Barn crash out of the cup to visitors Kilmore

Kilmore Rec 2

A THIRD successive defeat for Barn United, although at least this time the performance was a lot better, even though their interest in this season’s Clarence Cup comes to an end with this defeat by Steel and Sons Cup holders Kilmore Rec at Haslett Park.

As Barn boss Jim Pherson said afterwards: “We had enough chances to have had something to hang onto, for we knew that Kilmore would eventually come at us. We’re nearly back to where we were a few months ago; playing well but not finding the net – then there were some of matches we were winning, and scoring plenty of goals, without playing as well.

“But I’m happy enough with our performance, apart from us not taking our chances. We had a game plan and stuck to it; it nearly paid off – and we’ll look forward to having another go at Kilmore when we play them twice in the league.”

It was Barn who forced the early pace, but Andy Kane, just a few yards out, headed a Matthews cross straight at the keeper, while Nicky Sharples nodded another pinpoint delivery from Matthews against the inside of the upright.

Kane blazed another offering over the bar, and then, right on half-time, Gary McKee raced through one on one only to thump his shot straight at the keeper.

Nil-nil then at the half way mark, with Barn enjoying a clear edge.

On 65 minutes had McKee, with more time than he realised, been given the call he would surely have brought the ball down but with his back to goal, he nodded it over the bar.

The Carrick boys continued to press, only for Kilmore to break with a telling sting, straight from a Barn corner, where Traynor got round the wrong side of Wakeham and Paul Mathers, giving keeper Christopher Campbell no chance.

Barn thereafter lost their shape for a period and it was Kilmore who put some distance between the sides with a superbly struck second, with Rogan volleying the ball beyond Campbell.

Predictably, Barn mounted a late assault and could have been right back in it had the referee spotted a Rec defender, on the wrong end of a wicked bounce, using a ‘helping hand’ in clearing a Sharples effort off the line.

Barn were given a penalty on 82 minutes, again through a stray hand, as Warren Brown tried to run through; Sharples as efficient as ever from the spot.

United did their best to at least enforce extra time, but the best they could muster was a back post effort from Brown, scrambled away for a corner.

Next Saturday, it’s back to the league where Barn travel to third bottom Saintfield United.

Barn United; Campbell – Monteith (Osborne), Baird (Patterson), P Mathers, Wakeham – Kelly, McKinty, McKee, Matthews (Brown) – Sharples, Kane.