SML round-up: Semi-finalists now known in Rainey Cup

The four semi-finalists in the Ballymena Mortgages Saturday Morning League’s Rainey Cup were determined at the weekend.
A Connor player finds his path to goal blocked by two FC Antrim defenders. INBT 18-903HA Connor player finds his path to goal blocked by two FC Antrim defenders. INBT 18-903H
A Connor player finds his path to goal blocked by two FC Antrim defenders. INBT 18-903H

Clough Rangers, Carnlough Swifts and Harryville Homers each edged home by single goal margins, while Carniny Rangers’ progress was even closer as they defeated Ahoghill Thistle in a penalty shootout.

RAINEY CUP QUARTER-FINALS

Harryville Homers 3 All Saints OB 2: A late goal from captain Gary Bonnes sent holders Homers into the semi final of the Rainey Cup, but they were pushed all the way by a spirited Saints side in a closely fought match.

Homers took the lead on nine minutes when Darren Campbell won a header in midfield and Gary Bonnes latched onto it and fired into the bottom corner of the net.

Saints got level 12 minutes before the half when Donald Crawford drove into the box and was bundled over for a penalty kick. Gavin Burnside stepped up and sent Ryan Martin the wrong way to send the sides in level at the break.

Early in the second half, Homers got themselves back in front, when Saints keeper Paul McCann carried the ball outside the box and a free kick was awarded. Michael Smith curled the ball home from the right hand side of the box despite protests from Saints who argued the kick was indirect.

Saints dug in and got themselves level once again when they were awarded another penalty kick this time Peter McReynolds being fouled. Gavin Burnside again made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-2.

Both sides went for the winner but six minutes from time, Homers got the winner. Darren Campbell swung over a free kick which was met by Gary Bonnes who headed the ball into the net to make it 3-2 and keep alive the Harryville side’s hopes of a ‘clean sweep’.

Carniny Rangers 2, Ahoghill Thistle 2 (Carniny won 3-2 on pens): Having won in the league at the same venue two weeks previously, Thistle were confident they would cause Carniny more problems in this Rainey Cup quarter final but after a titanic struggle Carniny Rangers won in a penalty shoot out.

David Tennant had an chance to give Thistle the lead from the penalty spot after 20 minutes but he dragged his shot wide of the post.

Spurred on by this let off Carniny took a foothold in the game after 26 minutes when Ryan Sands broke through a tackle on the right and coolly slotted past Thistle keeper Stewart McDonald.

The scores were level shortly after the hour mark when Matt Boyd finished well to even things up.

With no more goals scored in regulation time, extra time kicked off and almost immediately Carniny took the lead. James Gracey, in a striker’s role, squared the ball across goal for top scorer Darren Kidd to net from close range.

Thistle still weren’t beaten and with a minute of extra time left they forced a corner from the Carniny right hand side. Keeper Stewart McDonald came upfield as a last throw of the dice and his well placed header gave opposite number Alex McCosh no chance and took the match to penalties.

With the scores at two apiece with one penalty each left, Thistle missed and Ricky Culbertson kept his nerve to convert and take Carniny through to the semi final to play Harryville Homers.

In the other Semi Finals Clough Rangers beat Ballykeel 3-2 and they now meet Carnlough Swifts who beat Randalstown Sky Blues 5-4.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION ONE

Clough Rangers 2, All Saints OB 0: Clough all but secured a top four finish with a 2-0 victory over All Saints OB.

Clough took the lead on 22 minutes. Dean Magill was pushed over in the box and a penalty was awarded. Magill stepped up and fired into the corner of the net to make it 1-0.

Six minutes before the break Clough doubled their lead when Jonny Clarke crossed for Jordan Leighton to volley home at the near post and send his team in 2-0 up at the break and they maintained that cushion until the end.

GEORGE McAULEY CUP SEMI-FINALS

Big shock of the day was FC Antrim’s win over newly-promoted Connor 3-1 and they will play Braid United, who beat Cloughmills 3-0, in the Final.

CGRSC SAMMY MOORE FINAL

The big Finals over the weekend coming are Ballymena United in the Irish Cup Final and Harryville Homers in the Coca Cola Irish Junior Cup Final but on Friday night on the eve of the Irish Cup Final the BSML is staging the Final of the Cough Glasgow Rangers Supporters Club sponsored Sammy Moore Cup Final.

This year the Final is between Newpark Olympic who won this Cup back in and Galgorm Blues who are chasing their first Sammy Moore Cup win.

Newpark have had a very good season gaining promotion to Division Two for the first time.

Galgorm have a number of hugely experienced players in their ranks, supplemented by other exciting talent such as Lee McCaughern, who joined recently.

Both teams look evenly matches but are capable of scoring goals so an exciting Final is in store at Clough on Friday, with a 7pm kick-off

OTHER RESULTS

Rainey Cup, round two: FC Penarol 1, Ballykeel 2

George McAuley Cup Quarter Final: Waveney Swifts 3, Connor 5

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Randalstown 1, Raceview 7

Sammy Moore Cup Semi Final 2nd Leg: Lisnafillan Swifts 0, Galgorm Blues 1 (Galgorm won 3-1 on aggregrate); Cullybackey Olympic 1, Newpark Olympic 2 (Newpark won 5-3 on aggregate)

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Ahoghill Thistle 3, FC Moylena 2; Carniny Rangers 4, Ahoghill Rovers 1.

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: North End Shamrocks 1, Holywell 0

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: Cullybackey Olympic 3, Atletico Antrim 1.

FIXTURES

Thursday, May 1 (7pm) - Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Harryville Homers v Ahoghill Rovers (Wakehurst 2).

Friday, May 2 (7pm) - Sammy Moore Cup Final: Galgorm Blues v Newpark Olympic (Clough)

Saturday, May 3 (10.15am) - Ace Cup Quarter Finals: FC Penarol v Abbeyview (Showgrounds 4); All Saints OB v Michelin (Showgrounds 5).

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Carnlough Swifts v Carniny Rangers; Ahoghill Rovers v Randalstown Sky Blues.

Leighinmohr Cup Division Two Play Off: Braid United v FC Antrim (Wakehurst 1); St Comgalls v North End Shamrocks (Wakehurst 2).

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Cushendall v Connor FC

Monday May 5 (2pm) - Coca Cola Junior Cup Final: Harryville Homers v Lisbellaw United (Castledawson).