Killyleagh grab derby triumph

7 November 2012

THIS derby encounter at Bells Bridge had all the ingredients to produce fireworks, but somebody forgot to bring the matches.

However, Killyleagh did not give a hoot as they returned home with all three points safely in the bag, something most teams have struggled to do against the table-topping Dromara villagers this season.

Play was pretty even during the opening exchanges with chances and shots on target limited at both ends.

The enterprising Manus O’Gorman went closest to breaking the deadlock for Dromara in the 12th minute when he shaved the upright with a stinging free kick from just outside the box.

Things got hard to watch for a while before Adam Neale, who looks the real deal, produced a neat turn and shot in the 31st minute that made Gerard McVeigh in goal work for his corn.

Dromara then worked a nice free kick routine in the 31st minute with the impressive Liam Hogan firing inches wide. Three minutes later Dromara’s Gerard Rooney shot straight at Ian Mannus when he really could have done better.

Mannus was then quickly off his line to intercept a threaded pass from Hogan into the path of Liam McManus and with 38 minutes gone Manus was again impressive when plucking a McManus cross out of the air.

Dromara were to pay for these misses in added time at the end of the first half.

McVeigh produced a miraculous save in the 46th minute to keep out a certain goal from Hugh Dickson following a corner.

The ball was parried out to Willie McIlroy and the fleet-footed danger man, who can still float like a butterfly and sting like a bee with the best of them, swooped to poke the ball over McVeigh and into the net.

The second half followed a similar pattern with Aaron Thompson going close for Dromara at one end and Mannus saving well from Rooney.

Play was still a little disjointed from both sides and it wasn’t until Killyleagh introduced Lee Morrison and Dromara Graham McDonagh that things got a little more interesting.

McDonagh’s game is based on wining the ball in the middle of the park, rattling a few cages and distributing to those players who can create chances, while Morrison has a loquacious left foot that is a treat to watch and on this occasion it was his skills that proved decisive.

With 85 minutes gone Neale chased a lost cause of a ball into the right hand side of the box and then picked out Morrison, who was backing up, with an unselfish pass.

Morrison simply opened his body and passed the ball into the net with his left foot from just inside the box.

Dromara got a consolation goal through Rooney, although the Killyleagh players insist the ball didn’t cross the line, but it was too little too late as the visitors had the points in the bag.

Dromara Village: G. McVeigh, M. O’Gorman, L. Hogan, D. McKiernan, J. Girvan, B. McNamee, L. McManus, M. Drake, G. Rooney, S. McDonnell, A. Thompson. Subs: G. McDonagh, N. Hamilton, A. McDonald.

Killyleagh YC: I. Mannus, J. Kennedy, D. Heaney, N. Walsh, H. Dickson, R. Montgomery, N. Young, B. Walsh, A. Neale, W. McIlroy, S. Kennedy. Subs: G. Murray, D. Davidson, L. Morrison.

Dromara Village 1

Killyleagh YC 2

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