Fixture bonanza as midweek games return

THE clocks going forward at the weekend signals a return to midweek matches as the race for the Ballymena and Provincial Intermediate League enters its closing stages.

It promises to be a busy period as teams catch up on outstanding games as the countdown continues to the climax of the Michelin Athletic Club-sponsored championship.

With Raceview in Crawford Cup action on Saturday, Brantwood took the opportunity to move top of the table by thrashing Kilbride Swifts.

FIXTURES

Matches involving locally-based sides this week are:

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Wednesday, March 31 - Intermediate League (6.30pm): Clough Rangers Athletic v Rasharkin United; Ballynure Old Boys v Raceview; Portglenone v Desertmartin

Saturday, April 3 - Intermediate League: Clough Rangers Athletic v Dunloy.

Junior Division One: Cookstown Athletic v Chimney Corner Res; Killymoon Rangers Res v Carniny Amateurs.

Junior Division Two: Demesne Strollers v Finvoy.

Junior Division Three: Antrim Rovers v Newtownabbey FC Res.

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

Result: Brantwood 5, Kilbride Swifts 1.

McREYNOLDS CUP ROUND ONE

Result: Cookstown Olympic 4, FC Ballynure 2.

MCREYNOLDS CUP ROUND TWO

Dunloy 2, Clough Rangers Athletic 1 (aet): This was a very tight game between two evenly matched teams and it was a goal in the dying seconds of extra time that won the game for Dunloy.

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The first goal in the game was a screamer of a shot from Nigel Boyd on the 43rd minute putting Clough in front.

Dunloy replied to this with John John McFerran heading in the equaliser on the 53rd minute.

No more goals were scored in normal time then with the game in the last few seconds of extra time Jonny McAleese popped up with the winner for Dunloy.

CRAWFORD CUP ROUND TWO

Raceview 2, Desertmartin 0: No goals were scored in the first-half but this changed in the second half after Philip McBurney made a good run on the left before picking out Matt Boyd to score from close range on the 67th minute. Desertmartin then had a couple of chances before conceding a penalty on the 78th minute and have a man sent off for a second yellow card, Matt Boyd converted the penalty.

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Raceview should have increased their lead after this but then had a man sent off themselves for a straight red card but held the two goal lead until the end.

JUNIOR DIVISION ONE

Tobermore United Reserves 0, Raceview Athletic 1: Raceview’s good run of form continues and this was a very good win for manager David White’s young team.

Chances came and went for both teams but half-time saw no goals scored until David Campbell scored a well taken goal for Raceview on the 78th minute to clinch the points.

Other results: Ballymoney United Reserves 2, Glebe Rangers Reserves 1; Newtownabbey FC 8, Magherafelt Sky Blues Reserves 3; FC Larne 0, Ballynure Old Boys ‘B’ 3.

JUNIOR DIVISION TWO

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Demesne Strollers 2, Desertmartin Swifts 0: There was little separate the teams at the start of this game until Aaron Loughlin set up the chance for Jon Alexander to open the score from close range for Demesne.

Desertmartin tried hard to get back into the game after this but a second goal scored by Jon Alexander on the 76th minute sealed the points for the Strollers.

Other results: FC Ballynure Reserves 1, Finvoy 5; 3rd Ballyclare Old Boys 1, Cookstown Olympic Colts 3.

JUNIOR DIVISION THREE

Grange Rangers II 2, Antrim Rovers 2: Honours were even at the end of this game which was probably a fair result to both teams who got the ball down to play some good attacking football.

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Rovers took the lead on the 8th minute through a well taken goal scored by Ricky Shaw but then saw Chris Bell scored the equaliser for Grange on the 19th minute.

Antrim regained the lead after Jonny Rogers scored on the 21st minute and held this lead until Chris Bell scored his second goal in the game on the 69th minute giving the team’s share of the points.

Other results: Ballynure Old Boys Youth 5, Mallusk Athletic 4; Ballyclare United 8, Dundrod Old Boys 0.

CANADA TROPHY ROUND ONE

Chimney Corner Reserves 3, Red Star 1: Corner took the lead after Barry McGuigan scored on the 20th minute but then saw John McMullan equalise for Red star on the 37th minute.

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As half-time approached Red Star went down to ten men after having a man sent off for a second yellow card.

The second half was an even enough game and Red Star were always in the game until Henry Nutter scored a second goal for Corner of the 65th minute.

Red Star then had to chase the game but after Jamie Nutter scored a third goal for the Corner on the 76th minute the game the result was not in doubt.

Other result: Carnlough Swifts 1, Killymoon Rangers Reserves 3.

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Round two result: Moyola Park Olympic 6, Cookstown Athletic 1.

LINDA WELSHMAN MEMORIAL CUP

Carniny Amateurs 2, Ballyclare North End 1: North End took the lead on the 32nd minutes after a shot from Craig Montgomery deflected off a Carniny defender on its way into the net.

After this North End had two players sent off prior to half-time but held out with the nine men until Dean Magill scored the equaliser for Carniny on the 80th minute.

The game then went into stoppage time and with extra time looming Jordan Graham out jumped the North End defence to head home from close range to take Carniny into the semi-final.

Worse was then to follow North End as they had two more players sent off for speaking out of turn to the referee before the final whistle.

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