Castlewellan’s cup as Rovers tumble

Castlewellan’s cup as Rovers tumble

1 January 2014

IT was a case of Jingle Bell Rock all the way home for Castlewellan’s Christmas cup kings when they lifted the ClubSport NI Bobby Dalzell Cup at Drumaness on Boxing Day.

Two goals from master craftsman Stevie Trainor either side of the break were good enough to seal the Town’s success for an unprecedented fourth year in a row.

There is no doubt that Castlewellan were good value for their win — they strangled Mourne Rovers in midfield — but joint manager John Burns was adamant that the Town had to work hard for victory.

“Fair play to Mourne Rovers, they didn’t make life easy for us, not that I thought they ever would. They are a good bunch of lads and their time will come, but I thought we fully deserved victory,” he said after the final whistle.

“Our players knew what was expected of them and they all played well. Stevie took his goals well and on another day we could have had a couple more, but for some excellent saves from their ‘keeper.”

“We will enjoy the night’s celebrations and then its down to training again in preparation for our game in the last 16 of the Junior Shield and a tilt at retaining the Newcastle League Premier Division title.”

Castlewellan were at their sublime best from the off on Thursday and never gave Rovers a look in.

Their first scoring chance came after just 30 seconds when Barry Travers played a through ball into the path of Sean Dornan, but the young striker blasted wide from a good position.

Three minutes later Trainor, the ClubSport man of the match, burst into the box and had his ankles clipped as he sped past Ruari Doran, but the referee waved away Castlewellan’s shouts for a penalty.

With nine minutes gone and Castlewellan well in the ascendancy, Dornan crossed to the back post from out on the left. Sean Russell was perfectly placed to take advantage, but his first shot from close in was blocked by Shane Harrison.

The ball rebounded back to Russell, but this time he hit the post and then poked the rebound inches wide.

Castlewellan had all their old swagger about them and with 18 minutes gone Shane Harrison, who must have gone close to the man of the match award, raced off his line to dent Dornan a certain goal.

Rovers kept hanging on and finally had their first shot in anger in the 27th minute when Ryan Kelly turned and shot from outside the box, but his effort went wide.

Five minutes later at the other end and another deep cross from the rampaging Dornan, another contender for the man of the match award, but Dean Anderson headed tamely at the ‘keeper.

With 35 minutes gone Ciaran O’Hare produced a timely intervention to halt Dornan in his tracks after he was played in by Donal McKibben.

A spate of bookings before the break threatened to ruin proceedings, but they were quickly forgotten about right on 45 minutes. Doran brought down Trainor out on the left flank, some 40 yards from goal.

Trainor sent a curling free kick into the box and when it was missed by everyone in the box, including ‘keeper Harrison, the ball ended up in the back of the net.

The second half was barely underway when Trainor made it 2-0 with a trademark goal. The experienced hit man was fed the ball down the right channel by Barry Travers.

Trainor still had a mountain of work to do, but he left Noel McArdle for dead, stormed into the box and beat Harrison with a clinical finish.

Dornan could have made it 3-0 a minute later, but his shot after a good run was deflected for a corner. Rovers tried desperately to get back in the game, but Castlewellan’s brick wall defence gave nothing away.

Travers, Conor Stratton, another contender for the man of the match, John Clarke, Ruari McArdle and ‘keeper Michael Watson were all at their imperious best.

At the other end, Harrison saved from Thomas Beckett, Russell and Dornan as Castlewellan turned the screw. Conall Burns, Dornan and Stratton also had chances to increase Castlewellan’s lead in the dying stages, but Harrison remained defiant until the final whistle.

Castlewellan: M. Watson, B. Travers, R. McArdle, C. Stratton, J. Clarke, S. Russell, D. Anderson, N. Toner, D. McKibben, S. Dornan, S. Trainor. Subs: A. Kelly, T. Beckett, C. Burns, D. Morgan, L. Ward.

Mourne Rovers: S. Harrison, M. Trimble, N. McArdle, R. Doran, C. O’Hare, P. McManus, S. Harrison, R. O’Hare, M. Ireland, J. Carroll, R.

Kelly. Subs: R. Clarke, C. McDowell, R. Sloan, N. Houston, R. Clerkin.

Castlewellan 2

Mourne Rovers 0

BOBBY DALZELL CUP FINAL