McConnell’s smash-and-grab strike seals draw for Carrick

It meant the travelling squad was forced to leave behind its important Carrick Grammar contingent who were still in the process of playing their school matches on Saturday morning.

And less then 15 minutes into the opening half, with Raphoe exerting huge pressure on the visitors, Carrick were dealt another major blow when they lost their captain and central defender Lois Passmore to a heavy fall, sidelining her for the remainder of the match.

In spite of the continuing Raphoe pressure which brought them an extended series of short corners, Carrick held on grimly with some pacey counter-attacking which saw Emma Nichols and Amy Cross working well together to test the Raphoe goalkeeper on more than one occasion.

However, with Passmore now sidelined and Raphoe continuing to press forward in numbers, the otherwise excellent Carrick goalkeeper Karen Nelson who had until then saved everything thrown at her finally succumbed to a short corner goal only two minutes before the half-time whistle.

The second half proved to be very much a repeat of the first with Carrick threatening on occasions from the evergreen Nichols and her young associate Holly Robinson but with the bulk of the play still taking place in the Carrick half where Nelson continued to work wonders with some amazing short corner saves.

Just as the final whistle loomed and with defeat clearly hanging over them, Carrick threw caution to the wind and some neat right-wing interplay from Nichols and Cross placed the ball perfectly in front of the charging Ashley McConnell who swept it deep into the Raphoe net to snatch an unlikely but wildly celebrated point for the travelling Carrick contingent.

Carrick Player of the Match: Karen Nelson.

Carrick 1st XI Squad: Cross, McClurg, McConnell, McElvogue, McIlroy, McWilliams, Nelson, Nichols, Oliver, Passmore (c), Poots, Robinson, Rodgers, Waide.

This weekend Carrick face rivals Greenisland, who lost 1-0 at home to Derg Valley on Saturday.