Drumaness Mills came to life in the second half to secure a 4-2 win over Ards Rangers in the Clarence Cup Round 2 match
The NAFL,
Clarence Cup Round 2,
Venue: Meadowvale, on Saturday 18 1 25,
Final Score: Drumaness Mills 4 2 Ards Rangers.
It was a match of two halves with Drumaness looking slightly the better in the first half but coming out stronger in the second period with Callum Duggan strongly forcing through the Ards defence creating opportunities writes Jim Masson.
This was a huge team effort by Drumaness who were at times under pressure from the visitors who managed to challenge their goals on several occasions.
Callum Dougan managed to hit the ball in low to the left hand post from a corner to open the scoring for Drumaness in the 17th minute.
Drumaness looked keen to get on with the scoring and were pressing early. There was a good play with Aidy Watson passing to Jamie Sharvin at the Ards goal but his efforts just produced a corner at 19 minutes.
There was a spell when Ards were pressing ahead on a number of occasions and eventually 7 minutes later Ards who were not rolling over made a few charges at the home goal and Adam Sloan produced the first of his two goals for the afternoon left-footing low past keeper Aaron Carberry as there seemed a lapse in concentration in the Drumaness defence.
Drumaness clawed their way back into the game with Jack Sharvin feeding the front line with passes and on one occasion missing by inches with a low volley.
The first half ended with Drumaness knowing that they had a few chances of goals and that they had to do the business in the second half.
Drumaness came out more positively in the second period and there was an early opportunity when Watson and Dougan broke through and created an opportunity, then Jamie Sharvin passed though to Adam Kearney whose shot was blocked by keeper Rhys Lawson.
Ards nearly went into the lead when Jack Sharvin received a yellow card for a foul at the edge of his box and Ards forward Phlip Simpson took the free kick and Aaron Carberry just managed to get a foot to the ball to block it.
Then in a run at the goal, Aidan Watson lobbed the ball over the Ards keeper to put Drumaness in the lead in the 67th minute to the relief of the bench and supporters as the match had got a lot more physical with stoppages for injury.
Just when they thought they were making progress against a stiff opposition, Drumaness went a goal down back to a 2-2 draw as Sloan hammered in goal number two for Ards.
But Drumaness sensed they could take the points and after several attempts at the Ards goal, Peter Brannigan made a solid charge through the centre to the back of the Ards box and rifled a solid shot past keeper Lawson to put Drumaness back in the lead.
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There were still anxieties that Ards could steal points with a late equaliser but that was laid to rest when Drumaness looked the stronger of the two and were pressing hard.
With a cross from Dougan who had made two hits at the Ards goal blocked by Lawson, sub Declan Looney found space from a Dougan pass and nodded the ball down over the Ards goal-line to seal the match in the 87th minute.
Drumaness kept up the pressure on Ards as the match closed, Jack Sharvin volleyed but his effort was blocked by keeper Lawson.
Sub Stefan Mason came on and he certainly rattled the Ards defence with a fresh pair of legs.
Overall this was an impressive performance by Drumaness Mills against a fairly tough opposition who did not give any quarter. The home side played well as a team. The front line of Jamie Sharvin, Callum Dougan And Adam Kearney with Jack Sharvin lying deeper, worked well and there were with forays from Peter Brannigan and Aidan Watson from the midfield area.
The Drumaness defence was well organised around captain Gary Murdock who ran a tight ship. And keeper Aaron Carberry played well rising to the challenges from Ards Rangers.
Overall the result was fair and the referee had some difficult decision to maintain discipline as tempers frayed a bit in both camps.
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Drumaness Mills: 1 Aaron Carberry (GK) 2 Keegan Domican 3 Thomas McNeill 4 Sean Paul Holland 5 Gary Murdock (C) 6 Peter Brannigan 7 Aidan Watson 8 Jamie Sharvin 9 Callum Dougan 10 Jack Sharvin 11 Adam Kearney. Subs: 12 Damien Turley 14 Stefan Mason 15 Declan Looney.
Ards Rangers: 1 Rhys Lawson (GK) 2 Taylor Shaw 3 Adam Sloan 4 Matthew Torrens 5 Gary Watson 6 Mark Armstrong 7 Jake Sloan 8 Matthew Lee (C) 9 Philip Simpson 10 Jason Walls 11 Joshua Cash Subs: 12 Michael Evans 14 Scott Spiers 15 Karl Lawson.
