SML round-up: Ballykeel last local team standing in Junior Shield

The ‘Keel reached the last four for the first time with an emphatic 3-0 win over Ballynahinch Olympic II - a scoreline which could have been even more clear-cut but for the fact they were denied FOUR times by the woodwork.

However, it was the end of the road for Carniny Rangers in the same competition as they lost 1-0 to Castlewellan.

COUNTY ANTRIM JUNIOR SHIELD

Ballynahinch Olympic II 0, Ballykeel 3: Despite being the underdogs Ballykeel went for the win straight from kick off and hit the post and the bar in the first 5 minutes with great efforts from Jordan Kenny and Skipper Rab Crawford.

Despite their dominance, it looked as though Ballykeel would go behind when the referee awarded Ballykeel a penalty 10 minutes before the break but the spot kick was blazed over.

Ballykeel went straight down the other end and Chris Djorjani was dragged down to earn a penalty. Justin Rowe dispatched the spot kick to give Ballykeel a deserved half time lead.

All nerves were settled in the second half when Jordan Kenny stepped forward to send a thunderbolt of a free kick from 25yrds into the net and from that there was no way back for Ballynahinch.

With five minutes left Jason Martin put the icing on the cake with a superb individual effort when he sent a 25 yard half volley past the startled keeper to put Ballykeels name in the semi-final draw.

Castlewellan Town 1, Carniny Rangers 0: Castlewellan avenged their Shield defeat by Carniny two seasons ago with this narrow win.

Chances in the first half were at a premium. Town thought they had scored from a corner but the ball had gone out of play before finding the net while Carniny’s best chance fell to Leslie McCaughern whose well struck effort was superbly saved by the Town keeper.

With a quarter of an hour to play the home side opened the scoring when Donal McKibben’s corner kick went straight into the net as Carniny bowed out of the competition.

RAINEY CUP, ROUND TWO

Riverdale 2, All Saints OB 3: Saints struggled past Division Two Riverdale and needed a last minute headed goal from Aidan O’Kane to make it into the last 16.

After a bright start Saints took the lead on 12 minutes through a Ryan Wilkinson penalty after Aaron Keenan had been fouled in the box.

Riverdale drew level 10 minutes before the break when Jason Mitchell broke clear and saw his first effort brilliantly saved by Brian Martin, but as the Saints defence hesitated, Mitchell pounced to fire in the rebound and send the sides in level.

Riverdale stunned Saints three minutes into the second half when they took the lead. Ricky Magill broke out of defence and played a one two with Ricky McNeill before he then laid the ball back into the path of Ricky McNeill who chipped the ball over Brian Martin.

With only five minutes left on the clock Saints struck the equaliser when Brian Watt stepped up and superbly curled a free kick round the wall and into the top corner of the net to make it 2-2.

Just as the game looked to be going into extra time Saints struck the winner when Aidan O’Kane rose highest at the near post to head home a Brian Watt free kick.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION ONE

Harryville Homers 12, FC Penarol 2: Jasin Magill opened the scoring with a well placed right foot shot to the bottom corner in the first minute to set the tone, closely followed by a powerful David Gibson header from Ricky Nicholl’s corner.

Penerol were handed a lifeline midway through the first half when Ricky Stewart pounced on a goalkeeping error to halve the deficit. Homers responded almost immediately when Darren Campbell stepped up to convert his 20th goal of the season, from the penalty spot.

Homers carried on where they left off in the first half as last year’s league player of the year, David Gibson, scored another headed goal from a Ricky Nicholl corner.

Gibson completed his hat trick soon after. He broke up play on the halfway line before passing the ball onto Darren Campbell. The centre half continued his run into the box and found his efforts rewarded with a close range tap in.

Gary Bonnes got on the end of a couple of Jason Logan’s centres as he scored a quickfire brace with carbon copy goals.

Manager Robert Duddy introduced Alan Rainey into the fray and the nimble wide man scored with his first touch of the ball.

Rainey added Homers’ nineth and Darren Campbell took the score into double figures when he squeezed his shot past the keeper from a very acute angle.

Ricky Stewart scored his and Penerol’s second goal of the game while Homers showed their thirst for goals as Jasin Magill scored goal number 11 from a Logan assist and Paul McNeill made it an even dozen with a deft chip over the advancing keeper.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION THREE

Glenravel 1, Atletico Antrim 0: Promotion Chasing Glenravel saw off Atletico Antrim thanks to a clever free kick from captain Darren Burgoyne which found its way into the bottom left hand corner .

OTHER RESULTS

Rainey Cup round two: FC Moylena 4, Carnlough Swifts 5 (AET); Lisnafillan Swifts 2, Randalstown Sky Blues 4.

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Ahoghill Rovers 0, Michelin 3; Shore Wanderers 0, Ahoghill Thistle 2.

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Connor 5, Seven Towers 0; FC Antrim 5, St Comgalls 1; Raceview 9, North End Shamrocks 1; Holywell 2, Waveney Swifts 3; Randalstown 2, Cushendall 4

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: Cullybackey Olympic 5, Steadfast 1; FC Bayern Money 3, Templepatrick 4; Galgorm Blues 1, Newpark Olympic 1

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 1 - Coca-Cola Junior Cup quarter-finals (1.30pm): Carniny Rangers v Lisbellaw United (Wakehurst 1); Harryville Homers v Silverwood United (Wakehurst 2).

Rainey Cup round two (10.15am): Newpark Olympic v Atletico Antrim (Forum); Seven Towers v FC Antrim (Showgrounds 4); Steadfast v Randalstown (Galgorm); Waveney Swifts v Clough Rangers/North End Shamrocks (Waveney 2).

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Ahoghill Thistle v Abbeyview; All Saints OB v Carnlough Swifts (Showgrounds 5); Ballykeel v Randalstown Sky Blues; FC Moylena v Michelin (Forum).

George McAuley Cup first round: North End Shamrocks v Raceview (Dunfane 1).

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Braid United v Cloughmills (Broughshane); Holywell v Riverdale (Forum); St Comgalls v Connor.

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: Cullybackey Olympic v Galgorm Blues (Tober Park).