Kilmore Rec beat Ards Rangers in Clarence Cup 4th round qualifier
The NAFL,
Clarence Cup 4th Round,
Venue: Kilmore playing fields, Saturday 16th March,
Final score: Kilmore Rec 2 1 Ards Rangers.
Kilmore Rec 2 1 Ards Rangers.
Ards Rangers travelled to a wild, wet and windy Kilmore playing fields in Crossgar for this Clarence Cup 4th round tie and despite having plenty of possession they lost out to Kilmore by a scoreline of 2-1.
The damp and windy conditions plus soft ground made this game a dogged affair with good passing football virtually impossible.
A credit to both sets of players for their determination and competitive endeavours right from the first whistle with every ball being contested and both sets of defences largely on top and both midfields cancelling each other out.
Chances were rare and it was an instinctive finish from Shay McGrattan on 21 minutes when the fall fell kindly to him inside the box and he drilled a low shot past Rhys Lawson at his near post to put the home side ahead.
With Larkin, Kennedy and Magee keeping things tight at the back for Kilmore, Ards struggled to create anything clear cut but finally won a penalty on 42 minutes when Kilmore defender Johnny Murray was adjudged to have handled in the box.
From the resulting penalty Ards striker James Sofley sent Kilmore Keeper Turley the wrong way to leave things all square at the break.
As the rain continued to drive down, the second half saw both sides struggle to create any clearcut chances and for long periods the game could have gone either way.\
But the game was decided by a Jack Larkin header from an Anton McGrattan right wing corner on 65 minutes.
Try as they might Ards, could not make inroads into a resolute Kilmore defence with Jack Larkin commanding all afternoon.
Kilmore Rec : Christopher Turley, Caolan Conlon, Jonathan Murray, Jack Larkin, Gary Kennedy, Christopher Magee, Anton McGrattan, Eoin McGrattan, Philip Doran, Michael Carvill, Shay McGrattan. Subs: Oliver Smyth.
Ards Rangers FC : Rhys Lawson, Jason Walls, Harry McIlwrath, Lewis Roy, James Patterson, Nathan McVeigh, Stuart Beattie, Matthew Lee, James Sofley, Aaron Dunlop, Kyle Mackie. Subs: Dwaine Beattie , Michael Hunter, Mark Armstrong
