SML round-up: Thistle survive Junior Cup scare against Penarol

Stewart McDonald’s side trailed their second division opponents 2-1 before storming back to ensure they were the only BSML side to go through on Saturday.

IRISH JUNIOR CUP, ROUND ONE

Ahoghill Thistle 4, FC Penarol 2: Penarol took a shock lead on 20 minutes when they hit Thistle on the counter attack. Andy McLaughlin broke down the left and cross for Kevin Loughrey to head home the opener.

Ten minutes before the break Thistle drew level when a Ryan Sands shot was redirected into the net by the head of George Courtney.

Penarol shocked Thistle once again as they regained the lead before the break when David Neill charged down Thistle keeper Richard Tennant blocking his clearance with the ball finishing up in the net.

Thistle took control of the game in the second half and their pressure eventually paid off on the hour mark when George Courtney swung over a corner for Matt Boyd and he headed across goal for Gareth Dickey to head home.

It was another corner kick which saw Thistle take the lead for the first time. George Courtney and David Drummond played a short corner for the latter to cross for Matt Boyd to head home and make it 3-2. Almost immediately Thistle made it 4-2 when another corner kick from Courtney caused a goal mouth scramble and Dickey was on hand to poke home his second and seal the win for Thistle.

FIRMUS ENERGY DIVISION ONE

Carniny Rangers 5, Glenravel 0: After 14 minutes Ryan Bamber won the ball 25 yards out and his pass released Frazer Young down the right and his cross was headed into the net from 10 yards by Dean Dunlop.

Carniny doubled their lead after 25 minutes when Alan Fullerton’s cross was volleyed home by Darren Kidd.

He got his second of the game on 36 minutes when Frazer Young’s shot from just inside the box wasn’t cleared and Kidd netted from close range.

The home side increased their lead on 64 minutes when the wind caught a clearance from the Carniny half which deceived Glenravel keeper Jonathan Reid and Dean Dunlop was left with a tap in for his 12th goal of the season.

The scoring was completed with 20 minutes to go when Darren Kidd claimed his hat trick after he latched on to Frazer Young’s pass to score.

Champions Homers were in ruthless form on Saturday banging in 14 goals against a hapless Moylena side.

First half hat tricks from both Gary Bonnes and Paul McNeill and a goal from Darren Campbell gave them a 7-0 half time lead. In the second half Homers hit another seven goals with Gary Bonnes adding another two goals and then Paul McNeill, Ryan Stewart, Darren Campbell, David Nicholl and Jason Stevenson all found the net.

FIRMUS ENERGY DIVISION TWO

Holywell 2, Carnlough Swifts 6: Holywell opened the scoring after ten minutes when a through ball from Jeff McNicholl split open the defence and Paul McCallin beat keeper Jonny Fyfe in a one on one.

Five minutes later Swifts equalised when Conal Ward sprinted down the wing with the ball and played a low cross in the box which Brendan McDermott smashed into the top corner.

Holywell then took the lead again on 18 minutes with a shot from Paul McCallin 20 yards out that landed in the top corner. The swifts then kept pressing for the equaliser which came on the five minutes before the break when Brendan Mcdermott cross the ball into the box and the Holywell defender put it into his own net.

Swifts went up a gear in the second half with a series of attacking play which lead to a corner on the hour mark. Conal Ward drove the ball in and Hugh Pat McNeill got his head on it to turn into the net.

Two minutes later Hugh Pat McNeill beat the left back and crossed the ball in the box to Conal Ward who beat the keeper from 6 yards out and make it 4-2. Swifts continued to dominate and on 74 minutes Sean Ward received the ball from a throw in, he turned his man and put the ball in the back of the net from 18 yards out. Two minutes before the end Sean Ward punished some slack defending to round off the scoring and make it 6-2.

Sporting Ballymoney 2, Michelin 6: Michelin kept themselves in touch with the top teams with a comprehensive win.

Michelin soon gained control and took the lead when Paul O’Neill found the net with a great curling free kick. It was soon 2-0 when Derek Montgomery headed home a Paul O’Neill cross. Just before the break Michelin made it 3-0 when Gerard Sloan did well to finish at the back post after good work from Derek Montgomery.

Sporting hit the crossbar at the start of the second half through Charles Blair before Michelin made it 4-0 when Gerard Sloan finished off a cross from Gareth Hill. The home side got a goal back when Charles Blair punished some sloppy defending by Michelin. Derek Montgomery got his second of the game to regain the four goal cushion and make it 5-1 and then he soon made it 6-1 and completed his hat trick after a great run from Geoff Tweed. Sporting kept fighting and got a goal back late on when Gavin Christie found the top corner, but Michelin had done enough.

OTHER RESULTS

Irish Junior Cup 1st Round: Armagh City II 4, Abbeyview 1; Cookstown Youth 2, Raceview 1 (AET); Carniny Amateurs 2, Loughgall Res 3; Belfast Celtic 4, Braid United 2

firmus energy Division One: Ballykeel 3, Newpark Olympic 3; Riverdale 3, Clough Rangers 11.

firmus energy Division Two: Cloughmills 1, Cushendall 1; Randalstown 4, Ahoghill Rovers 5; Sporting Ballymoney 2, Michelin 6; Seven Towers 1, Woodside 0

firmus energy Division Three: St Comgalls 1, Atletico Antrim 1; Templepatrick 2, Northend & District 2; Ruby’s Rovers 5, Steadfast 0; Wakehurst Star 0, Southside Rangers 5.

FIXTURES

Saturday 19th September - Irish Junior Cup round one (1.30pm): Clough Rangers v AFC Craigavon Res (Clough); Connor FC v Harryville Homers (Connor); Southside Rangers v St Teresa (Wakehurst 1); 3rd Bangor OB v Carniny Rangers; Hill Street v All Saints OB; Iveagh United v Waveney Swifts.

County Antrim Post O’Kane Cup round three (10.15am): Ahoghill Rovers v Ahoghill Thistle (Ahoghill); Newpark Olympic v Raceview; Abbeyview v Cullybackey Olympic (Forum); Wakehurst Star v Riverdale (Showgrounds 4).

firmus energy Division One: FC Antrim v Ballykeel (Forum); Glenravel v FC Moylena (Cargan).

firmus energy Division Two: Carnlough Swifts v Sporting Ballymoney; Cushendall v Seven Towers (Sandy Bay); FC Penarol v Holywell (Showgrounds 5); Michelin v Cloughmills; Galgorm Blues v Randalstown (Galgorm)

firmus energy Division Three: Atletico Antrim v Ruby’s Rovers (Forum); Braid United v Steadfast (Broughshane); Northend & District v St Comgalls (Dunfane 1).