The NAFL
Clarence Cup 4th Round
Ballynahinch Olympic 2 2 Kilmore Rec
After extra time: Ballynahinch Olympic won 5 : 3 on penalties.
Report by Cyril McKinney.
Olympic entertained their near neighbours Kilmore on a wet and windy afternoon at Kilmore Playing Fields and came away victorious winning 5-3 on penalties after extra time.
In a game that driving rain and a strong cross field wind played havoc all afternoon both teams did their best to get the ball down and play some decent football.
Ballynahinch went ahead on 11 minutes from a free kick by Niall Murray just inside the Kilmore half went all the way to the net past the helpless visiting keeper Ross.
Kilmore equalised on 18 minutes with a brilliant free kick from McGrattan when Dougan was upended just outside the Olympic box. Both teams competed for every ball and most referee decisions were challenged throughout. Olympic midfielder Murray had a couple of good chances and could have done better firstly on the half-hour when he fired over the bar when he broke clean through, and on 37 minutes following a swift counter attack Molloy played him in and again and he fizzed one just over the bar.
Kilmore responded well and on 42 minutes when Olympic striker Callum Dougan sent his strike partner McKinney clear who rounded the home keeper and calmly slotted home to an empty net to give a Kilmore a 2-1 half-time lead.
Within 4 minutes of the restart Olympic were back on level terms when Molloy was brought down wide on the left wing. From the resulting free kick by Niall Murray he found Jason Noade with time and space and he planted a firm header beyond the despairing dive of Ross into the Kilmore nets.
The wind and the rain was relentless and both sides struggled to deal with the conditions but showed a real competitive attitude all afternoon. Both teams had half chances but could not convert them and the game headed into extra-time.
Neither side could work a clear cut chance in extra-time and it was left to penalties to decide the final outcome. Ballynahinch Olympic emerged victorious after successful penalties from Nathan Jones-Jason Noade-Stephen Noade-and Adam McLean it was Niall Murray who won the tie with a retaken 5th penalty when the referee controversially judged the Kilmore keeper Ross to have moved from his line in saving Murray’s first attempt.
Neither side deserved to lose this game and Kilmore felt an injustice at the referee’s decision.
Ballynahinch Olympic: Ryan Walsh, Dalton Tate, Ryan Noade, Jason Noade, Shane Murray, Stephen Noade, Niall Murray, Ryan Molloy, Aaron McClean, Nathan Jones, Steven McGoran. Subs: Simon Marmion, Adam McLean for Shane Murray, Darren Lyons for Ryan Molloy
Kilmore Rec: Darren Ross, Eoin McGrattan, Laurence McGonagle, Jack Larkin, Matthew Hardy, Michael Monan, James McGivern, Anton McGrattan, Joseph McKinney, Callum Dougan, Ryan Slavin. Subs: Matthew Stewart for Laurence McGonagle , Mark McMahon for Ryan Slavin, Peter Casey for Callum Dougan
