Neale stunner is the ticket for YC

Neale stunner is the ticket for YC

21 August 2019

KILLYLEAGH left it late before booking their place in the second round of the Irish Cup on Saturday.

It needed a stunning strike from Adam Neale in extra time to claim victory at the South Belfast venue on Saturday.

The cup has been low on the YC’s priorities in recent seasons after the glory days that saw them make history by reaching the semi-finals in 2002, but after this tricky win, Paul Sharvin’s side will hope to improve on their 3-2 elimination by Crumlin Star in last season’s competition.

The old football analogy of a game of two halves could not be any more apt for this game - Killyleagh were dominant in the first half, with Rosario ruing a number of missed chances in the second half.

JonJoe Sharvin, playing in an advanced position for Killyleagh with so many players still missing, had three great chances in the first 15 minutes. He fired one shot straight at the ‘keeper, one went wide and a cross which narrowly evaded everyone in the box.

Killyleagh did prove menacing and in the 20th minute nice link up play between Charlie Holland and Darren McConnell allowed him to release Jamie Sharvin, but he hot straight at ‘keeper, Mark Hynes.

Thomas Healy was next up for the Whites in the 30th minute. John Murray won possession on the half way line and drove through midfield, linking with Neale, who released Healy on a one-on-one with Hynes, but the stopper stayed upright to deny him.

Rosario were happy to let the YC play in front of them and hit on the counter and their best chance in the first half fell to Conor Murray after some clever link up play with Michael Johnson. However, his driven shot ended safely in the arms of YC goalkeeper Aaron Carberry.

The visitors then had their best chance of the half in the 40th minute. Neale did well to hold off a defender and release Healy on the edge of the box, but his shot was fired just over.

Both teams changed formations in the second half and Rosario really started to create some great opportunities.

The game sprang into life when Johnson was put through one-on-one with Carberry, but once again the ‘keeper stood up and made a smart save, with Murray missing the rebound.

In the 70th minute Rosario were awarded a penalty. A long ball over the top caught the Killyleagh defence out with John Murray conceding a penalty and then seeing red in the resulting melee.

Up stepped Ciaran Gillan, who struck a sweet penalty only to see it saved superbly by Carberry.

In the 80th minute Killyleagh reminded Rosario that they were still in the game as Niall Walsh nodded a corner back into the path of Dylan Kelly who just couldn’t make contact with the goal at his mercy.

It proved not the Gillan’s day. In the 85th minute he had a great chance, but managed to smash it over and in the last minute his shot hit the crossbar.

With 90 minutes of football unable to separate the two teams it went to extra time and it was going to take a special goal to break the deadlock. Step forward Adam Neale. Chasing a through ball from Jamie Sharvin, Neale fired the ball into the top corner leaving the ‘keeper with no absolutely no chance to win the tie.