Shock as Whites crash out

TWO records were created at Ballinamallard on Monday night, but not both favouring Lisburn Distillery.

Glenn Ferguson became the second highest Irish League goalscorer in history when he fired the Whites 2-1 ahead, his 562nd career strike, but that joy was short lived as the home team went on to secure a first ever place in the last eight of the Irish Cup.

The Ferney Park side came from behind to create the upset of the round.

The home side started at an electric pace and could have been three up by the break.

They took the lead on five minutes when McGuigan’s inch perfect ball saw A ndy Crawford outpace the defence to calmly slot under keeper Billy Brennan’s body.

The Ballinamallard striker could have added two more before the break once cannoning off the keeper’s chest and the other taken off his toe by Brennan. The Premiership side did draw level five minutes before the break when Glenn Ferguson dummied just outside the penalty box to allow Gary Thompson to drill a low shot past keeper Matthew Quinn just inside the far post.

The second half saw Distillery take control and within six minutes they were ahead.

A ball across the goal fell perfectly for Glenn Ferguson to volley high into the top right hand corner. The Whites controlled the next 20 minutes until Ballinamallard changed their line-up and formation.

They got back in the game when Michael Kerr tapped home a penalty after Crawford was upended in the box, and minutes later Distillery’s Jordan Forsythe was sent off for a second bookable offence.

In the final ten minutes Ballinamallard took control of the game and when Chris Crilly’s low shot was panned away by keeper Brennan that man Crawford was on hand again to shoot home.

Minutes before the end Crawford completed his hat-trick when his fierced drive was spilled by keeper Brennan just inside the near post.