Ardglass blow Killyleagh out

Ardglass blow Killyleagh out

7 October 2015

KILYLEAGH were becalmed when Ardglass took the wind out of their sails in a hard fought Irish Cup clash at St Nicholas’ on Saturday.

There wasn’t a lot to separate the sides throughout 90 minutes, but Ardglass’ greater hunger and desire saw them through as Killyleagh lost their appetite when it mattered.

Both sides started tentatively and it took 20 minutes before Ardglass’ Lee McEvoy fired the first shot in anger when he blasted over the bar from just outside the box.

Alastair Coburn saved Killyleagh a minute later when he denied Stevie Deegan a certain goal after the visitors were caught in possession at the back. It was real cat and mouse stuff for a while with Dylan Carberry getting through a mountain of unselfish work for Killyleagh and the Teggart brothers, Neil and Chris, holding firm for Ardglass.

With 33 minutes gone Mark Feenan beat the offside trap after he drifted right, but his tantalising cross just evaded the head of the lurking Michael Magee.

Two minutes later Gareth Rice produced a heroic save to deny Jamie Sharvin, but the ball fell kindly for Scott Grieves who only had to tap it into an empty net. Alas, the ball took a bobble as he hit it and ballooned over the bar.

Ardglass went straight down the park and Killyleagh failed to take heed of Feenan’s threat from the right wing when he again beat the offside trap and put the ball on a plate for Magee to make it 1-0 in the 37th minute.

Killyleagh, who hadn’t played that badly in the first half, started the second period in positive fashion, but they got little change out of Ardglass’ makeshift back four of the Teggarts, young Anton O’Shea, who was a revelation at right back, and Clifford O’Connor. 

The YC played far too deep as a unit to cause Ardglass any real problems and it was only when John Murray or Sharvin pushed forward with the ball did the visitors look threatening. 

One such foray from Murray in the 56th minute almost produced a goal, but the Killyleagh skipper was denied by Rice after a sweeping move involving Darren McConnell.

Killyleagh were then dealt a fatal blow when they lost centre half Gary Carberry to a red card, a sending off that cost them the match.

The visitors had to go three at the back — manager Colin Murray doesn’t do damage limitation exercises — but Ardglass simply picked them off on the counter-attack.

With 72 minutes gone McEvoy shot wide after good approach play from Magee and Feenan, but Killyleagh continued to ask questions at the other end.

Three minutes later, a shot from Dylan Carberry struck Neil Teggart on the hand, but the referee waved play on when a stonewall penalty looked on.

Four minutes later, it was 2-0 when Ardglass took a quick throw in and Feenan danced his way past two tackles before lifting the ball over Coburn.  

Conor Feenan, who was only on the pitch a few minutes, then made it 3-0 when he was given the freedom of the box by a generous Killyleagh defence, but credit to Daniel Murphy for the assist.

The visitors did manage to pull a goal back in added time, much to the annoyance of Neil Teggart who wanted a clean sweep, when Sharvin curled in a delightful shot from the edge of the box.

Ardglass: G Rice, A O’Shea, L McEvoy, C Teggart, N Teggart, M Rooney, S Deegan, L Mulhall, M Magee, M Feenan, C O’Connor. Subs: D Murphy, P Kelly, C Feenan.

Killyleagh YC: A Coburn, P Strain, L Morrison, J Murray, G Carberry, D Carberry, O Breen, J Sharvin, S Grieves, D McConnell, A Cheevers. Subs: K Sullivan, M Walker, G Murray