Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League: Clough prepare for first game at new ground

They will play their first game at their new home ground at Cloughwater Road when they entertain Brantwood in a Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League match.

The facilities, which have been provided by Ballymena Borough Council, received a resounding vote of praise from the IFA Inspection Committee.

Clough have played their home matches for a number of seasons at Tobar Park in Cullybackey.

FIXTURES

Matches involving locally-based sides this Saturday, January 19, are:

Intermediate League: Clough Rangers Athletic v Brantwood; Carniny Amateurs v Ballynure Old Boys.

Junior Division Two: Wakehurst Strollers v Carniny Amateurs II.

Crawford Cup, round two: FC Ballynure v Chimney Corner Reserves.

Crawford Cup, round three: Raceview v 14th Newtownabbey.

Linda Welshman Memorial Cup, round two: York Road L’side ‘A v Antrim Rovers.

INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE

Carniny Amateurs 0, Desertmartin 3: Carniny, who are building up a good squad, were put to the test against a strong running team in Desertmartin who collected the points at the end of the game.

Desertmartin went on front after Robin Patton scored on the 18th minute and at half-time still led by the single goal.

Desertmartin doubled their lead on the 56th minute through a well taken goal scored by Lee Smyth.

Carniny never gave up and were unfortunate not to get on the score sheet before Robin Patten scored his second goal in the game on the 78th minute sealing the win for Desertmartin.

Other result: Ballynure Old Boys 1, Magherafelt Sky Blues 4.

McREYNOLDS CUP

Round one result: Newtowne 3, Dunloy 1.

CRAWFORD CUP, ROUND TWO

Brantwood 1, Clough Rangers Athletic 0: Matches between these two teams are mainly close run affairs and Saturday’s game followed this trend.

Both teams had a chance or two to open the score but at half-time no goals had been scored.

The second half saw a similar pattern of play at the start then on the 51st minute Fintan McCartney broke the deadlock when he scored for Brantwood.

After this Clough had to chase the game but Brantwood defended their one goal lead until the final whistle.

JUNIOR DIVISION ONE

Antrim Rovers 2, Ballymoney United Reserves 1: Antrim had the best of the opening attacking play and went in front after Kenny Lutton scored on the 20th minute.

Ballymoney got back on level terms on the 37th minute with a well worked goal sending the teams in level at the break.

The second half saw little to choose between the teams except for the goal scored by Darren Brammeld on the 70th minute which won the game for Rovers.

Other results: Cookstown Olympic 5, Killymoon Rangers Reserves 4; Ballyclare Comrades Reserves 4, Larne Olympic 3; Magherafelt Sky Blues Reserves 2, Tobermore United Reserves 2; Desertmartin Swifts 2, Glebe Rangers Reserves 2.

JUNIOR DIVISION TWO

Wakehurst Strollers 1, Red Star 1: A share of the points at the end was probably the correct result for both teams who gave it their all for the entire 90 minutes.

The Strollers took the lead on the 5th minute through a goal scored by Philip Cunningham and this goal was still the difference at half-time between them. Though both teams had chance to score after this the scoreline remained until Gary Thompson scored the equaliser for red Star on the 72nd minute.

Carniny Amateurs 1, Ballynure Old Boys ‘B’ 10: A hat-trick from Ryan Davey saw Ballynure go into a three nil lead then a brace of goals each for Ian Boyd and Craig Heggarty saw Ballynure seven goals in front at half-time.

Carniny got a goal back early in the second half but goals from Matthew McClurg, Conor Graham and Ian Boyd to complete his hat-trick completed the scoring on the day.

Other results: 1 st Mossley YM 0, Carnmoney FC 1; Castle Star 2, FC Larne 0.

JUNIOR DIVISION THREE

Results: Cookstown RBL 2, Sport & Leisure Swifts Reserves 0; Rathcoole FC 5, AFC Carrick 1; York Road Loughside ‘B’ 8, 14th Newtownabbey 2; Remo FC 2, FC Ballynure Reserves 2; FC Whiteabbey 8, 1st Carrickfergus Old Boys 0 Encore FC 1, Ballysillan Swifts 4.

LINDA WELSHMAN MEMORIAL CUP ROUND ONE

Result: Carrickfergus YC 0, York Road Loughside ‘A’ 12.

LINDA WELSHMAN MEMORIAL CUP ROUND THREE

Woodlands 0, Chimney Corner Reserves 3: This was bit of a shock for Woodlands who have been in very good form recently and would have started off the game as favourites to win.

Corner had other ideas and after Ryan Gallaher scored Woodlands had to chase the game.

This suited the Corner who were quite happy to sit and catch Woodlands on the break which they did twice with goals scored by Mark McCrea and Myles Devine to progress into the next round.

Other result: 3rd Ballyclare Old Boys 0, Mallusk Athletic 1.