Strangford Win Encounter With Kilmore Seconds
The Newcastle and District Amateur Football League.
League Division 1.
Kilmore IIs 0 Strangford 3.
Strangford travelled to Crossgar and left with all three points after a hard working display where they took their chances while Kilmore failed to take advantage of some decent chances (writes Cyril McKinney)
Both sides got the ball down and played their passing game to great effect and in the early stages Kilmore enjoyed more of the game with a lot of hard work by Casement, Lynas and Spratt.
Casement was well wide with a speculative shot from the edge of the box after 2 minutes and 5 minutes later Bell sent Lynas down the right flank who flashed a shot across the goal but the inrushing Spratt was over the bar when in a good position.
Strangford had a half chance on 14 minutes when Mahoney was over the bar from a great cutback from Hynds just inside the box. Minutes later Kilmore’s Casement forced the visiting keeper into a smart save low down at his right hand post and needed Reilly to be on hand to save the rebound at the expense of a corner.
Strangford began to impose themselves on the game and enjoyed a period of play that saw them test the home defence on a number of occasions. Hynds had a shot easily saved by McGonagle in the home nets on 20 minutes then Mahoney first shot wide on 25 minutes before he beat the offside trap on 26 minutes and lobbed the advancing keeper only to see his shot miss the far post.
On 30 minutes Strangford had a great chance to take the lead as Vaughn sent Hynds through on goal only for the home keeper to save the day. Kilmore had a great chance themselves on 35 minutes when Lynas volleyed a rasping shot goalward from the edge of the box only for Waterson in the Strangford nets to be alert and made a super save by tipping the ball over the bar.
The deadlock was broken on 38 minutes when strangfords Hynds was upended in the Kilmore box and Mahoney sent the keeper the wrong way to covert the spot kick leaving the halftime score 0-1 to the visitors.
Ten minutes into the second half Strangford stretched their lead when Savage took advantage of the keeper being off his line and shot to the net from long range wide on the Strangford right wing and on 60 minutes the home keeper had to be alert and saved with his feet to deny Strangford’s Mahoney and again on 64 minutes saving well when Strangfords Vaughn sent Mahoney clear on goal.
Not to outdone Kilmore tried their best to get back in the game but both Bell and then Spratt were over the bar when in good positions on 73 and 74 minutes. Kilmore were again undone on their right flank as Mahoney beat the off side trap to race clear and square the ball to Fitzsimons who cooly finished from 10 yards leaving the home keeper flat footed to leave the final score 0-3 to the visitors.
Kilmore had chances to score but failed to convert or make the wrong decision when better options were available. Curran and McClements worked hard in defence while Casement and Bell worked hard in midfield while Lynas and Spratt upfront looked lively all afternoon.
Strangford looked sharp, hungry for the ball, closed down the opposition and broke forward at speed with Vaughn pulling the strings in the middle of the park and Mahoney always the dangerman upfront.
Kilmore Rec IIs: Laurence McGonagle, Paul McMullan, Jonathan Murtagh, Shea Curran, Niall McClements, Ryan Stranney, James Casement, Sean Bell, Jack Lynas, John Spratt, Connor Degan. Subs: Mark McMullan for Curran, Callum Murdock for Murtagh, emmet Maguire for Spratt, Robert McGreevy
Strangford FC: Eoin Watterson, Stephan McGrattan, Luke Reilly, Fionn McFall, Daniel Kelly, Christian Vaughn, Ryan Crothers , Eoin Savage, Conan Hynds, James Mahoney, Shea Savage. Subs: Russel Swail for Vaughn, Matthew Moffet, Conal Fitzsimons for Savage.
