Jack in the box seals win with spot kick

Jack in the box seals win with spot kick

26 February 2025

DRUMANESS Mills launched themselves into the Premier Division title race with a smash and grab win over local rivals Dromara Village.

The two sides were expected to produce one of the more entertaining spectacles of the season and they certainly did not disappoint.

Dromara made home advantage count to edge in front before the break, with Ben Martin rounding off a fast-paced counter-attack.

Drumaness were inspired when the second period got going, and they soon equalised through substitute Jamie Morgan.

With all to play for in the closing stages, Mills talisman Jack Sharvin showed his worth to claim a potentially significant three points from the spot.

The match got underway with end-to-end action and it only looked a matter of time before one of the respective attacking units found an opening.

However, the final ball was lacking and the opposing back lines stood firm to dispel any prospective chances.

Adam Kearney took it upon himself to singlehandedly carve out a shooting opportunity for the visitors and although he beat several defenders and curled a dangerous shot towards the top corner, his effort drifted narrowly wide.

Callum Dougan has been in imperious form since rejoining the Mills and he was next to grab the game by the scruff of its neck.

The striker went on a weaving run across the face of the box and when he beat the entire defence with skill and drilled a shot towards goal, Kearney was on hand to turn home at the back post.

The visitors thought they had found the breakthrough, but their celebrations were cut short when the referee signalled offside.

Village felt reprieved after the goal was ruled out and soon turned the game on its head, putting the away defence under relentless pressure.

Nigel Prentice collected the ball from a goal kick, went on a direct run and was unlucky not to score when his whipped attempt was saved onto the woodwork by goalkeeper Aaron Carberry.

Dromara began to sense a goal and were denied a golden opportunity, with their three-on-two attack stopped in its tracks by a cynical foul from Conor McGourty.

Mills were perhaps lucky to escape conceding and came back firing, with Peter Brannigan’s corner forcing ‘keeper Oisin McStay to push the ball off the line and McGourty having two half-volleys blocked on the rebound.

The opening goal really could have gone either way and it was the hosts that stole a march at half-time.

Nathan Hamilton charged on to Curtis McComish’s clearance and flicked a pass towards Martin, who beat Carberry for pace and dinked the ball into the back of the net.

Going behind only brought the best out of Drumaness and they did not take long to threaten the home goal in the second half.

Dougan’s attempted through ball bounced back into his path and he let fly from distance, forcing McStay to pluck his shot out of the top corner.

Opportunities proved few and far between for the following 20 minutes and the away side knew they were on borrowed time.

They began to throw their entire attacking repertoire towards the Dromara box and when Sharvin challenged McStay for a loose ball, Morgan swept in to slot into the open goal.

Sharvin immediately began searching for his side’s second and sent a long-range shot spiralling towards the target.

His attempt ricocheted off the woodwork, along the goal line, and despite the Mills contingent appealing for a goal, the referee showed no interest. 

The minutes were fast running out and as Sharvin drove forward on one last attack, he went to ground in the box and was awarded an 88th minute penalty.

The hosts heavily disputed the decision, but their appeals fell on deaf ears and Sharvin kept his cool to secure a dramatic win for the Mills.

Drumaness Mills moved up to sixth place in the table and despite trailing league leaders East Belfast by nine points, their four games in hand provide them with the pedestal from which to close the gap.

Dromara: O McStay, J Clarke, B Hanna, R Milligan, C Mills, R Leetch, N Prentice, N Hamilton (captain), A Burtney, B Martin, C McComish. Subs: S Kirk, G Conn, T Stannage.

Drumaness: A Carberry, D Turley, T McNeill, C McGourty, G Murdock (captain), P Brannigan, A Mooney, D Bell, C Dougan, J Sharvin, A Kearney. Subs: S McQuoid, J Morgan, S Kelly.