Sirocco Works beat Ballynahinch Olympic in tough match in terrible weather conditions
The NAFL, Division 1A League Match,
Venue: Kilmore Playing Fields, on Saturday 28th October 2023,
Final Score: Ballynahinch Olympic 1 2 Sirocco Works.
Great credit must go to both teams for producing a good game of football on a heavy pitch following very heavy rain that had passed late inspections writes Cyril McKinney.
As the game progressed driving rain made the conditions almost unplayable and good football nearly impossible.
Both teams started brightly in the opening exchanges but it was the visitors who opened the scoring on 10 minutes following great play down the left flank by Whittle.
And then a deep cross to the back post with Dawson showing great determination to get ahead of his marker and side-foot past a stranded Walsh in the home nets.
Back came Ballynahinch and on 18 minutes Nathan Jones had a chance to level things when he got on the end of a McNamara knockdown just inside the box but saw his shot go wide of the keepers left hand post.
s the driving rain came down and McConville and Nugent having a greater influence in the Sirocco midfield Ballynahinch were restricted largely to half chances whilst the visitors were quicker to the ball and catching their hosts with quick balls forward on either flank which required the defenders to be on red alert.
On 43 minutes Sirocco forward Alex Weir hit a pile driver from distance which needed Walsh to be at his best to tip over the bar at the expense of a corner.
However, it was 0-2 to the visitors a minute later when again a great cross from the Sirocco left wing was met by the alert Jack Glover this time at the near post to flick home with a classy finish.
Into the second half and with the weather deteriorating badly and making the pitch conditions almost unplayable, credit has to go to both teams for seeing the game through.
With both sides struggling to maintain good passages of play it was the home side who got on the scoreboard through their hard working James McClean on 70 minutes.
But try as they could, Olympic could not get back on level terms and the visitors went home with all three points.
Final score was 1-2 to Sirocco who were good value for this win.
Ballynahinch Olympic:
Ryan Walsh, Liam Burns, Ryan Walsh, Jason Noade, Steven McGoran, Ryan Molloy, James McClean, Chris McNamara, Nathan Jones, Jack Roddy, Stephen King. Subs: Liam Ward for Ryan Molloy, Caolan Burns for Jack Roddy
Sirocco Works: Maximillien Lanouette, Chris Cummings, Lewis Lyttle, Joshua Ritchie, Ryan
Nugent, James Owens, Jack Glover, Ethan Dawson, Alex Weir, Dylan Smiley, Carl McConville
Subs: T Bloomer for Dylan Smiley , Jack Fleming for James Owens
