Lisburn Rangers take the points but Drumaness Mills dominated the second half in a strong attempted come-back
The NAFL,
Premier League,
Venue: Meadowvale, 13 12 25,
Final Score: Drumaness Mills 3 4 Lisburn Rangers.
It was just heartbreak for the Drumaness Mills today as they were 0-3 down to Lisburn Rangers and came back strongly to tie 3-3 and lost by another goal in the final minutes of the game writes Jim Masson.
The Mills were four of their key players short – Keegan Dumican, Peter Brannigan, Patrick Shearer and Owen Murray and faced a strong Lisburn side positioned second in the Premier League at the moment.
For the first ten minutes both sides tested each other out and tried not to make any errors giving goals away.
Lisburn certainly attacked sharply using the wings well crossing in the early stages of the game putting the Drumaness defence under pressure at times and came close to scoring on a few occasions.
On 20 minutes Lisburn’s David McAllister first-timed a cross past keeper Aaron Carberry to open the scoring.
Drumaness immediately fought back and Lisburn keeper Brian Neeson made a good punch out to clear the ball denying Callum Dougan and Declan Looney a good opportunity.
But the game went to and fro and Lisburn were soon at the Drumaness goal by defender Thomas McNeill made a solid intervention.
Minutes later Carberry made an excellent reflex save when Jamie Willighan close his hit a hard ball on target.
Lisburn’s second goal came from a volley hit low to the right hand post by McAllister again in the 27th minute.
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Drumaness again attacked an Dougan chipped the ball to Looney who almost scored. And moments later Dougan crossed to Looney but again the Lisburn defenders were on the ball.
A hammer blow for Drumaness came when William Faulkner drilled a low strike past Carberry from the back of the box putting Lisburn 3 goals ahead.
Callum Dougan was attacking well with support from Jack Sharvin lying deeper and Declan Looney on the right wing, but their efforts had not paid off yet.
Midfielder Sean Og Gallagher hit off a volley which was inches over the Lisburn top bar as Drumaness tried to redress the balance and get a goal before half-time.
The second half started with a more focussed Drumaness team quickly on the attack.
Declan Looney then made a charge on 50 minutes and fire da shot which eventually rolled over the line putting Drumaness back in the game.
Jack Sharvin was feeding excellent passed to Dougan and Looney when had gone up a gear.
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Lisburn under pressure then conceded an own goal on 61 minutes.
Looney made a bold run to collect one pass but keeper Neeson just made in half a yard in front of Looney to grab the ball. Drumaness were on the front foot now and started to dominate the play more.
The trio of Sharvin, Dougan and Looney broke up the left wing and it was Dougan who headed home for an equaliser from a Sharvin cross to the top of the net on 87 minutes.
Drumaness had made a terrific comeback in the second half and it looked as though they were going to share points with Lisburn, then 2 minutes later Lisburn sub Craig McCutcheon hit a tap-in from a cross on the left to a goal mouth scramble.
Drumaness were beat in the dying seconds of the match despite having made a strong comeback with a team missing 4 key players. But they kept their discipline and applied a positive, creative approach but Lisburn snatched the honour in the closing minutes.
This was a gutsy performance by Drumaness against a sharp Lisburn side, but they will bounce back again.
Drumaness Mills: 1 Aaron Carberry (GK) 2 Thomas McNeill 3 Sean Paul Holland 4 Adam Garland 5 Gary Murdock (C) 6 Sean Og Gallagher 7 Declan Looney 8 Kyle McCleery 9 Callum Dougan 10 Jack Sharvin 11 Anton McGrattan. Subs: 12 James McGivern 14 Aaron Mooney 15 Luke Davis.
Lisburn Rangers: 1 Brian Neeson (GK) 2 Mark Drysdale 3 Karl Rossborough 4 Jamie McGovern (C) 5 Carter Savage 6 Adam McCallum 7 David McAllister 8 William Faulkner 9 Jamie Willighan 10 Jason Johnston 11 Gerard McMullan. Subs: 12 Craig McCutcheon 14 Lewis Burns 15 Ben Chapman.
