Riada seal semi-final spot

Constitution Cup

Riada 1 – 1 Ballymoney Olympic

(Riada won 4-2 on penalties)

RIADA scraped through to a semi-final meeting with Kilrea after a close encounter with local rivals Ballymoney Olympic.

The two teams needed the lottery of a penalty shoot-out to separate them after 110 minutes of playing time.

After 15 minutes, Olympic were reduced to ten men when Dunlop was red-carded.

However, this did not deter them, as they went on to defend and contest well for the remainder of the game. Riada were sloppy in possession and struggled to create clear chances, but were comfortable in defence for the majority of the half. At half time the score was 0-0.

In the second half, after some positional changes and instructions at half-time, Riada started to pass the ball better and hold possession more, but Olympic looked capable of snatching something on the break.

Riada finally broke through the well organised Olympic defence on 70 minutes, when a pass from goalkeeper Bryan Moore was collected by Declan Hassan on the half way line, he took the ball forward and played a good pass through to Raymond McCann, who turned and shot into the bottom corner.

Both teams had good opportunities after that. Leslie Nicholl forced a wonderful save from Moore, and Aron Thompson shot wide for Riada when he had the keeper to beat. Olympic got a deserved equaliser on 86 minutes, when keeper Coulter came up for a corner, and volleyed home a knock down. After 90 minutes the score was 1-1, and extra time was played.

Riada pushed for a winner in extra time, and a dubious penalty was awarded for a hand ball. William Smyth’s penalty was well saved by Coulter. The game then went to penalties.

Coulter saved one Riada penalty and Moore saved one of Olympic’s, while another was put wide. Nicholl and Coulter scored for Olympic, and McCann, Smyth, Hassan and McLernon scored for Riada.

It’s back to league action next week with Olympic away to Kilrea, and Riada will need an improved performance to beat West Bann at home.

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