Moore is the star of the show as Carrick stay up in flicks drama

Carrick players run to celebrate with their keeper, Kerrie Moore, after securing their league status on Saturday

In a fiercely competitive play-off match at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney, Carrick drew on all their reserves of guts and determination to eventually win the game on penalty flicks. And the hero of the hour was undoubtedly Carrick’s goalkeeper, Kerrie Moore, who performed superbly throughout the match then went on to break Limavady hearts by saving three of their five flicks.

Coming into Saturday’s game with a highly impressive goalscoring record in Senior Three, Limavady were expected to cause Carrick considerable difficulty with their speed and attacking flair.

And with 20 minutes on the clock, they eventually managed to breach an otherwise well-organised Carrick defence to take a deserved lead. But a superb piece of individual approach play from their inspirational young captain Chloe Mitchell, set up Lyndsey McClurg to level the scoring just before half-time.

The pattern of the second half was very much the same as the first with Limavady looking to make the most of their pace up front, while Carrick dug in across the pitch and looked to hit back on the counter-attack.

This tactic eventually paid off when an up-field ball to Dara Curry was neatly played on to Carrick veteran Emma Nichols who gleefully smashed it past the Limavady keeper. With time running out for Limavady, they continued to push for an equaliser and eventually found one late in the game to take the match into extra-time.

Both teams had opportunities to win the game during this period but with the defences staying strong, the play-off moved into a penalty flick decider.

Keeper Kerrie Moore saved the first Limavady flick and Christine Clarke put her side at an immediate advantage when she scored hers. Limavady then fought back with a converted flick but were once again put on the back foot when Mitchell converted and Moore saved again. Limavady hit back with another conversion, only to be matched by Carrick’s Dara Curry.

With the flick score now 3-2 in Carrick’s favour, and the remaining Limavady player needing to score just to keep her team in the game, Moore pulled off yet another first-class save with an amazing dive to her right as the jubilant Carrick players descended on her en masse to gleefully celebrate a momentous win for their club.