Killough edge out Annalong

Killough edge out Annalong

4 January 2012

AIDY Denvir swooped in the 11th minute to score the only goal of the game and send Killough soaring through to the final of the Bobby Dalzell Cup against Castlewellan.

An icy cold and blustery wind greeted both sets of players at Bear Park on Monday afternoon, but the game started at a hectic pace with chances galore being created at both ends.

With just three minutes gone Colm Stranney was forced into under-hitting a back pass to goalkeeper Chris Mallon, but Stevie Burden, who was on to the ball in a flash, was denied by an alert custodian.

Four minutes later Leslie Maybin shot tamely at Mallon after good work from Burden as Annalong started the better of the two sides, but they were then rocked to the core.

With 11 minutes gone Killough surged forward from defence and scored from nothing. Aaron Hutchinson broke clear with a pacy run down the left flank and crossed for Denvir to dispatch to the net with aplomb, simple as that.

Five minutes later the armed and dangerous Hutchinson let fly from the edge of the box, but his strike was blocked by Andrew Maybin. Annalong went back on the offensive and should have equalised in the 23rd minute.

Leslie Maybin left Eoin McCavera for dead out on the right wing and put the ball on a plate for Michael Ireland in the box, but the young striker shot wide from close in.

Ireland tried to redeem himself two minutes later when Burden carved out an opening for him, but Mallon again saved well. Annalong continued to open the Killough rearguard and with 35 minutes gone Matthew Newell fired over a cross for Ireland to get on the end of, but he headed tamely at Mallon.

A minute later at the other end Tony McIlhone split the Annalong defence wide open with a pass in to Hutchinson, but Killough’s flying machine had his effort well saved by John Paul Haughian.

With 39 minutes gone a super ball out of defence from Colm Stranney released Matthew Sharvin down the left. Sharvin got in behind the Annalong cover after playing a wall pass with Daryll Kelly and crossed for Hutchinson, but he shot wildly over the top,

With the half almost up, Burden, Annalong’s best player, got on the end of Maybin cross, but he was unable to beat Mallon.

The second half followed a similar pattern with chances coming thick and fast at both ends. Burden blasted over at one end before Kelly had a header well saved by Haughian. Sharvin then shot wide and Newell made hash of a great opportunity after being put in by Burden.

Annalong went for broke as the game entered the last quarter and it was then that Chris Mallon earned his corn and some more. He reacted brilliantly to save from Burden and even bettered that save with an aerobically spectacular effort to deny Richard Gordon in the last minute.

Killough: C. Mallon, K. Sharvin, E. McCavera, C. Doyle, C. Stranney, A. Denvir, S. Black, T. McIlhone, D. Kelly, A. Hutchinson, M. Sharvin. Subs: N. O’Connor, G. George, M. Burns.