Giant Killers Kilmore Rec Slay East Belfast in Clarence Cup Round 2 Clash
The NAFL,
Clarence Maynes Cup Round 2,
Venue – Robert Adfams Park: on 20th December 2024,
Final Result Kimore Rec 1 1 East Belfast (Kilmore won 5-4 on penalties).
On paper this looked like the match was going one way with East Belfast playing well and top of the Premier League with Kilmoere Rec on form top of Division One, but on the pitch on the night it was a different story writes Jim Masson.
Visitors East Belfast tried to boss Kilmore Rec from the whistle with their fast and accurate passing and rapid breaks into the home side’s half. Karl Rossborough (C) got past the back line to threaten the goal early but the referee’s whistle blew for off-side saving the day for Kilmore.
Ross McCaughan made some useful crosses to Nathan West opening up the left wing into the Kilmore defence.
But Kilmore came back with a great play from Michael Carvill passing to Philip Doran who volleyed just over the top bar from outside the East Belfast box.
(Photos by Jim Masson .Down News ©).
But after 15 minutes Kilmore made a break and certainly weathered the best and the worst that East Belfast could throw at them. The home side lept their cool and looked confident despite early pressure.
Kilmore were showing their worth by rallying well against East Belfast and were making promising runs at the visitor’s goal area. Ryhs Clarke was warming up well involved much in the attacking action backed by Joseph Burns on occasion.
East Belfast were never-the-less relentless and on one occasion Yaroslav Panfilov made an great clearance when his goal was under pressure. Again Kyle Woods pressed through but was given offsides.
But Kilmore slowly turned the match round weathering the East Belfast storm and started making more positive forays. Clarke was keen to get the ball into the East Belfast net and figured strongly in the increasing attacks on the visitors’ nets.
Kilmore has an excellent opportunity when Conor McCarron glanced a header to Clarke in the East Belfast goal mouth but a defender read it and just managed to deflect the effort before Clarke scored.
Play then went upfield again and left winger Brandon Lindsay send a volley over the Kilmore bar.
Then in the 24th minute Kilmore’s patience and hard work paid off when they attacked the East Belfast goal and Clarke received a pass from McCarron and hammered it past keeper Matthew McClurg to open the Kilmore scoresheet.
This goal was slightly against the run of play but Clarke seized his opportunity and made it count.
East Belfast went straight into the attack and knew they had a game on their hands with a buoyant Kilmore Rec taking first blood.
Kilmore were finding more space to break forward and the game started to level out more. East Belfast were more cautious but their back line was quite solid.
Again Clarke made a break forward supported by defender Sean Bell on the right, but the referee blew for off-sides which did keep East Belfast under pressure knowing that Kilmore could break as quickly as they could with effect.
The Kilmore back line was holding well against the determined East Belfast attacks. But just before half-time, Clarke crossed to McCarron in the middle of the East Belfast box – he tried to first-time it but missed the connection a fraction and keeper McClurg got possession to quell the attack.
The second half proved a much more physical affair as East Belfast’s reputation was being challenged by a gritty Kilmore side. Philip Doran made a sold attack on the left but defender Taylor Evans intervened at a crucial stage.
McCarron and Joseph Burns were quickly into the East Belfast box, a good omen for Kilmore.
Then East Belfast’s midfielder Bradley Porter broke forward quickly and found the space to knock the ball past Kilmore keeper McGonagle to level the match in the 53rd minute at 1-1.
THis was looking like a match that could have gone either way. The visitors settled down into making sound attacks again but Kilmore upped their game a gear after a spell of East Belfast pressure.
As the game descended into physical challenges as players found the pace exhausting, the flow of the game started to fragment with stoppages.
At one stage sub Eoin McGrattan almost put Kilmore in the lead with a solid volley on target but and equally good save by McClurg saved the day for East Belfast.
Overall, Kilmore picked up 4 yellow cards while East Belfast received 3 all from the 61st minute when Lindsay picked up the first one, indicated the change in the dynamics of the game.
As the clock ticked, Kilmore were having a good spell of attacking the East Belfast goal. As the game see-sawed, Rhys Kelly got in a volley for the visits but it was well held by keeper McGonagle.
East Belfast then won a corner and the ball ran through the KIlmore goal mouth without an East Belfast boot to connect to it. An opportunity missed!
Kilmore then won a free kick about 40 yards from the East Belfast goal but the shot by McCarron hit the bar. Then as Kilmore kept up the pressure they won another free kick from a similar distance and Conor Curran blasted it on target at the visitors’ goal on target but McCLurg saved it well.
The game them went into extra-time. In the first period Nathan Best had a chance of scoring when he received a cross but did not utilise the opportunity hitting wide, then Ross McCaughan broke into the Kilmore box but McGonagle made a timely save.
Kilmore’s Conor Curran chanced a long fee kick at the east Belfast goal forcing McClurg to made a high save. Then East Belfast’s McCaughan just missed a header from a corner going wide.
In the second period East Belfast were still pressing to close the game down but Kilmore bounced back with a quick attack.
Inevitably, the game ended with a draw 1-1 and penalties were required to find a winner.
Nathan Best took the first kick to his left and McGonagle made a tremendous diving save to the raptures of the Kilmore spectators. All 5 Kiimore players scored in succession – Panfilov, McGrattan, Larkin Carvill and McCarron took the last kick to put Kilmore Rec through to Round 3 of the Clarence Maynes Cup.
Kilmore Rec had played an excellent game facing very worthy opponents and came out the winners.
Kilmore Rec and enjoying their new 3G pitch facility at Robert Adams Park and are hoping for a promotion to the Premier League for next season.
And after their performance against current East Belfast , NAFL Premier League leaders, they are looking on the money!
***
Kilmore Rec: 1 Laurence MccGonagle (GK) 2 Sean Bell 3 Conor Curran 4 Jack Larkin (C) 5 Yaroslav Panfilov 6 Joseph Burns 7 Rhys Clarke 8 Caolan Conlon 9 Conor McCarron 10 Michael Carvill 11 Philip Doran. Subs: 12 Tomas Murphy 14 Eoin McGrattan 15 Declan McComiskey.
East Belfast FC: Matthew McClurg (GK) 2 Karl Rossborough (C) 3 Taylor Evans 4 Ross McCaughan 5 Bradley Porter 6 Rhys Kelly 7 Nathan Best 8 Paul Waite 9 Dean Annett 10 Kylke Woods 11 Brandon Lindsay. Subs: Luke Adair 14 Luke Braiden 15 Cole Killops.
