Old Boys on the wrong side of nine-goal thriller

GLEBE RANGERSOB 3

Balnamore, unbeaten in nine games, opened the scoring first in this entertaining fixture, when against the run of play, David McDowell headed in from Darren Adairs cross. Andy Shepperd equalised a few minutes later, flicking Greer’s low ball in at the near post.

Balnamore were frustrating Glebe’s neat passing with their solid defensive wall. David McDowell grabbed his second with an excellent strike from thirty yards.

Andrew Hegarty got in on the act too, lifting the ball from outside the area over McBride in the Glebe goal after good work by McDowell .

The second half started with Balnamore continuing to be dangerous on the break, David McDowell completed his hattrick on forty eight minutes when he shrugged off a number of challenges to score with a quality effort ,his second hat trick in as many games.

Glebe changed their shape moving Bellingham up front and soon pulled a goal back when Stephen Elder nipped in to reduce the deficit.

Balnamore made it five when Andrew Hegarty collected the ball in his own half, ran straight at goal evading two efforts to stop him and found the net with an excellent curling shot that McBride couldn’t keep out.

Hegarty completed his hat trick on seventy eight minutes with another top notch finish from just inside the box. Balnamore made a few changes and lost their shape, Glebe then capitalised and their pressure paid off and were awarded a penalty, but James Elder in the home side’s goal saved well.

Ian Bellingham scored soon after from close range but time ran out as Balnamore secured a deserved win in what was an entertaining game.

Man Of Match: David McDowell & Andrew Hegarty (Balnamore).

ST MARY’S AGHADOWEY OPEN PAIRS BOWLING

TOURNAMENT

The tournament was very successful and attracted large entry of 120 pairs with Finals night held on the 13th February 2015.

Section winners were I. Crown and .J Kennedy (Largy); M. Kane and T. Johnston (Kildress); C. Mearns and F. McDermott (Drummond) and P. Donnelly and H. Arbuthnot (Montra).

Beaten semi-finalists E. Irwin and N. Gamble (Loughanreagh) and G. Wilson and R. Graham (Maghera Pres).

The final was between D. Bonner and L. Jacob (Ramelton) and T. Lithgow and A. McComb (First Ahoghill).

The final was a very close and entertaining game with T. Lithgow and A. McComb emerging as winners of the tournament.

The organisers would like to thank all of the participants for their support and look forward to seeing them at next years event.