Homers extra special as they dump Carniny

And that was the case once again as Homers dumped the league champions out of the Arkmedia Cup in Saturday's quarter-final.

Alan Rainey was the Homers hero with an extra-time goal which sends his side into the semi-finals, where they will be joined by Connor, All Saints Old Boys and Seven Towers.

ARKMEDIA CUP QUARTER-FINALS

Harryville Homers 2, Carniny Rangers 1 (aet): This was the match of the day with the two big Harryville Teams meeting in the ARKMEDIA Cup Quarter Finals and it was the Homers who came out on top thanks to two Alan Rainey goals to send them into the Semi Finals and dump the holders out.

As usually happens in these Harryville Derbies the two teams are set up to cancel each other out and the first twenty minutes saw no change in this with few chances being creates. Homers opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Gary Baird made a great run down the right before sending over an inch perfect cross for Alan Rainey to rise and head home.

Carniny pushed for an equaliser and it finally came 1 minute to half time when Mark Waddell pounced on a bad clearance to hammer the ball low into the corner of the net and send the teams in level at half time.

The second half saw both teams dominate in mid field but few chances were created and the game petered out and extra time was required.

Homers got the winner in the first period of extra time and it was a carbon copy of the opener only this time Robert Ritchie made the run down the right before sending the ball to the back post where Alan Rainey headed home the winner and sent his team into the Semi Final.

Connor FC 2, Ballykeel 0: A goal in each half saw Connor progress to the Semi Final of the ARKMEDIA Cup but they had to weather a late Ballykeel fight back.

Connor had a great chance to open the scoring when they were awarded a penalty kick on 25 minutes when Darren Campbell was upended in the penalty area. Gary Sands stepped up but his spot kick hit the post and danger was cleared.

The break through came with 2 minutes to half time when Jimmy White plit the Ballykeel defence to send Mervyn Campbell through and he slotted the ball home.

The second hat was again a tight affair but Connor hit Ballykeel with a sucker punch half way through the half when Jimmy White again was the architect with a through ball to Darryl Coyle who race clear and rounded the Ballykeel keeper to score.

Ballykeel threw everything at Connor and Nicky Yound in their goals had to make a brilliant save from a Barry Bonnes shot. He was called into action again to deprive Jason Magill from scoring as Ballykeel pushed to get back into the match but Connor held on for a great win.

All Saints OB 5, Waveney Swifts 1: Saints saw off a spirited Swifts side to make it into the last four of the ARKMEDIA Cup thanks to an excellent second half performance.

Swifts started well and forced a few early saves out of Saints keeper Brian Martin when Ciaran Lemon and Rodney Beggs had shots which he had to save. Saints weathered the early pressure and opened the scoring against the run of play on 20 minutes.

Odhran Da Prato fed Chris Smiley who held the ball up before laying the ball into the path of Stephen Tully who drove clear before slotting home. This settled Saints and two minutes later they doubled their lead when Eoin Hudson played a one two with Chris Smiley before slipping in Kieran McKeown who hammered the ball past Richard Fulton in the Swifts goal.

The second half was barely a minute old when Swifts made it 2-1. Geoff Tweed played a one two with William McNabb which cut the Saints defence open and he raced clear to score.

After this Saints took the game to Swifts and had a few half chances and calls for penalties turned down before they restored the two goal cushion on 67 minutes.

Substitute Liam Cassley played the ball to Eoin Hudson who cleverly set up Chris Smiley to fire home. Eight minutes later Chris Smiley made it 4-1 when he thrashed the ball home from just inside the box.

Saints completed the scoring late on when a Paddy Logan shot was parried and fell to Gerard Spurgeon to fire home and make it 5-1.

Cullybackey Olympic 3, Seven Towers 4: This all Division Two quarter final turned out to be a cracker with Towers edging through in a seven goal thriller.

Towers dominated early on and they took the lead on 25 minutes when John Miskella found the net with a 25 yard screamer.

Ten minutes later Towers went 2-0 up when Alex Telford headed home a Micky King corner kick which sent them in with a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.

The game looked all over five minutes into the second half when the ball fell to Alex Telford in the six yard box and he fired into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 to Towers.

Then the Cullybackey fight back started with two quick goals. The first coming when Neil Brownlow crossed for Chris Coulter to fire home. Two minutes later Neil Brownlow crossed for Gary Glass to head home and make the score line 3-2.

Towers then had keeper Stephen Marrs to thank for maintaining their lead when he made a save from Chris Coulter.

Then with 10 minutes left Neil McKeever broke clear to score and give Towers a 4-2 lead.

The game see sawed again five minutes from time when Gareth Steele chipped Stephen Marrs in the Towers goal to make it 4-3 and set up a dramatic finish.

Although Cullybackey pushed for the equaliser it was to be Towers day as they held on and seal a Semi Final spot in the ARKMEDIA Cup.

OTHER RESULTS

BSML Division One: FC Moylena 3, Randalstown Sky Blues 0; Glenarm Rovers 7, Ahoghill Rovers 2 (Played Friday); North End 1, Clough Rangers 2.

BSML Division Two: Ahoghill Thistle 4, FC Antrim 0; Dunloy Athletic 3, St Comgalls 4; Holywell 1, Michelin 5; Templepatrick 3, FC Inter Stars 4; Shore Wanderers 4, Westend Athletic 3.

BSML Division Three: Lisnafillan Swifts 1, Atletico Antrim 2; FC Penarol 1, Riverdale 1; Galgorm FC 3, Cushendall FC 1; Inver Athletic 3, Wakehurst Star 1; Woodside 4, Steadfast 3; Randalstown 3, Wakehurst Athletic 0.

FIXTURES

Saturday, October 30 - Paddy Power Co Antrim Junior Shield first round (1.30pm): Kircubbin FC v All Saints OB; Seven Towers v Annalong Swifts (Showgrounds 4); Harryville Homers v Cumann Spoirt An Phobail (Wakehurst 2); Michelin v Rosario YC II; Westend Athletic v Glenpark FC/PSNI Olympic (Showgrounds 5); Grove United II v Randalstown; Lisburn Rangers II v Abbeyview; Waveney Swifts v Corrymeela FC (Waveney 2); St Teresa's YC v Ballykeel; Clough Rangers v 82nd FC A (Clough); Carniny Rangers v Albert Foundry II (Wakehurst 1); Glenarm Rovers v Carniny AFC; Crumlin Rec v FC Inter Stars; Templepatrick v St Oliver Plunkett (Forum); Broadway Celtic v Sporting Lisburn (Showgrounds 7).

BSML Division One (10.15am): Ahoghill Rovers v FC Moylena (Ahoghill); North End v Connor FC (Dunfane); Randalstown Sky Blues v Carnlough Swifts.

BSML Division Two: Holywell v Ahoghill Thistle (Forum); Cullybackey Olympic v Dunloy Athletic (Tober Park); FC Antrim v Braid United (Forum).

BSML Division Three: Atletico Antrim v Riverdale; Inver Athletic v Galgorm FC; Wakehurst Athletic v FC Penarol (Wakehurst 4); Cushendall FC v Woodside; Steadfast v Lisnafillan Swifts (Galgorm); Cloughmills Thistle v Wakehurst Star.