Super Sporting lift Ironside

It was Sporting's first win over Warren and in the end they did it the hard way, but it was Warren who are left still looking for an Ironside Cup final win despite thrilling the large crowd with a dramatic finish.

With ten minutes left Sporting were three goals up with the only remaining question apparently being whether or not they could add to their lead when Warren were handed a life-line.

They won a penalty and Davy Irwin stepped up to hammer the ball into the corner of the net for what most thought was a consolation goal.

But, Willie Hull had different ideas and he raced on to a pass fron Stevie Leathem to slot the ball home and leave the score 3-2 with seven minutes still left. This was not the end of the drama for minutes later Jim Burns' header came off the underside of the crossbar with several Warren players claiming the ball had crossed the line.

Oh for technology at junior matches, but without it no one can be sure though the ball appeared to come down straight from the bar. Warren had a player ordered off shortly afterwards and Chris Cairns missed a great chance to put the result beyond doubt for Sporting.

The first half was scoreless though Sporting appeared more likely to score and Grahame Phillips should have put them ahead but with only the keeper to beat he fired over the bar.

Five minutes into the second half Phillips made amends for the earlier miss when he picked up a loose ball after Warren keeper, Andy McBride, had made a great save, to make no mistake.

The first of two debatable penalties in the game came nine minutes later when James Campbell, a constant thorn in the Warren side, appeared to go down before a tackle though the referee's assistant, who was well positioned gave the award to Sporting and Gary Carlisle made no mistake.

With 17 minutes of the second half gone Phillips, who was named man of the match, scored a cracking third goal for Sporting from over 25 yards out. It was the goal of the match and appeared to have put the game out of sight for Warren.

At last they began to play some football without looking really dangerous until their first goal really sparked the game to life and Sporting, who had never beaten Warren, must have thought - "not again''.

In the end though there can be no doubting Sporting were deserved winners, but the final piece of entertainment sent the neutrals home happy.