Category: Results

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 2nds 7 – 1 Ballykinlar

The Swifts entertained Ballykinler on Saturday at a frosty Millbridge. In confident mood after last weeks’ result it was a bit of a shock when The Swifts went one nil down with ten minutes on the clock, however it was no less than their slow start deserved.

The Swifts realised they needed to earn the right to play and that they did. Massey whipped in a cross to the back post for Craig McMullan to control the ball on his chest and rifle the ball home into the roof of the net, proving to be a deserved equalizer.

The wave of attacks was sure to come good and Massey beat his man and dropped a cross over the keeper for Gareth Bingham to fire home, to put The Swifts in the lead.

The youthful Graeme McMullan and Matt Manley were causing havoc on the left wing with their neat passing and direct runs and it was McMullan who exchanged passes with Bingham, no less than twice, to find himself one on one with the keeper. He made no mistake with a neat finish to put The Swifts 3-1 up.

The Swifts went in at the break 3-1 and in a commanding position, but they were keen to grab another goal to widen the gap and found it early in the 2nd half when Massey’s corner went straight in.

Now in firm control The Swifts, with Johnny McGreevy having a comfortable afternoon in nets, helped by his defence of Paul King, John McMenamin and Shaun Bonner, kept the Ballykinler chances to a minimum. Jamie McPhail was a rock in midfield and broke up all that came in his path.

After Gareth Binghams harshly disallowed goal, The Swifts scored again through Craig McMullans finish after good work from McPhail to make it 5-1.

The introduction of Alan McMullan and Dave Griffiths just heightened Ballykinlers’ problems and Griffiths got himself on the score sheet with a close-range finish after good work from Alan McMullan to put him through on goal.

The game was nearing a close when Scott McNeil produced the goal of the game. He went on a mazy run from the right back position, beating no less than 3 opponents, and produced a finish that was out of the top drawer to make the final score 7-1.

The Swifts now go into the Xmas break in good form and undefeated in 9 games from the start of the season and will be surely looking forward to the restart of the league campaign.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 0 v 1 Dromara Village

Clarence Cup

The Millbridge was the setting for the first derby game between these two sides for quite a few years and while the football wasn’t very exciting there was no shortage of action as both teams ended the game with nine players.

United entered the game missing Adam Herron due to suspension and the unavailable Paul Dickson however they were buoyed by the return of Aaron Cheevers who transferred to United from Temple Rangers during the week.

The first half was keenly contested with neither of the two goalkeepers seeing any real action however the referee was very much the centre of things booking United players David Kelly, Ross Hayes and Ethan Majury and surprisingly no Dromara Village players despite an equal amount of fouls and confrontations.

United’s best chance came from Aaron McCaffrey whose spectacular overhead kick sailed over the Dromara crossbar.

The second half continued much the same as the first with both teams cancelling each other out however the referee intervened again on the hour mark when he gave Ross Hayes a second yellow card for a foul in the penalty area – an incident that was hotly disputed as any contact was as much due to the Dromara player jumping into the United players back.

The resulting penalty was taken by the Dromara goalkeeper Kieran Gordon but the weak effort was palmed around the post by Bryan McMullan. As a result of the red card, United’s defence had to be reorganised with Gavin Crawford joining Scott Brashaw in the central area with Majury and Davy Boal on either side.

United should have scored after seventy minutes when Dalton Tate and Stuart McMullan combined to put McCaffrey on the left wing and he cut in to cross the ball but the onrushing Ian McMullan couldn’t keep his shot down.

The game truly exploded in the 75 minute with three players, one United and two Dromara, being sent off following a foul on the edge of the Dromara penalty area. This resulted in United’s Davy Boal being set upon by at least half a dozen visiting players with fists and even what appeared to be a “Kung Fu” kick. The referee could easily have sent a lot more players from the field for what was a most disappointing incident.

The only goal came in the 81st minute when Dromara broke away on the right wing and a low cross was palmed out by keeper Bryan McMullan into the path of Dromara forward Johnny Gray who diverted it into the net. This however was not without its controversy either as the ball came at Gray so quickly it hit his chest and then went into the net off his left arm. The referee was so far behind play he could not have seen it and so United’s fate was sealed and the Dromara players and large contingent of supporters celebrated their victory.

