Garvey lose first match

BANBRIDGE 2 LISNAGARVEY 1

LISNAGARVEY lost their first game of the new season when they went down by 2 goals to 1 at Havelock Park last weekend. Thankfully the result did not influence their partition in the semi final stage of the Kirk Cup as they had already qualified before Saturday’s match.

Banbridge had to get at least a draw out of the contest to qualify themselves and from the outset they were the more positive and purposeful of the two teams on view. There was, however, little action of note in the opening 10 minutes with Garvey struggling to achieve any penetration without the forward thrust of Timmy Cockram, Mark Raphael and the in-form Stuart McNiece who were all out through injury.

Stephen Dowds had a half chance for Bann in the 17th minute while James Dowling had a golden opportunity three minutes later but could not control the ball at the far post with keeper Lennox out of the game.

Dowds had another goal chance in the 24th minute when Bann forced their first penalty corner but Garvey keeper John Tormey made a very positive save from the resulting drag flick.

Johnny Quigley, already fitting into the Garvey scene, looked good on the ball down the right but again nothing came of the attack and it was Bann who threatened next with Dale Ward drawing a great save out of John Tormey in the 28th minute as Bann turned on the pressure late in the half.

Jonny Bell came to the rescue in the 32nd minute with a deflection for a long corner with a goal looking likely but Bann’s pressure eventually told in the 34th minute when after the out of form Peter MacDonnell was caught in possession in midfield and the resulting move down the right ended with Stephen Dowds scoring with a deflected reverse stick effort which looped over the head of the stranded Tormey.

Half time followed almost immediately with the home side winning by the single goal and Garvey knew they had a lot to do to maintain their unbeaten record. But they still had the problem of being unable to create open chances until Jonny Bell found Daniel Buser with a hard pass into the Bann circle and the energetic player got a great touch on the ball to give Garth Lennox no chance to make a save.

The equaliser had come in the 44th minute and seconds later John Tormey made a fine block at his near post to keep Garvey at parity but in the 46th minute, Stephen Dowds again found the net with a highly disputed penalty corner and the home side were once again ‘in the box seat’.

Garvey responded with a penalty corner of their own in the 53rd minute but the resulting switch came to nothing and the chance was lost and the game entered the last quarter it became a somewhat reckless affair with both teams receiving yellow cards including Garvey’s captain Jonny Bell but apart from a another good save by John Tormey and a last minute effort from Ward, Bann had done enough to beat Garvey and see themselves through to Super Sunday on October. 7

The semi finals will be played out at the somewhat remote venue of Cookstown and the matches are; Lisnagarvey v Annadale at 1.30pm and Cookstown v Banbridge at 3.30pm.

Garvey will be hoping for the return of their key players Timmy Cockram and Mark Raphael if they are to progress to the Boxing Day final. Their presence will lift the attacking force of the team and also give Garvey a positive threat at penalty corners with Cockram in charge of the drag flicks.

There promises to be little between the sides in both semis but I predict a Lisnagarvey/Cookstown final, a repeat of last season.

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