Morgan leaves it late for Town

Morgan leaves it late for Town

18 March 2015

AN equalising goal in the eighth minute of added time salvaged a point for Castlewellan to keep their treble hopes alive — but only just.

Daniel Morgan was perfectly placed in the 98th minute to stab the ball home after a searing run from Karol Jarosinski had created the chance, but it was rough justice on Killough.

Castlewellan are now 22 points behind leaders Ballynagross with six games in hand, 17 points behind Mourne Rovers with four games in hand and one point behind Ballyvea on level games played. 

There is still a lot of football to be played this season, but Castlewellan have bigger fish to fry before concentrating on the league run-in as they are in the Harry Clarke Cup final on Easter Monday against Newcastle seconds and 72 hours later face Tullycarnet in the semi-finals of the Junior Shield.

It was a severely depleted Town team that took to the field on Saturday. They had 11 squad players unavailable — and it showed as they were strangely subdued for large parts of the game.

Killough, who were missing a few key players themselves, looked like title contenders and not Castlewellan early on as Gareth George’s power and physicality out on the right gave the hosts numerous problems.

Tony McIlhone, who was tightly marked by Donagh Steele, had a good shot saved by Rory Burns in the fourth minute before George gave Killough a deserved lead two minutes later when Ross Armstrong carved Castlewellan open.

Conor Kelly missed an absolute sitter in the 11th minute when he headed a George cross wide at the back post with an empty goal gaping in front of him.

Killough tried desperately to get back on level terms, but Chris Mallon dealt with everything that that was thrown at him and never looked like getting beaten in nets.

Both sides traded chances before George’s persistence paid off when he robbed Kelly and Travers before setting up a tap-in for a grateful Kelly, 2-0 and not undeserved.

Mallon continued to defy Castlewellan as the half wore on and it looked as if it was going to be one of those days when he would not be beaten, but just never write Castlewellan off.

They dragged themselves off the floor and nine minutes after the break Donal McKibben curled a free kick from the angle of the box into the top corner of the net with Mallon in no man’s land.

It was the Town who had their tails up now and Mallon saved well from Morgan in the 61st minute before Jarosinski was unable to convert a perfectly-weighted cross from Morgan.

George went close to making it 3-1 in a swift counter-attack, but back came Castlewellan and with 73 minutes gone Mallon denied Travers with another good save.

Morgan headed a Sean Russell corner wide when it would have been easier to score and with 85 minutes gone an improvised overhead kick from Nial Toner was saved by Mallon. 

Castlewellan were now running out of time, but they kept plugging away and as the game entered the eighth minute of added time, Morgan pounced to grab the equaliser after Killough failed to clear their lines.

Castlewellan: R. Burns, C. Burns, D. McKibben, A.Kelly, B. Travers, S. Russell, N. Toner, D. Steele, L. Ward, D. Morgan, K. Jarosinski. Subs: N. Travers, J. O’Neill, B. Russell.

Killough: C. Mallon, S. Black, D. Sharvin, K. Groves, C. Stranney, M. McKiernan, O. McCavera, T. McIlhone, C. Kelly, R. Armstrong, G. George. Subs: A. Fitzsimons, C. McKiernan. 

Castlewellan 2

Killough 2

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