Curtain raiser boosts charity

In a curtain raiser to the new season the Old Boys team took on their cup sponsors for Breakthrough Breast Cancer on the new Lurgan Town 3G Arena pitch.

A younger Harlequin team opened the scoring when Peter Hull Junior fired the ball past MUFL Referee Secretary and goalkeeper on the night, Mark Thornbury.

As the half progressed MUFL improved with treasurer Colin McCullough and Craigavon City’s Tony Cochrane dictating much of the play from deep.

They began to link well with a number of Tony’s former AFC Craigavon colleagues, including stalwart Jim Burke, and some other stalwarts from Glenavy and Lurgan United, namely Joe McCoy and Sean O’Neill.

Late in the half MUFL won a penalty when Lurgan BBOB Secretary Mervyn Wheatley was fouled and AFC’s Gordon Beattie duly dispatched the penalty kick to leave the half time score at 1-1.

MUFL brought on the fresh legs of Dollingstown manager Gary Duke at half-time and he soon made his presence felt by scoring with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area. The Harlequin lads then stepped up their game in a fierce effort to try to restore parity, with the management team of Jimmy McKnight and Ian Dougan ringing the changes every few minutes as they pressed the MUFL Old Boys back for sustained periods.

One good chance in particular fell to Brian Bassett who jinked his way passed two Old Boy defenders but his shot trickled wide by the far post.

However midway through the half Duke then crossed from the right for Simon Gilkinson to calmly convert from close range.

The second half saw Blackers Mill official Alan Willis don the gloves in an impressive goalkeeping display for MUFL. Having said that, Alan’s opposite number, Jerome Kerr in the Harlequin goal then made a superb save with his feet to deny another MUFL goal from a direct free kick.

As well as the father and son combination of father Mark Thornbury and son Matthew as assistant referee, the second half also saw two more father and son combinations appear when MUFL Chairman Isaac Gilkinson slotted in inspiringly at right back behind son Simon, while lively Aaron Duke came on into the attack in front of father Gary.

Soon Aaron put MUFL 4-1 up by shooting in from inside the penalty area. MUFL’s scoring was completed by Vice-Chairman Maurice Johnston with an angled shot after a fine pass by Simon Gilkinson.

Harlequin grabbed a consolation goal late on with a close range shot from Pavilas Jankauskas to end a very fine sporting and good spirited contest.

Many parties are to be thanked for this charity match, which raised several hundreds of pounds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, but perhaps most notable is the selfless Sean O’Neill, although he would shy away from the publicity, yet he was the main instigator and chief organiser for this hopefully now annual worthy event.