Danny boy bags winner for Castlewellan

Danny boy bags winner for Castlewellan

4 April 2012

CASTLEWELLAN played a cruel, early April’s Fool joke on Ballyvange before booking their place in the Harry Clarke Cup final.

The Town allowed Ballyvange to twice take the lead and let them believe they could actually win this encounter, but it was all a mischievous ruse.

Brave, unlucky Ballyvange gave as good as they got throughout a feisty affair, but they were unable to kill Castlewellan off and paid the penalty when Daniel Morgan popped up with a last minute winner.

Johnny Holland’s side started in a hurry and Barry Treacy went close with a stinging effort that was deflected for a corner in the second minute.

Treacy, who really should be playing at a higher level, was on fire in the early stages and with nine minutes gone he skipped own the right flank and fired over a tantalising cross that begged to be put away.

Unfortunately, no one from Ballyvange had gambled in getting into the box and the chance was gone.

The game died a bit of a death after this with both sides cancelling each other out in the middle of the park and little action was seen in either penalty box.

However, with 33 minutes gone Ballyvange failed to clear a Stevie Trainor corner.

The ball bobbled about the six yard box with several players taking fresh air shots before Morgan fired wide from the edge of the box.

Ballyvange were patiently building things from the middle of the park and they were playing some good football, but they lacked a killer instinct in the box.

This was illustrated in the 42nd minute when Treacy and Stephen Douglas combined to carve open the Castlewellan defence, but Philip Gelston’s hooked effort was fired straight at Danny Cassidy.

The final few minutes of the first half were a bit niggly and tempers flared again as frustration got the better of the combatants and Ballyvange’s Jason Dagens and Leo Noble joined Castlewellan’s Dean Anderson and Nial Toner in the referee’s notebook.

The second half was a much more open affair and a joy to watch.

Danny Cassidy was in immediate action and saved in the first minute from Gelston and Dagens.

Ballyvange hadn’t long to wait for the breakthrough and it came a minute later when Dagens stabbed in a Douglas cross from the right.

Conor Stratton wasted a glorious chance to equalise three minutes later at the other end when he blasted the ball over the bar following a free kick.

Castlewellan then sent for the cavalry in the shape of Liam McKibbin and the terror machine had an immediate impact after replacing brother Donal in the 56th minute.

He was only on the pitch a matter of minutes when he fired a corner into the danger zone for Toner to poke home and bring the sides level.

Ballyvange were back in front three minutes later when Andy Baggley fired home after Douglas had again supplied the ammunition.

The Downpatrick side almost made it 3-1 in the 78th minute when Cassidy turned a rasper from Dagens onto the post, but that was as good as it got for Ballyvange.

Castlewellan had a sting in their tail and with 80 minutes gone Anderson was left unmarked to turn in a Trainor free kick and with the 90 minutes up, Morgan provided the winner with a brilliant lob to break Ballyvange’s hearts after they had gone ever so close to causing an upset.

Castlewellan: D. Cassidy, B. Travers, A. Kelly, R. McArdle, C. Stratton, D. McKibbin, D. Anderson, N. Toner, S. Russell, D. Morgan, S. Trainor. Subs: S. Mooney, L, McKibbin, C. Corrigan.

Ballyvange: C. McCullough, S. Douglas, A. McGarry, S. Sloan, L. Noble, B. Treacy, P. McCarthy, A. Baggley, J. Dagens, P. Gelston, M. Burns. Subs: B. Kelly, J. Baggley, R. Burns.

• Ballyvange match ball sponsored by Noraut Poker.

Castlewellan 3

Ballyvange 2

HARRY CLARKE CUP SEMI-FINAL