Park Olympic 2: Corner, who had a good home win the previous week, took the lead after Stephen Stewart scored on the 20th minute and held this until Colin Overend equalised for Olympic on the 41st minute.

After this both teams had chances to score but the only one converted was by Aaron Service to win the game for the Olympic on the 82nd minute.

Carniny Amateurs 2, Killymoon Rangers Reserves 1: Carniny started off in a confident manner taking the lead after Ryan Wilkinson scored on the 19th minute and then doubled their lead when Ryan Wilkinson scored his second goal on the 31st minute.

After this Killymoon came more into the game but it was late in the day before Patryk Piecha scored for them on the 82nd minute.

Other results: Ballyclare Comrades Reserves 0, Newtownabbey FC 1; FC Larne 1, Finvoy 3; Tobermore United Reserves 3, Ballymoney United Reserves 1; Glebe Rangers Reserves 6, Magherafelt Sky Blues Reserves 1.

JUNIOR DIVISION TWO

Raceview Athletic 3, FC Ballynure Reserves 1: Under new player Manager Stefan Calderwood the Athletic started off well and went in at half-time a goal to the good scored by Andy Moorhead.

The Athletic went on to score two more goals through Andy Moorhead and Mark Reid before Ballynure pulled a goal back from a penalty converted by Marty Quinn on the 80th minute.

Other results: Carnlough Swifts 4, Ballyclare United 1; Cookstown Athletic Colts 2, Desertmartin Swifts 2.

JUNIOR DIVISION THREE

Wakehurst Strollers 2, Grange Rangers II 3: Strollers took the lead when Andrew Loughlin scored on the 24th minute and held this until Craig Dwyer equalised for Grange on the 40th minute.

Grange then went in front when Craig Dwyer scored his second goal on the 55th minute but the strollers came back to level the score through a penalty converted by Jon Alexander on the 70th minute.

The game was then up for grabs with grange winning the game after Michael Garvey scored on the 83rd minute.

Antrim Rovers 6, 14th Newtownabbey 1: This was a memorable game for Andrew Stewart who helped himself to four goals.

Jonny Rogers opened the scoring for Antrim on the 11th minute but then saw Neil Wallace equalise for the visitors on the 37th minute.

After this Antrim then upped the pace with Stewart scoring on the 64th, 68th and 69th minutes followed by Darryl McNeil scoring on the 74th minute.

Stewart completed the scoring with his fourth goal on the 89th minute.

Other results: Red Star 3, Mallusk Athletic 6; Castle Star 1, Encore FC 0.

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