FOOTBALL: Ballymena and Provincial League review

Here’s hoping the elements will be kinder this weekend (December 12) before the league takes a two-week break over the festive period.

With all Intermediate Division matches biting the dust, the focus fell on Junior Division 1 where Carnmoney entertained Cookstown Olympic who played out a 2-2 draw.

Oliver Piliar put the hosts in front on the sixteenth minute but Cookstown drew level early in the second half thanks to an own goal.

Just after the hour-mark, Carnmomney had keeper David McEvoy to thank when he saved a spot-kick but a short time later the visitors edged ahead when Kevin Hagan found the net.

Carnmoney kept battling and Craig Montgomery landed an 80th-minute equaliser to earn a share of the spoils.

Over at the 3G pitch at the Valley Leisure Centre, Sport and Leisure Swifts Reserves were 5-2 winners over FC Whiteabbey.

Sports took the lead when James Larkin fired home with eight minutes on the clock. But Whiteabbey took just two minutes to formulate a response when Ryan O’Neill levelled matters.

Sports went in front for a second time through Kevin Lynch on the half-hour, but back came Whiteabbey to level for a second time when Chris Loy struck three minutes before the interval.

The second half belonged to the hosts and a Declan Moore double put them 4-2 up before Lynch scored his second of the afternoon to wrap up the three points.

In Junior Division Three, Ross Jackson’s dramatic 92nd-minute goal earned Carrick Thistle a 3-2 win at Whitehead Rangers.

Steven Beattie had put Thistle one up as early as the second minute and held this advantage until Phil Hall scored for the Rangers on the 34th minute.

And with half-time looming Billy Pawson scored to put the Rangers in front.

The second half saw the Thistle go all out for the equaliser but the Rangers held them at bay until the 90th minute when a Thistle player was impeded in the box resulting in Jared McFadden converting the resulting penalty to level the score.

And deep into additional time Jackson nippedthrough to score the winner for Thistle.