SML round-up: Homers given stern test in Junior Cup

Robert Duddy’s side were pushed all the way before overcoming Woodvale 3-2 in a match which lived up to its tie of the round billing. Homers are joined in the next round by Ahoghill Thistle, who won 2-1 on their trip to Armagh Rovers. But it was the end of the Junior Cup Road for Clough Rangers, Southside Rangers and Raceview, who all suffered defeats. IFA JUNIOR CUP Woodvale 2, Harryville Homers 3: The Harryville men started the game well only to see a string of half chance go begging. These half chances proved crucial as Woodvale drew first blood after twenty minutes. The holders levelled shortly afterwards when Ricky Nicholl cut in from the right to pick out Alan Rainey on the six yard line. The winger then bundled the ball in past the keeper for one all and send the sides in level at the break. The second half started in electric fashion with the home side regaining the lead with a crisp right foot drive into the bottom corner, but the home side had barely finished celebrating when Homers hit back. The same two players as in the first goal linked up once again with devastating effect. This time the roles were reversed as Alan Rainey outpaced his marker to square to Ricky Nicholl who finished brilliantly after a lung bursting run. With fifteen minutes remaining Alan Rainey was at his devastating best once again when another trademark run down the right wing left his beleaguered marker in his wake. He then squared the ball to Paul McNeill for the striker to place the ball in the corner of the net for the fifth and final goal which proved to be the winner. Armagh Rovers 1, Ahoghill Thistle 2: Thistle made the long journey to Armagh to face Mid Ulster League side Armagh Rovers and got off to a flying start as they raced into a 2-0 lead in five minutes. The opening goal came on 90 seconds when a shot from George Courtney was saved by the home keeper and it rebounded out to Mervyn Crawford who planted the ball in the corner of the net. Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Ryan Sands unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards which curled beyond the reach of the Rovers keeper to cap a perfect start from Thistle. Just before the break the home side got a goal back and set up a tense second half when their winger cut inside and placed the ball in the bottom corner. The second half saw Thistle forced into a change in nets with Ryan Curry replacing Stewart McDonald who was withdrawn through injury, but despite a lot of pressure from the home side the replacement keeper wasn’t called into action too often. Late on Rovers pushed hard for an equaliser but great defensive work by the whole Thistle back four well led by the experienced Gareth Dickey kept them at bay as they progressed into the next round. FIRMUS ENERGY DIVISION ONE All Saints OB 1, Carniny Rangers 2: A Dean Dunlop goal six minutes from time snatched all three points for Carniny and ended Saints’ 100% start to the league campaign. Five minutes into the second half the breakthrough came and it came for the visitors. Sean Redmond whipped a corner kick from the left in at the near post and it somehow found its way into the net to give Carniny the lead. Just after the hour mark the game swung again when Carniny were reduced to ten men when their man received his marching orders for an off the ball kick on a Saints player. From the resulting free kick on the right hand side Barry Hamill brilliantly curled the ball round the wall low into the bottom corner giving Sean Ward no chance. Then with five minutes to go Carniny hit Saints with a sucker punch second goal. Sean Redmond swung over another corner from the left and it found Dean Dunlop unmarked six yards out and he planted his header beyond the reach of Brian Martin in the Saints goal. FIRMUS ENERGY DIVISION TWO Randalstown 1, Michelin 4: A first half hat trick from Derek Montgomery helped fire Michelin to all three points against an improved Randalstown side and keeps up their pursuit of an instant return to Division One. Michelin raced into a two goal lead in the opening 10 minutes. The first goal came when Graham Adams set up Derek Montgomery who made no mistake in opening the scoring. Soon after Derek Montgomery doubled his and Michelin’s tally when he finished off some good work from Colin Corry. Michelin were well on top now and they looked to have put the game beyond the home side just after the half hour mark when a neat finish from Derek Montgomery completed his hat trick and made it 3-0. The second half saw Michelin in complete control and they came close on numerous occasions before a brilliant through ball from Geoff Tweed found Thomas McCullough and coolly made it 4-0. Randalstown got a late consolation when Gareth Mott scored with a great strike. OTHER RESULTS IFA Junior Cup 2nd Round: Clough Rangers 3, Hill Street 5; Southside Rangers 0, Cookstown Celtic 4; Coalisland Athletic 2, Raceview 0. firmus energy Division One: FC Moylena 3, Abbeyview 4; Newpark Olympic 7, Connor FC 2; Riverdale 1, Ballykeel 2. firmus energy Division Two: Ahoghill Rovers 4, Galgorm Blues 1; Carnlough Swifts 4, Seven Towers 1; Cushendall 2, FC Penarol 3; Cloughmills 4, Waveney Swifts 4; Sporting Ballymoney 6, Woodside 2. firmus energy Division Three: Carniny Amateurs 4, Ruby’s Rovers 4; Cullybackey Olympic 1, Braid United 2; Steadfast 1, Atletico Antrim 3; Templepatrick 5, Wakehurst Star 1. FIXTURES Saturday, October 24 - Toals Co Antrim Junior Shield, round two (1.30pm): Ahoghill Rovers v Castlewellan Town (Showgrounds 4); Southside Rangers v Donaghadee (Wakehurst 2); Ahoghill Thistle v Holywell (Ahoghill); Abbey Villa II v Raceview; Waveney Swifts v Tollymore United (Waveney 2); 18th Newtownabbey OB II v Harryville Homers; St Comgalls v Glenravel; Clough Rangers v Ballynure OB B (Clough); Cloughmills v Sporting Ballymoney; Carniny Rangers v St Oliver Plunkett (Wakehurst 1); Mountainview FC v Abbeyview; Galgorm Blues v Ards Rangers II (Galgorm). County Antrim Post O’Kane Cup Quarter Final (10.15am): Randalstown v All Saints OBs firmus energy Division One: FC Moylena v Newpark Olympic (Forum). firmus energy Division Two: FC Penarol v Seven Towers (Showgrounds 5); Woodside v Cushendall (Wakehurst 6). firmus energy Division Three: Braid United v Atletico Antrim (Broughshane); Cullybackey Olympic v Carniny Amateurs (Tober Park); Northend & District v Wakehurst Star (Dunfane); Templepatrick v Steadfast (Forum).