Kilmore Rec enjoy five goal win over Ballynahinch Olympic
The NAFL,
Venue: Kilmore Playing Fields on Saturday 3rd February 2024,
The NAFL League Division 1A,
Ballynahinch Olympic 0 5 Kilmore Rec.
This NAFL Division 1A local derby clash between Kilmore Rec and Ballynahinch Olympic was ultimately a one-sided affair.
Much was expected from this local derby but Kilmore produced a five-star performance and left victorious after a convincing win helped by some indiscipline from Olympic which saw two players sent off – one in each half writes Cyril McKinney.
The home side started brightly and could have went ahead after just two minutes but Steven McGoran was wasteful in front of goal after a great right wing cross from Jack Roddy.
Kilmore gradually grew into the game and forced a left wing corner on 17 minutes. From the resulting corner Ballynahinch failed to clear their lines and the ball dropped to Kilmore marksman Philip Doran who volleyed the home from 8 yards out.
Fortune went downhill for Ballynahinch Olympic when Chris McNamara their captain and number 9 went off injured after 18 minutes and on 28 minutes their number 10 Niall Murray was red carded for an off-the-ball incident after 23 minutes
Then on 38 minutes Kilmore’s Gary Kennedy surged forward towards the left edge of the Ballynahinch box.
And with a slide rule pass released striker Philip Doran just inside the box who kept his composure and slid the ball past the advancing keeper Ryan Walsh to make it 2-0 to the visitors at the break.
Within two minutes of the second half Ballynahinch were reduced to 9 men when defender Jack Roddy was red-carded for an offence in the Kilmore Box. But Ballynahinch continued to try and play their football and defend their box in numbers.
Then on 66 minutes Niall Walsh the Kilmore number 8 had time and space to take aim and hit a thunderbolt of a shot from all of 25 yards that swerved and dipped beating keeper Walsh all ends up to make it 3-0.
By now Ballynahinch were under constant pressure and if Kilmore were more clinical in front of goal they would have been in double figures.
On 76 minutes Doran was upended in the box and stepped up to take the resulting penalty but keeper Walsh prevented Doran from collecting his hat-trick saving low down to his left.
Then Anton McGrattan set Philip Doran clear down the middle but his first time shot was well saved by Ryan Walsh but his parry was pounced on by Shay McGrattan who volleyed home to make it 4-0 on 82 minutes.
Then in injury time Anton McGrattan rounded off a great individual performance when he scored with a great curling shot from the edge of the box to leave the final score 5-0 to the visitors.
This was a good performance from Kilmore as a team and with some solid individual performances ncluding the goal of the game from Niall Walsh who was influential all afternoon closely followed by Anton McGrattan.
As for Ballynahinch Olympic it was a bad day at the office and to their credit their team showed courage and kept going even when down to nine men.
Ballynahinch Olympic: Ryan Walsh, Jack Roddy, Ryan Walsh, Connor Reid, Jason Noade, James McClean, Caolan Burns, Steven McGoran , Chris McNamara, Niall Murray, Michael Rice. Subs: Stephen King.
Kilmore Rec: Christopher Turley, Joshua Smyth, Jonathan Murray, Jack Larkin, Gary Kennedy, Christopher Magee, Anton McGrattan, Niall Walsh, Philip Doran, Michael Carvill, Eoin McGrattan. Subs: Shay McGrattan for Michael Carvill, Caolan Conlon for Eoin McGrattan.
