Quilty’s late double rescues a point for misfiring Moneyslane

Moneyslane held on to their spot at the top of the Intermediate B table as a late Brian Quilty double secured a 2-2 draw with Oxford Sunnyside.
Brian Quilty, who netted twice for Moneyslane on Saturday, in action for his previous club Dollingstown. INLM21-708.Brian Quilty, who netted twice for Moneyslane on Saturday, in action for his previous club Dollingstown. INLM21-708.
Brian Quilty, who netted twice for Moneyslane on Saturday, in action for his previous club Dollingstown. INLM21-708.

At a sun splashed Jubilee Park on Saturday, the BAWA were missing Blevins, Whitten and Steen although on the plus side Jordan Fairley declared himself fit after not training all week with an ankle injury.

As the game settled down, the home team were enjoying possession with little cutting edge and the away team causing some problems on the break. Moneyslane should have scored when Gareth Bingham played a great ball to Gregg Harrison who saw his shot saved with Bingham somehow heading the rebound wide from 10 yards.

The away team opened the scoring midway through the half when a cross to the back post was not dealt with by Bingham and when the striker controlled and crossed the ball across the six yard box, Shilliday lost his man who scored. Adair was getting in some great positions down the right and only a good tackle denied Ervine from a good Adair cross.

Slane had opportunities to equalise, particularly when Ervine broke through and with an unmarked Harrison standing free, he chose to shoot and the keeper saved.

Slane came out in the second half fired up and almost took the lead immediately only for a great save when Adair crossed from the right forcing a save by the away keeper.

From a long throw, Ervine found himself with the keeper to beat but from six yards, he fired wide. Fairley came on for Adair and immediately looked lively down the right.

Then on 60 minutes, disaster struck for the home team when from a corner Quinn lost his man and the striker headed home at the back post. That doubled the lead and frustration began setting in for Slane. They needed something quickly to get back into the game and got it when a Quilty shot found the net despite the best efforts of a defender on the line.

The home side then spurned a number of chances to equalise with Harrison striking a post, Ervine failing to connect 8eightyards out and Anderson somehow failing to connect inside the six yard box with the keeper stranded.

Then, with eight minutes to go, a free-kick was headed back across the goalmouth and Quilty bravely headed home to haul his side level.

The home team poured forward and had their chances but Anderson and Ervine both fired over, a Peden shot flashed into the side netting and the visiting keeper produced a great save from a Shilliday header to keep the scores level at the final whistle.