It’s redemption for Ballyvea kingpins

It’s redemption for Ballyvea kingpins

18 May 2016

BALLYVEA were crowned McCalls Newcastle League Premier Division champions last Thursday night in a dramatic finish to the season.

The Carginagh Road side, who beat closest challengers Killough 1-0 last Tuesday night, went into Thursday night’s game knowing that a win over Downpatrick Athletic would see them pip the Mill Field outfit to the title.

There was never any doubt for Ballyvea and goals from David McConnell, Graeme Gordon (2), Mark Burden, Mark McConnell (2) and Timmy Johnston, who scored the winner against Killough, sealed the deal.

Few outside Killough could deny Ballyvea their first league title in seven years. They had gone on an amazing 15-game unbeaten run since the start of April.

They were still involved in the Harry Clarke Cup and Junior Shield — they reached the final of both — which meant they had been playing three games a week for almost two months.

Spare a thought for Killough as they only had to beat Ballyvea last Tuesday night to take the crown, but it wasn’t to be.

A desperately tired Killough then took on Ballynahinch Olympic Town on Thursday night hoping that Ballyvea would slip up against Downpatrick and hand them the Rathmourne Cup — provided they beat Olympic.

Boy did they give it a go, but they were beaten 6-4 by a strengthened Olympic side in a cracker of a game.

Olympic raced into a 2-0 lead with goals from Niall Murray and Karl Lewis.

The title was slipping away from Killough, but strikes from Dee Sharvin — his first ever for the club after almost 25 years’ service — and the talented Conor Kelly turned the game on its head.

Paul Sloan converted a first half penalty to put Olympic back in front and they looked to have secured the points when Nathan Jones made it 4-2.

Killough refused to lie down and Seamus Tumelty bombed forward before scoring a cracker from the edge of the box to make it 4-3.

Philip Gelston brought the sides level at 4-4, but Olympic had something in reserve and late goals from Simon Marmion and Darren Lyons sealed Killough’s fate on a night off high drama.