Treble on the cards

Treble on the cards

22 February 2012

BALLYNAHINCH are on the verge of three major titles this season.

The Sussex Regiment Cup is already in the bag, the locals are the runaway leaders in Senior Two and last weekend Ballynahinch booked their place in the final of the Irish Hockey Challenge.

While it took the visitors a few minutes to get used to the pitch and their surroundings, they silenced the home supporters in the 11th minute when they took the lead from a short corner.

Gary Graham’s push out from a short corner went to Ashley Brown at the top of the circle and with Andrew Mulholland feigning to shoot, the ball was slipped to fit again David Ross whose rasping shot was well saved by the home ‘keeper.

But the ball broke to the experienced Leslie Harrison who drilled it back past the ‘keeper into the net for a cracking opener.

At the other end, Ballynahinch goalkeeper Mark Brown produced a brilliant save from a short corner drag flick effort as Limerick pressed to get back into the cup tie.

Both sides created a number of half chances with play concentrated in the middle of the park at times. But the visitors held firm and were delighted to maintain their slender 1-0 lead until the interval.

Limerick came out all guns blazing at the start of the second period and were level within a minute when Thomas Clarke was given too much room inside the penalty area and he punished the visitors with a crisp finish.

Within 15 minutes of the restart Limerick took the lead for the first time in the cup tie when Nathan Eacrett was allowed to push the ball around the advancing Brown.

Ballynahinch knew they had to respond quickly and did.

Five minutes after going behind they were back on level terms when Hunter produced a classy finish from a well worked short corner.

This time Graham’s push out found its way to the midfielder, by-passing Ross and Mulholland and Hunter duly obliged with a smart finish.

Graham and a Limerick opponent were then yellow carded and in the 65th minute a Limerick forward’s shot had ‘goal’ written all over it, but Ashley Brown managed to deflect it over the crossbar.

With seven minutes to go Ballynahinch regained the lead from another short corner. This time the ball was worked to Brown whose effort was saved by the ‘keeper, but Graham was alert to what was happening and smashed the rebound home.

Limerick 2

Ballynahinch 3

IRISH CHALLENGE CUP