Kilmore Rec powered through in the second half against Carrick Rangers Reserves for a win in the Steel And Sons Cup Round 2
Toalsbet Steel & Sons Cup Round 2,
Venue: Robert Adams Park on Saturday 16 8 25,
Final Score: Kilmore Rec 4 2 Carrick Rangers Reserves.
It was a good day at the office for Kilmore Rec who turned up the heat on Carrick Rangers Reserves in the second half after retiring to the dressing room at half-time on a 1-1 draw.
Head coach Michael Carvill must have impressed on the players that it was a do-or-die situation and they came out and delivered three excellent goals pleasing the local supporters.
Carrick went up into the lead in the 6th minute with a goal from Luke Connelly.
But Kilmore kept their heads and clawed their way back and Shay McGrattan scored in the 13th minute to equalise for the home side.
Both teams battled to the half-time whistle and must have been feeling the pressure on this very hot and sunny day.
The second half started and Kilmore were quick to get off on the right foot pressing Carrick hard. The game was good nartured despite the competitive edge and the football was the better for it. There was only one yellow card dished out in the match and that was to Oisin MUlholland, Kilmore defender.
By the 60th minute Alex Burtney was have some great runs at the Carrick goal from the left wing, but Carrick could break fast too and on one occasion a volley just scraped the Kilmore post. There was a good combination from Ben McFarland and Darrin Hill for the visitors.
CHECK OUT MATCH ACTION PHOTOS HERE
Then Kilmore forced a corner in the Carrick half and Conor Curran took the kick and Alex Burtney rose up and headed down into the Carrick net putting Kilmore now 2-1 in the lead.
This goal boosted their morale after the hard graft they had been putting in. James Mahoney too was making the effort up front and attacks were building up regularly.
But Kilmore were almost caught out when Carrick’s Kenzo Ginnett passed to Codey James who first timed the strike but it rose well over the bar.
But Kilmore stayed focused and gradually the Carrick players started to cramp up. Curran put a spot perfect ball through to McGrattan whose shot just went wide. Then Kilmore’s Tiernan Fitzsimmons who had come on as a sub lashed the ball at the Carrick goal and it just just wide.
Alex Burtney then came off after doing a lot of running on the left being replaced by Eamonn McKinney with fresh legs.
Carrick were still trying to make incursions into Kilmore’s half but the home side were producing quick and effective attacks keeping the ball in Carrick’s patch.
Then in the 80th minute, Rory Fitzsimmons played into the Carrick box and rounded a defender and never gave up until he popped the ball into the Carrick net for Kilmore’s third.
Kilmore kept up the pressure and their fitness showed in the positive runs they were creating.
The icing on the cake came 7 minutes later when Conor Curran put the game beyond Carrick’s reach hitting to the top of the net from a pass from McKinney.
But in the 89th minute Carrick’s Codey James scored bringing the final score to 4-2.
This was an impressive performance by Kilmore Rec who struggled against a capable side in the first half but found the resolve as a team in the second half to do the business.
CHECK OUT MATCH ACTION PHOTOS HERE
Kilmore Rec: 1 Paurence McGonigle 2 Oisin Mulholland 3 Conor Curran 4 Jonathan Murray 5 Yaroslav Panfilov (C) 6 Cai Gemmel 7 Dan Smyth 8 Caolan Conlon 9 Shay McGrattan 10 James Mahoney 11 Alex Burtney: Subs: 12 Eamonn McKinney 14 Rory Fitzsimmons 15 Tiernan Fitzsimmons 16 Michael Carvill 17 Philip Traynor.
Carrick Rangers Reserves: 40 RTyan McDowell 41 Ross Carson 42 Caleb Hawthorne 43 Daniel Grills 44 Mason Carlisle 45 Reece Paul 46 Luke Connelly 48 Codey James 49 Max Hall 50 Ben McFarland (C) 51 Darrin Hill, Subs: 47 Jay Murray 52 Charlie Strudwick 53 Kenzo Ginnett.
