Local sides advance in Junior Shield

Ballyvea 2 Harryville Homers 3

THE Homer's made their one hundred and fifty miles round trip a successful one despite getting off to a horror start.

With the game barely started Ballyvea were handed the lead. Ryan Balmer's innocuous looking back pass to his keeper took a freakish bounce off a divot to deceive Sam Donnelly sufficiently to bobble over his foot and into the unguarded net for one nil.

The visitors drew level after ten minutes through Joshua Stewart scoring his first ever goal in Homer's colours.

The unpredictable striker picked the ball up midway in his opponents half before unleashing an unstoppable rocket on the run into the bottom corner.

The Homers took a deserved lead midway into the half with another fire cracker of a goal, this time from Justin Rowe. He exchanged passes with Leon Carley before side stepping the defender and blasting a right footed shot into the top corner, leaving the keeper well and truly rooted to the spot.

Full back Mark Butler, not to be outdone, scored a wonder goal of his own just minutes later. Stewart, Carley and Rowe combined well down the right before squaring to Butler who sublimely curled his twenty yard shot beyond the reach of the out stretched Ballyvea keeper.

Surprising this was the end of the scoring until late on in the game and even more surprising it was the hosts that scored it with a well placed header to reduce the deficit but despite a few nervy moments late on, the Harryville men saw out the game to claim their place in the next round of this years Junior Shield.

Willowbank II 1 All Saints OB 2

The Saints turned in a battling performance playing with 10 men for 70 minutes to seal a place in the last 32 of the Junior Shield.

Saints had the ball in the net in the opening 10 minutes when Caolan Tierney got on the end of a Conan Dunne cross, but the front man was ruled offside in a tight call.

The bright start from the visitors was awarded on 17 minutes when they took the lead. Miles Devine clipped a free kick from the right into the box and Niall Swann beat his marker to the ball to plant a header into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later though Saints task was made all more difficult when they were reduced to 10 men for an off the ball incident.

The numerical disadvantage put Saints on the back foot, but after a change in shape they began to get a foothold in the game with the tireless work of Connell Lemon and Euan Pirie at the top end of the pitch ensuring Saints remained a threat.

This energy in the Saints attack saw them edge two goals in front 10 minutes before the break when Connell Lemon latched on to a ball over the top from brother Cormac Lemon before a combination of him and the defender lobbed the ball over the Bank keeper and into the net.

Saints defended their box brilliant as the West Belfast side looked for a way back into the game before the break, but it was Saints who had the best chance to get a third goal when Euan Pirie cut in from the left played a one two with Conan Dunne but fired his effort over the bar.

The second half saw Saints turn in a defensive masterclass with the experienced back four of Philip Lynn, Niall Swann, Rhys O’Mullan and Ryan McCartney superb in defending their box as Bank threw everything at Saints and behind them keeper Thomas Hasson was faultless coming for numerous balls into the box to ease pressure.

On the counter attack Saints were extremely dangerous with Connell Lemon on two occasions firing over after a great break while Conan Dunne had the best chance of the lot to make it 3-0 and seal the tie but he fired tamely into the keepers arms.

In injury time Willowbank were themselves reduced to ten men as they cut a frustrated side, but they did get a goal back right on the final whistle when Rory Murphy found the top corner of the net from all of 35 yards out, but Saints had done enough to grind out the win and move into the last 32.

Immaculata II 2 Clough Rangers 3

Clough Rangers had to overcome a stern test in West Belfast to book their place in the last 32 of the Junior Shield.

The home side dominated the opening 20 minutes and were unfortunate not to take the lead when Jonny Gowdy cleverly flicked a pass around the corner for Reece Hackett. Hackett curled an effort from the edge of the box beyond Corey McVicker, only to see his shot come back off the woodwork.

Gowdy was the man to unlock the Clough defence in the 22nd minute. Anthony Havlin delivered a dangerous cross from the right and Gowdy produced a moment of magic, connecting with an acrobatic scissors kick which flew past McVicker and into the bottom corner.

Clough responded by changing their shape and gradually gained a foothold in the game. Their efforts were rewarded 10 minutes later when Matthew Lorimer caught the Immaculata defence napping with a quick throw-in, releasing Jordan Campbell, who fired home a superb half-volley from a tight angle.

The visitors were now playing with greater confidence and soon turned the game on its head with an excellent goal. Jack Dawson intercepted a clearance before finding Lorimer, who played a first-time pass into Campbell's path. Campbell shifted the ball from right to left before deceiving the goalkeeper with a superb left-footed finish.

