Dromara Village win Round 2 match in Border Cup against Tullycarnet
Round 2 NAFL Border Cup,
2nd September 2023, at Bellsbridge,
Dromara Village 2 1 Tullycarnet.
As the game commenced, it was Tullycarnet who launched themselves at the home side at Bellsbridge making a number of useful attacks
Dale Patton fired off a couple of powerful volleys on target and Dromara keeper John Cassidy made terrific saves to keep the ball out of the net writes Jim Masson ©.
There was no doubt that Tullycarnet wanted an early goal to rattle Dromara but the home defence held out and settled down.
Soon Dromara were into the game attacking and eventually Alex Burtney on the left wing crossed well with a low ball to the waiting Marcus Murphy who knocked it in putting Dromara on the scoresheet on 9 minutes.
Dromara’s confidence rose and they piled on a number of attacks almost scoring again when Burtney shot over the top bar.
The game trundled on with Dromara doing most of the attacking but Tullycarnet were always dangerous on the break.
Patton again launched another powerful drive on target and it took a brilliant save from keeper John Cassidy to keep it out of the net.
Dromara were connecting well as a team and on one Tullycarnet charge Michael Edgar managed to block the attack the Dromara front line of Burtney, Martin, Murphy and Kerr were finding weaknesses in the Tullycarnet defence.
McBurtney was making great runs down the left and crossing well.
In one attack Patton crossed to Connor Murray at the Tullycarnet goal but the keeper held the shot well.
Tullycarnet started to come back into the game again but Dromara defender Jordan Patterson was forced to give away a soft penalty and Colin Callacher stepped up to the spot and equalised on 38 minutes.
Dale Patton received a yellow card on 43 minutes as the fast paced game started to heat up.
Dromara tried to repair the damage and fight back. But Tullycarnet were always dangerous on the break.
Then as Dromara surged at the Tullycarnet goal, Ben Martin took a half volley but it was millimetres just over the top post.
Dromara were piling on the pressure and defender Conor Mallon made an great cross from the right but Murphy joined the club of near misses as his shot scraped the post once again.
As Dromara took a corner, Nathan Hamilton blasted over the bar too. Dromara were off target on a number of occasions.
Dromara were pressing to get a goal ahead at half-time and Murphy broke through the Tullycarnet back line and ended up winning a corner. Hamilton hit a tremendous shot on target but it struck a defender.
Then just on the whistle for half-time, Adam McClune also sent the ball over the top bar with a solid header.
Check out 20+ photos from the Dromara Village v Tullycarnet match
As the second half commenced with both teams on a goal apiece, Tullycarnet attacked sharply and William McBurney struck inches from the post.
But as the match progressed, the visitors were less aggressive in their attacks and Dromara got a handle on the game.
Burtney led a number of very useful attacks down the left. Then in the 51st minute he crossed to the head of Marcus Murphy who eventually made sure this time nailing the ball to the back of the net with a solid header putting Dromara back in the lead again.
A minute when play re-started Sam Kirk made a powerful strike at the Tullycarnet goal from 40 yards but keeper Neil Edgar made an equally great save.
This goal seemed to send a message to Tullycarnet that Dromara were not going to lie down and from their resolve seems to have dwindled.
The visitors did have one golden opportunity when Colin Callacher hit the ball over in an attack.
But Dromara were unlucky not to be several goals ahead and on one attack Murphy crossed to Burtney who passed to Martin who under pressure from defenders lashed the ball over the top bar.
Dromara was certainly a lot more focussed in the second half as the game became more physical while they took control.
Tullycarnet picked up six yellow cards and one sending off for the match compared to the one yellow card for Dromara.
Dromara Village: 1 John Cassidy (GK) 2 Connor Mallon 3 Jordan Clarke 4 Jordan Patterson 5 Nathan Hamilton 6 Sam Kirk 7 Adam McClune 8 Philip Kerr (C) 9 Marcus Murphy 10 Ben Martin 11 Alex Burtney. Subs: 12 John Mahoney 14 Jacob Collins 15 Damien Turley.
Tullycarnet: 1 Neil Edgar (GK) 2 Jamie Callacher 3 Michael Hunsdale 4 Matthew Graham 5 Michael Edgar 6 Cameron Murray 7 William McBurney 10 Dale Patton (C) 11 Svetozar Zdravkov 15 Colin Callacher 16 Jamie Black, Subs: 8 Ben Graham 9 Darren Spiers Dylan Cummins.
