SML round-up: Homers, Carniny remain on course for Junior Cup glory

Both Carniny Rangers and Harryville Homers recorded impressive wins to take them into the last 16 of the coveted competition.

Paul McNeill scored five of Homers’ goals in a 9-0 win over Coagh Reserves - a feat matched in Division One by Stephen Sexton, who scored all his side’s goals in a surprise 5-0 win over Randlastown Sky Blues.

COCA-COLA JUNIOR CUP

Irish Street 1, Carniny Rangers 4: After a long journey to Londonderry, Carniny eased past the second North West side they have encountered in this season’s Junior Cup.

Carniny set out to play at a high tempo and this paid off in the 16th minute when Mo McDowell deceived the home keeper with a chip to the back post which finished in the net.

Irish Street were back on terms almost instantly as the referee awarded them a penalty kick two minutes later which was despatched by Mark McKitterick.

The visitors regained the lead in the 31st minute after good work by Mo McDowell and Frazer Young saw Rico Wylie receive the ball ten yards out and turn his marker before placing the ball past the home keeper. Irish Street were reduced to ten men at this point which made their task much more difficult.

Richard Reid’s persistence was rewarded in the 55th minute when his shot from 15 yards out beat the keeper at full stretch.

The game continued as a keep ball exercise for the visitors before Ryan Balmer completed the scoring in the 71st minute with an arrowed right foot shot from inside the box after playing good interplay with Mo McDowell.

Harryville Homers 9, Coagh Rangers Reserves 0: Homers blitzed their opponents taking a two goal lead within the opening ten minutes thanks to a Paul McNeill brace.

Alan Rainey, not to be outdone, scored a first half brace of his own, as he too exposed the visitors defensive frailties when he utilised his electric pace to bear down on the helpless keeper to score his side’s third and fourth goals of a very one sided half.

McNeill completed his hat trick early in the second half with a close range tap in.

The former Ballymena United striker scored his fourth of the game as he nipped in front of his marker to turn the ball into the net at the near post, finishing of Ricky Nicholl’s low centre.

The Harryville side’s seventh and the pick of the bunch came midway through the second half. Homers took a corner on the right only for the defensive header to loop up into the air for David Gibson to march onto. The centre half then hit a text book volley from 15 yards out to give the beleaguered Coagh keeper no chance.

Jasin Magill was rewarded for his endeavours when scoring from an acute angle after a goalkeeping error before McNeill scored his fifth and Homers’ ninth of the game thanks to Captain Gary Bonnes’ defence splitting through ball.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION ONE

Michelin 5, Randalstown Sky Blues 0: Michelin opened the scoring on 21 minutes when a corner kick from Don McAllister crashed off the post and fell to Stephen Sexton to fire home from close range.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Michael McQuitty was pulled down in the box and Sexton made no mistake from the spot.

Michelin got the all important third goal on the hour mark. Sammy McCullough chased down a ball from Conor Crilly and squared the ball to McQuitty whose shot was saved but fell to Sexton who slammed home the rebound.

Sexton made it 4-0 when he fired home from 18 yards out after good work from Conor Crilly.

In the dying minutes Sexton hit his 14th goal in eight games when he cut in from the left and curled a superb effort into the top corner.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION TWO

Raceview 3, Connor FC 3: The opener came after 25 minutes when Connor’s Gavin Kernohan split the Raceview defence to put Steven Hill through and he slotted the ball home.

When Connor lost Darren Trainor through injury this gave Raceview the upper hand and 5 minutes later they equalised when Philip Houston made a good run before sending the ball into the penalty area which caused panic in the Connor defence and Philip Scroggie knocked the ball home.

Five minutes before half time Connor hit back to take the lead again when Gavin Kernohan sent David McWhirter through to score and send Connor in 2-1 up at half time.

Raceview piled on the pressure which paid off on the hour mark when another Jamie Craig corner kick was not cleared and Uel Adams rushed in to score.

Then with 15 minutes left Raceview took the lead for the first when Robert Ritchie was on hand to find the net at the back post from a Peter Adams cross.

Then in injury time Connor snatched a late equaliser. Jamie White chipped the ball over the Raceview defence and David McWhirter headed the ball into the net to ensure the game finished in stalemate.

OTHER RESULTS

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Ahoghill Rovers 0, Ballykeel 5; Carnlough Swifts 3, FC Penarol 2; FC Moylena 1, All Saints OB 1; Shore Wanderers 0, Abbeyview 1.

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Holywell 1, FC Antrim 3; Randalstown 0, North End Shamrocks 2; Seven Towers 1, Braid United 2; St Comgalls 3, Riverdale 0; Waveney Swifts 2, Cushendall 3.

Sammy Moore Cup, second round, second leg: Wakehurst Star 3, Newpark Olympic 2 (Newpark win 8-3 on aggregate); Lisnafillan Swifts 5, Steadfast 2 (Lisnafillan win 7-2 on aggregate); Galgorm Blues 4, FC Bayern Money 1 (Galgorm win 5-1 on aggregate)

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: Atletico Antrim 7, Woodside 2.

FIXTURES

Fixtures for this Saturday, January 18, are:

Co Antrim Junior Shield fifth round (1.30pm): Carniny Rangers v Willowbank (Wakehurst 1); St Lukes v All Saints OB; Ballykeel v Kelvin OB.

Ballymena Mortgages Division One (10.15am): Abbeyview v Michelin (Forum); Ahoghill Rovers v Shore Wanderers; FC Penarol v FC Moylena (Showgrounds 5); Harryville Homers v Ahoghill Thistle (Wakehurst 2); Randalstown Sky Blues v Clough Rangers.

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Braid United v Raceview (Broughshane); Cloughmills v Riverdale; Cushendall v FC Antrim; Holywell v St Comgalls (Forum); North End Shamrocks v Seven Towers (Dunfane); Waveney Swifts v Connor FC (Waveney 2).

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: Atletico Antrim v Newpark Olympic (Forum); FC Bayern Money v Steadfast; Galgorm Blues v Lisnafillan Swifts (Galgorm); Templepatrick v Cullybackey Olympic (Forum); Wakehurst Star v Glenravel (Showgrounds 4).