Ulster Gazette - Sports - Villagers suffer shock defeat

Sports

Villagers suffer shock defeat

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Ballynahinch 2. Loughgall 1.

LOUGHGALL'S season went from bad to worse at the weekend as they were dumped out of the Intermediate Cup by Ballynahinch United.
Following their defeat to Coagh United in the Irish Cup, the Villagers had been expected to deal with this tie with ease.
But it was another day at the office to forget about for manager Colin Malone, who also had to seal with the news that two key players will be struggling to play before the end of the season.
United looked to be heading into the break with a two-goal advantage, with goals on 41 and 44 minutes, however Loughgall pulled a goal back in first half stoppage time through Davy Hawthorne to give a slightly different complexion during the interval.
Loughgall, with much of the second half possession, struggled to find a cutting edge on a bog like pitch condemning them to a deserved cup exit.
The two injury blows are to John Guy and Mark Carson have been ruled out of action for several months with a burst appendix and hernia respectively.
Boss Colin Malone made five changes from the side that lost to Coagh United in midweek; joining Guy and Carson missing were Mark Stewart, Johnny Kernaghan and Adam Pedlow.
They were replaced by Chris Hull, Steven Ferguson, Alain Emerson, Paul Keenan and Josh Finlay. Niall Doyle, brother of winger Stephen, also made his debut as a second half substitute after recently joining from Killymoon Rangers.
Ballynahinch opened the scoring through Ross Hayes on 41 minutes; Gary Walsh's header from a corner was cleared off the line by Jeff Brady only for Hayes to somehow smash the ball through a crowded penalty area and beyond goalkeeper Marc Robinson.
The lead was doubled three minutes later when Loughgall lost possession in midfield allowing Johnny Hunter to play a pinpoint cross-field ball for Ian McMullan who, with space, finished well.
Midfielder Hawthorne netted Loughgall's goal in injury time when he collected a pass at the left hand side of the penalty area, he worked a shooting opportunity to slot home inside the front post for a well-worked goal.
As Loughgall searched for an equaliser they were undone by goalkeeper Brian McMullan on several occasions; in the 68th minute Hawthorne's inside pass was met by captain Steven Ferguson who, from 15 yards, tested 'keeper McMullan with a low strike. Ten minutes later McMullan denied forward Paul Keenan who rose highest to head Greg Hall's cross on target.
Loughgall's best chance of the second half came with 8 minutes remaining; Hawthorne beat the offside trap to square the ball across both 'keeper McMullan and the goal for Stephen Doyle however he could only find the side netting from close-range.
Loughgall: Robinson, Hall, Brady, Hull, Finlay, Emerson (N Doyle 66 mins), Ferguson, Hawthorne, Malone, Keenan, S Doyle (Kernaghan 86 mins). Unused sub: Pedlow.
Ballynahinch: B McMullan, Walsh, Herron, Brashaw, Hayes, McKibbon, Hunter, Patterson, S McMullan, I McMullan, G McMullan. Subs: Dickson, Carlisle, Jones, Boal, Bingham.