Kilmore Rec Beat Carrick With Late Goal

Shay McGrattan Header Gets Kilmore Rec Over The Line Against Carrick

ToalsBet.Com Steel & Sons Cup Round 2.

Robert Adams Park, Saturday 19th August 2023.

Kilmore Rec 3 2 Carrick Rangers Reserves.

Carrick Rangers Reserves made the long journey to Robert Adams Park for this Steel & Sons R2 cup tie and started brightly right from the first whistle writes Cyril McKinney.

They took the game to Kilmore for most of the opening 30 minutes. They looked sharper and quicker to the ball and bossed most of the one-to-one battles and sprayed the ball about with ease. 

On 14 minutes Joshua Andrews surged down the right wing and sent a pin-point pass across the six yard box only for the in-rushing Jaydyn Withers to volley the ball wide with the net at his mercy.

Then on 21 minutes Kilmore keeper Christopher Turley had to be at his best to deny Andrews who was sent clear down the right channel and he drilled a low shot towards the
keeper’s right hand bottom corner.

However, Turley got down well and made a brilliant save turning the ball round the post for a corner.

As Carrick continued to press Andrews missed the target when in a promising position in front of goal on 27 minutes.

Gradually Kilmore warmed to the task and started to gain momentum going forward.

They created openings of their own through Dan Smyth on the right wing who cut in missed the target from the edge of the box on the half hour mark.

Then Kilmore forward Shay McGrattan made a great driving run down the left flank and
crossed from the by-line.

Howerver, Carrick defender Lorrimor made a last ditch clearance just as Kilmore’s Forsythe was about to pull the trigger with the net staring at him on 32 minutes.

Kilmore’s threat was short lived on 36 minutes when Carrick went down the other end and from a left wing cross Withers rose highest to nod home and give the visitors the lead.

On the stroke of half-time Kilmore had a great opportunity to draw level but defender Niall Walsh headed wide from in front of goal six yards out.

Into the second-half and despite Kilmore starting brightly the visitors extended their lead on 49 minutes.

Withers got on the end of a long clearance from the back and he spotted Kilmore keeper Turley slightly off his line and scored with a perfect lob as Turley back peddled.

At that stage the game looked to be going the way of the visitors but Kilmore were given hope when Carrick were reduced to 10 men.

The sending off centre back Lorrimor was a blow to Carrick… he was shown a straight red card for a foul on McGrattan who was running at the Carrick goal.

This gave Kilmore a massive lift and they got back in the game on 67 minutes through a
good finish from Caolan Conlon.

Before Carrick could respond Fionn Mulhern got on the end of a rebound from the keeper to hammer the ball home from close range following a right wing cross to set up a grandstand finish on 69 minutes.

By now Kilmore were the dominant side and were having great success down the right wing.

Every cross was causing havoc for the visitors’ defence. 

The turnaround was complete on 87 minutes when from a free kick near the corner flag on Kilmore’s left wing Shay McGrattan scored with a near post header.

Despite a late rally Kilmore held out for a win that did seem unlikely just after half
time.

Congratulations to Kilmore for sticking to the task and not giving up.

Kilmore Rec: Christopher Turley, Oisin Mulholland, Jonathan Murray, Niall Walsh,
Christopher Magee, Matthew Hardy, Fionn Mulhern, Caolan Conlon,, Shay
McGrattan, Dan Smyth, David Forsythe. Subs: Matthew Shearer, Niall McCarthy for  David Forsythe, Eoin McGrattan for Dan Smyth, Michael Carvill for Matthew Hardy.

Carrick Rangers Reserves: Callum  Irvine, Joshua  Irvine, Callum  Mills, Macauley  Lorrimer, Cameron  Alexander,  Pearse O’Prey, A N Other, Joshua Andrews, Jaydyn
Withers, Jake Scott. Subs: Mark Norris.