Wilkinson helps put Dunmurry to sword

Steel Cup round-up (Amateur League sides): Some razor-sharp finishing from Mark Wilkinson made it a happy return for Nortel manager Ricky Beggs to one of his old haunts as his side saw off 1A side Dunmurry Rec 4-2 in round two of the Steel and Sons Cup.

A Wilkinson double set the standard for the visitors but a soft penalty conceded by Ryan Cardwell and a defensive miscalculation saw Dunmurry level matters by the break.

Wilkinson, however, wasn’t finished, completing his hat-trick just after the turnaround, giving him five goals in three games since his return from Ballyclare Comrades.

And even when Wilkinson sat out the final minutes of the tie, there was no respite for Dunmurry, as his replacement Darren McKay copper-fastened the Doagh Road’s side in the next round where they travel to Crumlin United.

Crumlin booked their place with a 3-1 home win over Larne Tech Old Boys. Tech boss Johnny Hastings bemoaned: “Missing chances and then gifting them two goals, you just can’t do that against teams like Crumlin. We missed our chances and they took theirs – that’s why we’re not in the next round.”

Tech’s marksman was Dylan Monaghan who also rattled the frame of the goal, along with Lee Thompson.

Also out are Barn United, beaten 4-1 by Crumlin Star at Haslett Park, with all the Premier Division side’s goals coming in the first half. Barn manager Jim Pherson was far from happy about Star’s second and third goals. “It was a dubious penalty which they didn’t even claim for, it was just a coming together of players. Their third, which the referee insisted was over the line, was awarded as Star were running for the ball to take a corner.”

Barn, at least, ‘won’ the second half, with Andrew Dummigan their goalscorer.

UUJ lost 3-0 away to Colin Valley, while Kilroot Rec forfeited Friday’s game against Championship 2 side Sport and Leisure.