'Town into final

'Town into final

12 July 2011 - by CHARLIE McSTAY

A GOAL in either half at a bitterly cold and windy Bear Park, Newcastle, was good enough to send Castlewellan through to their 11th Bobby Dalzell Cup final.

Ballynahinch Olympic seconds tried to throw a spanner in the works, but strikes from Stevie Trainor and a second half penalty from Aidy Burns eased the holders through to the Christmas showdown.

Olympic, who faced the swirling wind in the first half, settle first and with six minutes gone a piercing pass from Nyall Walsh sent Ruairi Maguire racing into the box, but he was denied by a good save from Mickey Watson.

The first real talking point of the game came in the 10th minute when Olympic’s Liam Sloan traded more than verbals with Castlewellan’s Donal McKibben when they clashed in the penalty area, but the referee and his assistants saw nothing untoward and just had a quiet word in their ears.

Two minutes later Walsh sent another exocet of a pass into the path of the rampaging Maguire, but he was again denied by a brilliant stop from Watson.

With 19 minutes gone a corner from Stevie Trainor was met by Conor Stratton, but he headed narrowly over as Castlewellan came more into the game.

Another in-swinging corner from Trainor almost sneaked in at the back post before Castlewellan broke the deadlock in the 38th minute.

Connell Corrigan’s long throw was flicked on at the near post and Trainor, who was practically standing on the line, hooked the ball over his shoulder and into the net.

Less than a minute later Burns beat Olympic’s offside trap, rounded Olympic goalkeeper Gerard Marks and with an empty net to aim at, hit the upright when he really should have scored.

A minute before the break a cross from Niall Murray created an opening for Walsh, but his shot went wide.

Marks then saved from Burns and Flanagan as the half closed with not a lot in it.

Murray then went close at the start of the second half with a stinging 35 yard free kick and with 58 minutes gone he was on target with another free kick, but this time it was saved by Watson.

Two minutes later Trainor played in Donal McKibben, but he blasted over from a good position. Castlewellan’s second goal wasn’t long in coming and with 63 minutes gone Niall McGlew was adjudged to have tripped Donal McKibben in the box and Burns made no mistake from the penalty spot to make it 2-0.

Marks then saved from Flanagan to prevent Castlewellan taking a 3-0 lead and Stratton had an effort from close in cleared off the line.

Castlewellan were now in cruise control and all Olympic had to show for their efforts was a long range shot from Neil McAleenan that wasn’t too far away from finding the target.

However it was always going to be Castlewellan’s day, even without several of their first team squad.

Castlewellan: M. Watson, B. Travers, C. Corrigan, A. Kelly, C. Stratton, C. Flanagan, S. Russell, N. Toner, D. McKibben, S. Trainor, A. Burns. Subs: D. Morgan, L. McKibben, S. Mooney.

Ballynahinch Olympic II: G. Marks, N. McGlew, M. Hughes, L. Sloan, G. McMullan, N. McAleenan, G. Campbell, M. McCann, R. Maguire, N. Walsh, N . Murray. Subs: P. Rice, A. Boyd, S. Marmion.

Castlewellan 2

B’hinch Olympic II 0

DALZELL CUP SEMI-FINAL