SML round-up: Saints halt Thistle’s unbeaten start

FC Moylena and Carniny Rangers also progressed to the next round of the prestigious competition.

CO ANTRIM JUNIOR SHIELD

All Saints OB 4, Ahoghill Thistle 2: Saints turned in a brilliant first half performance, hitting four goals to halt Thistle’s unbeaten run.

Saints hit the opener on 27 minutes when a Barry Hamill free kick was only half cleared to Michael McCarry who found the net with a left footed volley from 20 yards.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Michael Maybin split the Thistle defence for Ryan Wilkinson to slot home.

Saints were rampant now and made it 3-0 on 33 minutes. Ryan Wilkinson crossed from the left and found Michael McCarry whose shot was saved but he calmly played the ball back for Barry Hamill to fire home.

Thistle got a goal two minutes before the break when Jason Stewart crossed for Alan Moore who controlled and finished.

Saints had the final say of the half though as they made it 4-1 when Stewart McDonald parried out a Ryan Brady free kick and Michael McCarry was on hand to score his second of the game.

Thistle’s cause was dealt a major blow three minutes into the second half when keeper Stewart McDonald was sent off after he handled the ball outside his area and stopped Aaron Keenan racing clear to score.

Despite being down to 10 men, Thistle cut the deficit to two goals 20 minutes from time when an Alan Moore cross found David Tennant unmarked and he slotted the ball home to set up a grandstand finish. Saints were then reduced to ten men when they had a player sent off for a rough challenge, but Saints dug in and held on to make it into the last 32.

Basement YM 2, Carniny Rangers 3: Carniny took a three goal lead against the 2012 winners but had to fend off a strong comeback.

In the opening minutes Carniny captain Ryan Bamber, playing in midfield, sustained a nasty cut above his right eye in a clash of heads leaving him heavily bandaged round the head for the duration of the game.

Carniny scored from their first opening on 19 minutes when veteran Basement defender Derek Spence got involved in a tangle with his own keeper and Darren Kidd was on hand to benefit and finished from 12 yards to give Carniny the lead.

Carniny doubled their lead on 34 minutes when Frazer Young’s corner was met powerfully by Richard Reid whose downward header bounced up off the bar for Ryan Bamber to head in from a yard out.

Carniny’s lead was extended with just over a quarter of an hour left when Richard Reid stroked home a penalty kick after a foul on James Gracey.

Basement pulled a goal back on 78 minutes and five minutes later Sargent, Basement’s best player on the day, scored again. In a thrilling finish Ingram saved well from Kidd and Ryan Balmer while Alex McCosh made a great block at Sargent’s feet to deny the equaliser.

FC Moylena 6 Ballynafeigh YM 1: The visitors against the run of play opened the scoring early on but this acted as a wakeup call for Moylena who equalised shortly afterwards when Paul Miliken headed home.

After this it was all Moylena and their second goal came when Stuart McCrea hit a thunderous shot which found the net thanks to a wicked deflection. The flood gates opened after this and Ben Connolly got his first of four just before half time.

The fourth goal came after the break when Neil Murdoch played in Neil Stevenson who picked out Ben Connolly who had a simple tap in.

Connolly then added two further goals which were great individual goals and brilliantly finished.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION ONE

Ballykeel 3, Michelin 1: In this relegation six pointer Ballykeel took the lead on 26 minutes when a poor clearance by Michelin keeper Cathal McQuillan was volleyed home from 25 yards out by Chris Djorjani.

Two minutes before the break Keel doubled their lead when Djorjani rose highest to head home a Dale Mitchell corner.

Michelin got back in the game 10 minutes from time when a neat move involving Neil Tully, Paul O’Neill and Stephen Sexton set up Thomas Agnew who fired home from 12 yards out.

Michelin’s Mark Burnside had a goal ruled out for offside then on the stroke of full time a long ball out of defence from Barry McDowell found Djorjani who raced clear and slotted home for his hat trick.

BALLYMENA MORTGAGES DIVISION TWO

The Raceview v FC Antrim game had to be abandoned within 2 minutes of the start when, after Antrim had taken the lead, Raceview player Andy Duncan fell on his shoulder and collapsed. He was unconscious so the teams sent for an ambulance and agreed to abandon the match because of his condition.

He was released from Hospital at the weekend but will have to return to get treatment for a injured shoulder which will put him out of action for a considerable period. All at the BSML wish him a speedy recovery.

OTHER RESULTS

Co. Antrim Junior Shield: Ballynahinch Oly II 3, Connor 2; Clough Rangers 1, St Lukes 4; FC Penarol 0, Suffolk 3; North End Shamrocks 1, Greenisland 4.

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Harryville Homers 11, Abbeyview 1; Carnlough Swifts 6, Ahoghill Rovers 2; Randalstown Sky Blues 4, Shore Wanderers 1.

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Braid United 6, Randalstown 1; Cloughmills 4, Cushendall 3; St Comgalls 6, Seven Towers 4; Waveney Swifts 1, Riverdale 2

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: Cullybackey Olympic 1, Lisnafillan Swifts 0; Newpark Olympic 5, Wakehurst Star 0; Templepatrick 6, FC Bayern Money 0; Woodside 2, Glenravel 6.

FIXTURES

Saturday 30th November - County Antrim Post O’Kane Cup Semi Finals (10.15am): Ahoghill Thistle v Harryville Homers (Broughshane); All Saints OB v Randalstown Sky Blues (Ahoghill).

Ballymena Mortgages Division One: Carnlough Swifts v Abbeyview; Clough Rangers v Ahoghill Rovers; FC Moylena v Ballykeel (Forum); FC Penarol v Carniny Rangers (Showgrounds 5); Shore Wanderers v Michelin (Forum).

Ballymena Mortgages Division Two: Connor FC v FC Antrim; Holywell v Cushendall (Forum); Randalstown v Seven Towers; Riverdale v Raceview (Wakehurst 2); St Comgalls v Cloughmills; Waveney Swifts v Braid United (Waveney 2).

Ballymena Mortgages Division Three: FC Bayern Money v Atletico Antrim; Lisnafillan Swifts v Woodside (Showgrounds 4); Newpark Olympic v Cullybackey Olympic (Forum); Steadfast v Glenravel (Galgorm); Wakehurst Star v Galgorm Blues (Dunfane 1).