Moira FC make history with win in first match

ST MARY’S FC 1 MOIRA FC 2

THERE was a double dose of history for Moira FC as the club entered competitive football for the first time.

After three years in Games Development football, Moira’s 2001s made their bow in the Northern Ireland Boys FA Cup and they made it an occasion to remember thanks to a 2-1 win over St Mary’s of the South Belfast League.

After scoring early in the game the Moira boys doubled their lead after the break and then held off a St Mary’s fightback to make it through to the third round of the competition.

Mixing with an establish league team didn’t phase the Moira players, who were making their debut on the big stage as they took the game to St Mary’s in the opening stages. And their early pressure was rewarded with a goal 15 minutes in.

Ben Carson weaved his way into the box and when he was unable to get a shot at goal he did the next best thing by sending the ball into the goalmouth and Robbie Jamieson pounced to score Moira’s first goal in competitive football.

It stayed 1-0 until half-time and St Mary’s came out strong at the start of the second half as they searched for an equaliser. As they began to have more of the play Moira broke forward and notched a second. And it was a familiar combination as Carson delivered the cross into the box from the left and after the ball had evaded everyone in the six yard box Jamieson was on hand to tap in unmarked at the back post.

Moira were a matter of inches away from scoring a third goal that would have clinched victory when Tim Curragh’s effort hit the top of the crossbar.

That miss allowed St Mary’s to set up a nervy finish when they sent a free-kick into the box and reduced the deficit with 10 minutes to go.

They didn’t quite have the fight needed to take the game into extra-time though and the Moira defence and goalkeeper Ben Welch held out to help write theirs and their team-mate’s names in history.

Team: B Welch, M Mawhinney, F Orr, J Dillon, D Dillon, J Patterson, R Jamieson, A Allen, T Curragh, B Carson, S Allen. Subs: R Kennedy for J Patterson, J McCloy for T Curragh, L Egge-Cousins for S Allen, A Smyth and E Welch.