FOOTBALL: Ballynure knocked off top spot

Ballynure Old Boys were toppled from their lofty Ballymena Premier League pole position when Newtowne leap-frogged them to the summit for the first time this season.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Feb 2016, 11:18 BST
Updated 24th Feb 2016, 11:25 BST

Gary Burns’ lads were left kicking their heels on Saturday afternoon when their O’Gorman Cup tie with Desertmartin was postponed owing to the south Derry pitch being waterlogged, and nearest rivals Newtowne grabbed the opportunity to take control with a comprehensive win against Magherafelt Sky Blues.

“Newtowne and ourselves have battled it out in the first half of the season, but we have always been at the top until Saturday,” said Burns.

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“However they are only two points ahead, and they still have to come here to take us on, so we are still aiming for back-to-back title wins,” he added.

Saturday’s postponed O’Gorman Cup tie with Desertmartin was the second time that this match has fallen foul of the weather, so it will now be switched to The Glade on a date still to be decided.

Meanwhile, Newtowne will have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table this weekend when they take on Rathcoole. Ballynure have a free weekend.

- For the second week in succession Ballyclare Comrades Reserves hit double figures when they whitewashed Carnmoney FC 10-0.

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Midfielder Kyle Robinson was the hat-trick hero and his early double plus a Jamie McMillan strike had the Wee Reds three up in the opening quarter.

Bobby Crowe made it four when he dinked the ball over the advancing keeper, before Robinson completed his treble with an angled volley.

Scott Cummings got a lucky goal when an attempted clearance rebounded off his body, with the ball looping over the stranded keeper.

Quick scores by McMillan and Woods made it 8-0, and in the closing stages skipper Kyle McCauley headed in from a McMillan corner. Cummings then completed his double with a shot into the bottom corner.

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- Larne Olympic are through to the last four of the Canada Trophy thanks to Saturday’s 3-2 win at Wakehurst Strollers.

Keith Hall, Shaun McGoran and Jonny McManus were on target for the Olympic.

- Grange Rangers slumped to their third Amateur League Division 2C defeat on the spin when they lost 3-2 to Suffolk Swifts.

They were 2-0 down inside four minutes but showed a little bit of fighting spirit to pull two goals back through Ryan Murphy on 23 and 34 minutes.

Swifts scored in the first minute of the second half to seal the win