The game looked to be beyond Immaculata on 67 minutes when Clough extended their advantage. Immaculata defender Eamon Begley failed to deal with a ball over the top from Dawson, allowing it to fall kindly for Lorimer on the edge of the box. He showed great composure to skip past Caomhan Slane before firing beyond Daire McAuley to make it 3-1.

However, there was another twist in the tale on 80 minutes when Cameron Staveley was adjudged to have brought down Diarmaid McPhillips inside the penalty area. Gowdy stepped up and sent McVicker the wrong way from the spot to set up a nervy finale.

Immaculata threw everything at Clough in search of an equaliser and a chance to take the tie to penalties. The home side piled on the pressure with a succession of corners and long throws, but Jason Johnston, David Gage and Cameron Staveley stood firm at the back to ensure Clough held on for victory and secured their place in the last 32.

Ballymoney United Reserves 0 FC Antrim 8

FC made light work of Ballymoney Reserves to progress to the last 32, with Sloan brothers Jordan and Reece the stars in a rampant eight nil victory.

It took the Antrin men only 12 minutes to open the scoring when Jordan Sloan switched the ball out left to brother Reece. He stepped inside his marker and from 25 yards out curled a brilliant effort into the top corner.

FC were well on top but it took them until 33 minutes to make their dominance pay with a second goal. Reece Sloan was the provider this time as he intercepted a ball out from the back before sliding in Kyle Neil who showed great composure to make it 2-0.

The home side were then reduced to 10 men five minutes later when their goalkeeper was removed giving them a mountain to climb in the second half.

FC were dominant in the second half and just before the hour mark they made it 3-0 when Caolan Hughes fired a ball behind the home defence for Seanchan Duffin who drilled the ball home with a brilliant one touch finish.

Substitute Liam McKernan got in on the act two minutes later when he controlled a cross from Duffin, turning his man before firing home for 4-0.

McKernan made it 5-0 showing great awareness in the box to head home at the near post after a great ball from Reece Sloan.

The powerful FC front man then completed the perfect hat trick as he finished well in the box with his right foot after great work from Reece Sloan and Lee Herron set him free.

Reece Sloan was the architect again when he curled a corner kick to the back post which was headed home by Kurt Crawford to make it 7-0.

The scoring was complete when FC hit an eighth goal late on, Reece Sloan again the provider with his fourth assist as he slid a ball into Seanchan Duffin in the box, he controlled and volleyed home completing a brilliant away day rout.

Cloughmills 5 St Luke’s II 1

Cloughmills hosted St Luke’s 2nds in the Junior Shield.

Cloughmills started the brighter of the two teams and it didn’t take them long to take advantage when a mix up at the back allowed Pavlo Kriuchkov to tap in and make it 1-0.

After a few missed chances Cloughmills doubled their lead when Mark Hayes found himself free in the box to score and make it 2-0.

St Luke’s got one back just before half time to make it 2-1 at the break.

The second half started the same with Cloughmills on top and they made it 3-1 with a 25 yard strike from Cameron Eagleson.

With 20 to go a cross was met well by Ryan Lewis to make it 4-1 and to round the scoring off Cloughmills were awarded a penalty that Ryan Lewis hammered home to make it 5-1 capping a brilliant team performance to see Cloughmills in to the last 32.

Ahoghill Thistle 2 Strangford 1

Ahoghill Thistle booked their place in the next round with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Strangford.

Thistle made a slow start to the first half, with Strangford starting the brighter of the two sides. The visitors applied pressure and created a couple of chances, but Corey McAlister in the Thistle goal was on hand to make some excellent saves.

However, on the 39th minute, the ball broke to Strangford’s number 11 just inside the Thistle half. He produced a superbly executed lofted effort to send the ball into the net and give Strangford the lead.

Thistle came out for the second half looking to get back into the game and began to take control. Shields, Connor McAllister and Greer all forced the Strangford goalkeeper into action as Thistle started to create more opportunities.

Their efforts paid off on the 51st minute when Connor McAllister delivered a cross into the box, Greer did well to set the ball for Shields, who made no mistake in drawing Thistle level.

With momentum now behind them, Thistle continued to push for a winner, with Warwick and McClean causing problems through a series of dangerous crosses into the box.

The decisive moment arrived when McNeill collected the ball around 30 yards from goal before unleashing a superb strike into the top corner to put Thistle 2-1 ahead.

Thistle held on to secure their place in the next round!

Three other BSML sides progressed to the last 32. A win on the road for Raceview As they eased past Glendowan 3-0. Ballycastle United Reserves kept up their good run of form in the Junior competitions as they won 3-0 at home to Saintfield United II.

Southside Rangers complete the nine strong BSML attack on the Shield as they received a walkover against Ravel Rovers.