Browne’s brace helps to win six goal thriller

taylor, Conroy

Gransha Institute...(2) 4

Browne (2), McFadden, Walsh

This First Division fixture was a tight affair with table toppers Gransha Institute claiming the three points.

They had to work hard and come from a goal down against the plucky Strabane club.

It was the visitors to Prehen that grabbed the lead in the fifth minute.

Gransha’s defence failed to clear and lost possession to Danny Glenn who played in David Taylor and from just outside the penalty area Taylor let fly and with the aid of a deflection scored.

Gransha goalkeeper Paul McConway was wrong footed and could nothing about the shot as it nestled in the bottom corner. Strabane pushed on and did not allow Gransha to settle.

During the early stages it was Strabane that threatened as Gransha’s final pass was going astray. A long range effort in the 20th minute from Athletic’s Patterson was easily dealt with by McConway.

It was not until the 34th minute that Gransha mustered their first real attack.

A Dean Carlyle free kick from 25 yards was blocked and cleared for a corner.

From the resulting corner Strabane were guilty of a defensive lapse, they failed to clear on two occasions and were duly punished with the equaliser.

Marty Smyth latched on to the ball and drilled a low cross towards the back post were Ryan Browne applied the finish.

Four minutes later Gransha took the lead.

The excellent Carlyle gained possession in the midfield and ran at pace towards Athletic’s box, he evaded a few challenges before playing in Darren McFadden with a precision pass and the striker controlled well and finished even better with a cracking drive in to the net.

This would be the strikers last contribution as he was carried off a minute later with a bad ankle injury.

Institute were a different team in the second half.

The introduction of substitute’s Gilchrist and Burns worked well.

In stark contrast to the first half Stute played some neat attractive footbal and their passing was much improved.

Strabane were forced to defend and in the 60th minute had their goalkeeper Andy Devine to thank for a tremendous double save.

He dived full length and parried a Carlyle shot then bounced straight up to deny Gilchrist from close range.

Devine was kept busy and his handling was excellent but he was beaten in the 70th minute.

A break up the right wing allowed Davitt Walsh to get into the box and he steered a low shot beyond Devine.

Five minutes later and Strabane were right back in the game.

A re-taken free kick from 30 yards was sweetly struck by Neil Conroy, he curled the ball around the wall and past the despairing dive of McConway for a spectacular goal.

Athletic poured forward in search of the equaliser and substitute Fergal McGavigan had a great opportunity to level the game but he blasted over when well placed.

Institute sealed the win with their fourth goal in the 86th minute, once again Strabane’s ability to defend set pieces was exposed.

From a corner Brown added his second of the game. Athletic attempted to clear three times but didn’t and the ball fell kindly to Browne who hammered home.

This win keeps Gransha Institute at the summit and they are very much on course to win the title with a 13 point lead of second place Oakleaf Celtic.

Gransha Institute: Paul McConway, Graham Taylor, Marty Smith, Ryan Brown, Barry O’Kane, Karl Moore, Tommy Carlin, Ryan McEniff, Darren McFadden, Dean Carlyle, Davitt Walsh. Subs: Stephen Gilchrist, Johnny Burns.

Strabane Athletic: Andy Devine, John Dooher, Adrian Nelson, Steven Taylor, Sean Doherty, Danny Glenn, Kevin Patterson, David Taylor, Neil Conroy, Jamie McAleer, Aidan Doherty. Subs: Fergal McGavigan, Michael Mongan, Paul Doherty.

Referee: Mr Dermot Liddy.