Ballymena United 1, Ards 1

A youthful Ballymena United side concluded their Danske Bank Premiership campaign with a 1-1 draw against Ards, who were relegated after Institute clinched the Championship One title.
Ballymena United.Ballymena United.
Ballymena United.

United fielded what must have been one of the youngest starting line-ups in the club’s history with a number of David Dorrian’s reserve team teenagers given their chance.

There were full debuts for Aaron Harris, Jack Graham, Steven Hamill, Jason Johnston, Matthew Ferguson and Eoin Kane as manager Glenn Ferguson rested his entire first team squad ahead of next Saturday’s Irish Cup final against Glenavon.

But the young United side showed no early nerves as they made a bright start and they took the lead after 12 minutes.

From a long ball played forward, defender Greg Hall misjudged the bounce, leaving skipper for the day James McCabe to race clear and steer a shot past keeper Graeme McKibbin.

Ards began to find a way back into the game and equalised two minutes before the break.

Stephen McCullough’s cross from the left was pulled down by Willie Faulkner, who cut inside before finding the bottom corner of Macauley Cairns’ net from the edge of the penalty area.

In a low-key second half, Ballymena went close with 17 minutes left when Eoin Kane threaded a through ball into the path of McCabe, whose shot was blocked by the feet of McKibbin.

At the other end, Corey Davidson’s inswinging cross was glanced wide by the head of Mark McClelland, while David Gibson saw his header land on the roof of the net.

Michael McLellan almost won it for Ballymena in the final minute when he wriggled clear in the area but his fierce shot was beaten out by McKibbin.

Ballymena United: Cairns, Harris, Loughran, Graham, Hamill (sub Carson 76), Johnston, Ferguson (sub Black 70), E Kane, McCabe, McLellan, Lowry (sub McQuillan 51). Subs: McKenna, McNeill.

Ards: McKibbin, Hall, Hunter, Gibson, McCullough, Downey (sub Mitchell 62), Cleary, Faulkner (sub Muldrew 46), McDowell (sub Dougan 62), McClelland, Davidson. Subs (not used): Burns, Connor.

Referee: John Deighan (Limavady)

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