Penalty shoot-out woe for Olympic’s brave heroes

Penalty shoot-out woe for Olympic’s brave heroes

1 January 2019

THERE was to be no Christmas fairytale ending to Ballynahinch Olympic’s Border Cup run at Seaview last Thursday.

Football can be a cruel game and fate twisted the knife when Crumlin Star equalised in the 89th minute before the cup holders won a penalty shoot-out in style to leave Olympic’s gallant heroes totally crestfallen.

Olympic seized the initiative in the 57th minute when Crumlin Star defender Ciaran Burns sliced a Nathan Jones cross from the right wing past former Mourne Rovers, Newcastle and Rathfriland ‘keeper Shane Harrison and into the net.

Crumlin huffed and puffed in a bid to get back on level terms and they survived a huge penalty shout in the 57th minute before Joe McNeill brought the sides level in the last minute. 

Extra time brought no resolution and so to penalties with Star netting all five of their attempts to ensure the cup was staying in North Belfast.

Olympic started as bright as a button with Jones, Niall Murray and Chris McNamara catching the eye with some intricate give and go passing movers and they made Star look uncomfortable.

With just four minutes on the clock Stevie Noade combined with Murray and Jones to carve out an opening for McNamara, but he was millimetres away from getting a good touch to the final ball. Two minutes later Murray wasn’t far away when he launched one of his trademark free kicks at Harrison. 

Olympic continued to create space and at the same time stifled Crumlin Star’s attempts to get dangerman Joe McNeill into the game.

However, with 23 minutes gone Mason was called into action for the first time when he saved smartly at the base of the post to keep out an Aidy McNeill free kick.

Star gradually worked their way into the game, but they weren’t having much luck in the box with Walsh defying Ciaran Murphy on a couple of occasions.  

Olympic kept plugging away, but Murray and Jones were out of luck as they tested their markers to the full in an evenly-matched first half.

The second half was much, much better — much more intense with some sweeping football played by both sides.

Star almost took a 48th minute lead when Murphy got on the end of a Paul Prigent cross, but his volley went sailing over the crossbar.

Olympic weathered this particular storm and continued to thwart Star at every turn before Burns turned in Jones’ cross to put the Ballynahinch side in front.

Crumlin Star immediately sent for the cavalry and brought on Northern Ireland junior international Barry McKervey. His introduction gave Star a new impetus and the Belfast side started to go through the gears with relentless pressure being put on Olympic’s back three.

It was at this stage of the game when Mason came into class of his own, denying Murphy on no less than three occasions in the same passage of play. 

Olympic were restricted to hitting Crumlin on the break and Murray and Jones had the necessary pace to keep the Belfast defence busy.

On one such counter-attack, Jones sent McNamara clear, but he was hauled down by Prigent, who was immediately shown the red card, but the referee ruled that the offence started outside the box and awarded a free kick instead of a penalty.

Had Olympic made it 2-0 at this stage of the affair it would have been game, set and match.

Star made light of the fact that they were down to 10 men and bombarded Olympic’s penalty area with everything they could muster.

Walsh was in inspired form and performed heroics to keep out efforts from Murphy and Doyle.

Alas, with the 90 minutes almost up, Olympic failed to deal with an innocuous cross from Murphy and Joe McNeill swooped to slam in the equaliser.

It was the one and only time that McNeill threatened and boy did he make it count. 

Two periods of extra time came and went with Jason Noade joining Prigent on the sideline after he was shown the red card for dissent and so to penalties.

Nine out of the 10 penalties were faultless, but Shane Murray was off target with his effort and the cup was Star’s for the fourth time in seven years.

Ballynahinch Olympic: Ryan Walsh, Dalton Tate, Ryan Noade, Connor Reid, Jason Noade, Chris Magee, Stevie Noade, Niall Murray, Shane Murray, Nathan Jones, Chris McNamara. Subs: James McClean, Steven McGoran, Callum Dougan.

Crumlin Star: Shane Harrison, Paul Prigent, Aidy McNeill, Niall Hawkins, Ciaran Burns, Joe McNeill, Patrick McIlkenny, Kevin Trainor, James Doyle, Ciaran Murphy, Mark Lyons. Subs: Barry McKervey, Breandan O’Neill, Anthony Burns.

Ballynahinch Olympic 5

Crumlin Star 6

BORDER CUP FINAL