Andy sends Rec to top of table with hot double

18 January 2012

THIS was just what the doctor ordered as Comber went soaring to the top of the table with a scintillating display.

Eric ‘Doc’ Halliday has transformed the fortunes of Comber since he took over the managerial reins a matter of months ago in October and they have metamorphosed from also rans into genuine title contenders.

Both sides started in a refreshingly positive manner and played some nice football in a bid to take control, but it took a good 17 minutes before the first shot was fired in anger by Comber’s Mark Magennis.

Comber were stoking up a nice head of steam, but there was no real end product to their play and their revamped back four, in which young Adam Whitehead was absolutely outstanding, had to remain on their toes as Dromara’s Declan O’’Connor was particularly prominent on the counterattack and made himself a willing target for the out ball.

Dromara went close to breaking the deadlock in the 29th minute when Mannus O’Gorman lofted a cross to the back post, but Aaron Thompson was unable to take advantage of the opening.

Four minutes later at the other end the hardworking Gary Sharratt carved out an opening for Ryan Tomelty, but the former Crusaders and Bangor midfielder drilled his effort narrowly wide.

Dromara goalkeeper Paul Rice then earned his corn with a brave save at the feet of Andy McIntyre after the big striker had escaped from the clutches of James McDonagh.

With 39 minutes gone Brendan McNamee headed a Tony O’Neill free kick into the path of the lurking Graham McDonagh, but he headed wide from a good position.

Dromara then made the fatal mistake of losing concentration just before the break when, somewhat against the run of play, Richard Leckie fired the ball into the box from out on the right and the industrious William McBurney powerfully headed home from 12 yards out.

The second half was really all about Mark Magennis, Comber’s crown prince and minister of mirth and mayhem, and striker Andy McIntyre.

Playmaker Magennis came into a class of his own as he tore Dromara apart with a vast array of probing passes and subtle touches.

He gave a sign of what was to come in the 53rd minute when he chased down a Sharratt pass into the box. He had his back to the goal and was facing the sideline, but he somehow managed to take the ball under his control and flick it over his head into the danger zone.

McIntyre was perfectly placed to latch onto to Magennis improvisation, but he shot wide with only Rice to beat.

Dromara should have taken heed of this warning as four minutes later Magennis picked out McIntyre with a tantalising cross and the big striker atoned for his earlier miss with a superb header.

With 61 minutes gone Magennis, who was now prowling all over the place, chanced his arm from distance and Rice did exceptionally well to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

It was 3-0 a minute later when McIntyre dispatched the ball past Rice with clinical efficiency after Sharratt had done the spade work.

Dromara were reduced to 10 men when K. P. Johnson was shown a straight red card, but James McDonagh managed to pull a goal back when he converted a Matty McConnell corner.

Comber Rec: N. Cowdy, R. Leckie, K. McQuillan, A. Whitehead, N. Magowan, G. McMullan, R. Tomelty, M. Magennis, A. McIntyre, G. Sharratt, W. McBurney. Subs: M. Robinson, P. Sheeran, J. Hunter.

Dromara Village: P. Rice, T. O’Neill, P. Johnson,. J. McDonagh, M. O’Gorman, B. McNamee, G. McDonagh, S. Munn, D. O’Connor, A. Thompson, K. P. Johnson. Subs: M. McConnell, P. McDonagh, D. McKevan.

Comber Rec 3

Dromara Village 1

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