Ballynahinch Olympic enjoyed a win on penalties over Portaferry Rovers
ToalsBet.com Steel and Sons Cup Round 1,
Venue: Ballynahinch Playing Fields, 16th August 2025,
Fnal Score: Ballynahinch 2 2 Portaferry Rovers (3:1 on Pens).
In a very hot day both teams squared up in this Steel and Sons clash and as the game progressed, play mostly looked fairly even with both sides getting a run at each others goal areas writes Jim Masson.
Olympic’s Cain Momin was first to fire a constructive shot on target at the Portferry goal in an early charge but Portaferry fought back and the game ebbed to and fro.
Ballynahinch won a couple of early corners as they exerted a bit of pressure, but Portaferry were making some fast breaks and at one stage Morgan Smyth hit an excellent volley and the rebound was saved twice as Olympic’s Sean Mageean kicked then headed the ball at the goal close up but keeper Brendan McNamara saved it for the third time in that attack on the 12th minute!
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Gradually Ballynahinch were just getting an edge with quick attacks in a game showing a solid pace by both teams.
Then in the 24th minute Portaferry won a free kick and Morgan Smyth got past the back line and hit clear of keeper Ryan Walsh for a goal for the visitors.
Ballynahinch fought back immediately and 4 minutes later Cain Momin blasted a volley past keeper McNamara to equalise.
Olympic then charged again on the restart and Niall Flanaghan almost scored with a glancing header into the Portaferry goal from a corner.
And Olympic forward Caolan Burns made a great run beating the offside trap and flanked by two defenders got into the box and struck a shot but was unlucky when McNamara managed to block it.
Portaferry had a chance before the half-time whistle when Eoghan Doran ran in at the Olympic goal but keeper Walsh saved the shot just on the whistle keeping the score at 1-1.
The second half was a hotly contested affair literally in the blazing sun.
By the 67th minute tensions were rising through frustration and in the 67th minute Niall Flanaghan received a straight red card leaving Olympic with 10 players on the pitch.
Olympic contained Portaferry well but in the 87th minute Portferry breathed a sigh of relieve when they equalised with a goal again from Number 9 Morgan Smyth.
After extra time it went to penalties and both teams by that time were exhausted.
Olympic captain Jason Noade took the first penalty scoring but Cain Momin and Lee Ward both missed, then Stephen King scored, and it was left up to keeper Ryan Walsh to take the fifth kick to secure the win on penalties. Portaferry missed their first three penalties and scored one on their fourth kick effectively giving the game to Olympic.
It was a close fought match to the end by two teams fairly evenly balanced on a scorching hot day but the penalties decided the fate of Portaferry Rovers who came with high hopes.
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Ballynahinch Olympic: 1 Ryan Walsh (GK) 2 Philip Gladysz 3 Cain Momin 4 Niall Flanaghan 5 Jason Noade (C) 7 Seanny Duggan 8 Lee Ward 9 Ryan Walsh 10 Naseem Ouldhamlet 12 Caolan Burns 16 Stephen King. Subs: 6 Aodhan Young 14 Liam Burns 15 Shea Quinn.
Portaferry Rovers: 1 Brendan McNamara (GK) Corey Smyth 3 Marc Mageean 4 Brian Fitzsimmons (C) 5 Gerard Curran 6 Oisin Dorian 7 Pearse Moreland 8 Ethan McCarthy 9 Morgan Smyth 10 Sean Mageean 11 Eoghan Doran. Subs: 12 Cal Smyth 14 Caolan Dorrian 15 Roy Wilson.
