Strangford Win NFU Mutual Harry Clarke Cup
The Harry Clarke Cup is always a strongly contested competition in the Newcastle and District Amateur Football League and this year the final between Strangford and Killough drew a large crowd of supporters writes Jim Masson.
Strangford got off to a dream start when they attacked from the whistle and Conal Fitzsimmons found the space at the back of the Killough box and rifled his shot into the net past keeper Conor Doyle in the second minute.
This was certainly a shock to the system for Killough who on paper should have been favourites.
And in the 5th minute, James Mahoney crossed through to Conal Magee who made it 2-0 for Strangford with his volley from the back of the box.
Following the jubilations, Jordan Doran made a quick break for the Killough goal and was unlucky not to score. Doyle came out sharply and closed him off.
Killough fought back and Connor Kelly got a free shot at goal but was off target missing a crucial opportunity at 25 minutes into the match. Killough started to settle down and made more attacks into the Strangford half.
Killough’s Jay Gibney pressed home an attack and crossed to Declan Looney who fired wide. Gibney then ran forward on a 1:1 with keeper Cathal Kinsella and tried to lob over his head but went wide of the posts.
Gibney was pressing more and crossed to Kelly who launched a volley but that too was off target
A long ball to Strangford’s Conal Fitzsimons saw his staring at a goal opportunity but he was deemed to be offsides.
Killough were not getting a run of the ball. When Daniel Taggart was fouled just outside the Strangford box, the Strangford defence pounced and cleared the ball comfortably.
Then Fitzsimmons and Mahoney made a strong run on a good day would have led to a goal but the shot was well held by keeper Kinsella.
Taggart managed to make a good run into the Strangford box and his shot too went wide on 41 minutes. Killough were pressing to level the score by half-time.
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The game flowed up and down the pitch both teams keen to score. The tension in the match increased and it was game on.
Strangford were unlucky not to score just before the half-time whistle when Owen Curran put the ball through to Gibney but again Doyle came out and smothered the ball at his feet.
The temperature of the second half rose by a few degrees. Killough were fighting back but Strangford won a free 40 yards from the Killough goal, but again it was an opportunity foiled by the Killough defenders.
Strangford were making good use of the right wing forcing attacks.
It took Killough 6 minutes into the second half to get into the Strangford box with an attack as Looney pressed forward but the effort fizzled out as the Strangford defenders were on the ball.
Then in an attack on the Killough goal, Killough gave away a free kick just outside the box and Strangford’s Mahoney hit it just over the top bar.
And again Strangford attacked as Thomas Fitzsimmons crossed to Conal Fitzsimmons and that too went just over the top bar.
Killough just didn’t seem to fire up to what they were capable of and Strangford took advantage playing with confidence. Jordan Doran hit an excellent shot on target but it bounced off keeper Doyle for a corner.
Killough did mount a number of challenges but seemed to lack their usual sparkle probably due to end of season fatigue, and they were missing key midfielder Tony McIlhone down with the flu.
Strangford’s James Mahoney again found the space and ran into the Killough goal area and slammed the ball into the net past Doyle in the 68th minute. Killough were now staring down the chasm of defeat.
Then Strangford’s Owen Curran made a gutsy solo run at the Killough defenders but ran out of steam.
Killough seemed to lose heart at this point and their attacks dropped off as Strangford forced them into their own half.
The match saw a few injuries and stoppages and subsequent substitutions and yellow cards and tended to lose its flow as both teams had given their all in a quite physical battle.
But somehow Killough kept their hopes alive and Looney hammered the ball into the Strangford net on 82 minutes and with 8 minutes and around 7 minutes extra time, there was still time for Killough to snatch a win.
Killough found a new energy and their tails were up. This was to be a nervy time for Strangford.
Sub James Hanna had the legs to push on and shoot at the Killough goal but his shot went just wide.
Declan Looney had gone into overdrive making a number of useful charges at the Strangford goal, and was unlucky not to have converted.
Then Killough sub Matthew McKiernan received a red card in the closing minutes of the game disadvantaging Killough’s last ditch efforts to equalise.
The game ended with a run through from Mahoney towards the Killough goal.
It was a physically hard match, strongly contested by both sides, but there was one winner on the day… Strangford.
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Strangford FC: 1 Cathal Kinsella 2 Stefan McGrattan 3 Conall Magee 4 Thomas Fitzsimmons (C) 5 Fion McFall 6 Shane Taggart 7 Owen Curran 8 Callum Shields 9 Conal Fitzsimmons 10 James Mahoney 11 Jordan Doran. Subs: 12 Eoin Watterson 14 Shea Savage 15 Simon Scranage 16 Michael Lawson 17 Rory Reilly.
Killough FC: Subs: 1 Conor Doyle 2 Conor Black 3 Gareth George (C) 4 Caoimhin Groves 5 Eamon Gargan 6 Ruairi Sharvin 7 Declan Looney 8 Dylan Duffy 9 Jay Gibney 10 Connor Kelly 11 Daniel Taggart. Subs: 12 Matthew McKiernan 13 Michael Burns 14 Ryan McIlhone 15 James Hanna 16 Tiernan Quinn.
