Home win gets Dollybirds off the mark

They got off to the perfect start when on three minutes Ritchie Thompson broke onto a long ball and his pace easily took him onto a one and one with the keeper whom he calmly lopped for the opening goal.

A minute later Jamie Tomelty played a superb through pass for Jason Gillespie but the keeper smothered his shot well.

Thompson thought he had doubled the lead but the linesman pulled him up for offside when everyone thought differently and then Gillespie again threatened for Coagh but his header was wide from a free kick. Coagh had a great chance to equalise on 53 minutes from the spot when skipper Aaron Moffett was adjudged to have handled when the ball was driven at him from close distance. However Gareth McParland got down superbly to turn Tomelty’s spot kick round the post.

Glen Hand then punished Coagh on 57 minutes when keeper Martin dropped the ball from a cross and Hand simply tapped into the empty net.

On 75 minutes Tomelty got his second yellow and was sent off which killed the game for Coagh and on 85

minutes Hand fired in goal number three after an initial good save by the keeper.

Gillespie did pull a goal back in the final minute from a superb free kick on the edge of the area, but this was a deserved and welcome home win for Dollingstown.

The home side thank match sponsor LJP Joinery and ball sponsor JR McMahon, Lurgan.

This week the Dollybirds are at home in a re-arranged game against Sport and Leisure at 3.00pm.

Team: McParland, Coleman, McConnell, A King, N King, Moffett, Redpath, Hughes, Thompson, Hand, Donaghy. Subs: Harrison for Moffett; Duffy for Redpath.