In the closing minutes United fought gamely to get back into the game but Dromara held out to go into the second round.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 2nds 4 v 2 Annalong Rangers

This week The Swifts entertained Annalong Rangers at Langley Road. With a few players coming back after missing a couple of weeks through injury and work commitments they were looking forward to the game.

The early exchanges were frantic and untidy with both teams trying to get to grips with each other and the heavy surface.

It was The Swifts who struck first after great work from Jack Patterson on the right wing resulting in a throw in. Paul King came up from defence and delivered his trademark long throw, which was met at the back post by an accurate Gareth Bingham header that flew into the top corner.

The game was hotly contested in the middle of the park with McPhail making some timely challenges. Annalong forced a corner midway through the half and The Swifts failed to deal with it and it creeped in at the near post when it really shouldn’t have.

The Swifts were determined to get back in front and that they did with good work between Graeme McMullan and Dave Griffiths saw McMullan fire a shot in from the edge of the area to give the keeper no chance.

The Swifts now in control, had John McMenamin and Shaun Bonner letting nothing past them at the back with Scott McNeil making some decent runs forward down the left flank. This coupled with McGreevy in commanding form in-between the sticks gave The Swifts a solid base on which to attack.

And attack they did with Griffiths and Massey exchanging passes with Massey then releasing Gareth Bingham who beat his man and too fire in a low shot past the keeper to make it 3-1 at the break.

The second half was scrappy and the challenges were flying in from both teams. Ben Wilson, Matty Manley and Craig McMullan were introduced as subs and Wilson in particular gave the Annalong defence real problems.

After a couple of penalty appeals being turned down after fouls on Manley – Ben Wilson beat his man in the box and when about to shoot was brought down. The referee this time gave the penalty and Massey made no mistake from 12 yards to make it 4-2 after Annalong managed to pull a goal back to make it 3-2.

The Swifts were able to see out the remainder of the game quite comfortably to win 4-2. As seen today, competition is heating up for places and it’s important that the numbers increase at training to help the team continue their 8 game unbeaten start to the season.

Match Report: Ardglass 3rds 1 v 3 Ballynahinch United 2nds

A much changed Swifts travelled to Ardglass on Saturday after a few weeks off due to the adverse weather, that coupled with no less than 7 players missing due to injury and work commitments made it a difficult tie against a team that would provide a stern test.

The Swifts started brightly and were putting the Ardglass defence under considerable pressure, if it had not been for the experience of the Ardglass centre half partnership an early goal would of been a strong possibility.

The Swifts were patient in their build up play and waited for the right opportunity, aided by the defence who were firmly in control they were getting closer to breaking the deadlock with every attack. On the half hour mark a quickly taken free kick by Alan Massey caught the Ardglass midfield flat footed, Paul King received the ball and let a rasping shot go from 25 yards – such was the power in the shot the Ardglass keeper was lucky to save but could not hold onto it and the lively Jack Patterson made no mistake from 10 yards when the ball broke loose.

That goal gave The Swifts more confidence and with Bonner, King, McMenamin and McNeill in commanding form, McGreevy in nets had little to do.

A quick corner from Massey near the break saw him play a one-two and chip a ball onto the far post. A couple of last ditch tackles kept the score at 1 nil. But The Swifts would not be denied. Matty Manley’s smart free kick from the edge of the box caused considerable confusion and again Jack Patterson was in tip top form to smash the ball in.

A mere lapse in consentration just before the halftime whistle saw Ardglass gain a goal direct from a corner when The Swifts ought to have done better.

The Swifts had a clear vision of what was needed in the 2nd half and carried it out well. Bingham never missed a thing all day long and with the impressive Jack Patterson and Manley on the wings The Swifts were a constant threat. Indeed it was Manley on 70 mins who took a short corner to Massey who played the ball back to him, with a neat cross-field pass it was met by McMenamin on the volley for the goal of the game.

This was a good strong team performance from The Swifts who remain unbeaten this season, but with stronger tests on the horizon it will be all hands to the pump especially at home to Annalong this saturday.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 2 v 2 Rathfern Rangers

Goalkeeper Bryan McMullan has often provided that vital last line of defence for United over the last number of seasons pulling of countless last gasp or point blank saves but last Saturday, and not for the first time either, he scored the equaliser to secure his team a valuable point.

The game started very badly for United as they conceded a goal in the first few minutes from a long throw which was flicked into the path of a Rathfern forward who volleyed the ball first time past Bryan McMullan. For the remainder of the half it was United on the attack with Paul Dickson and Aaron McCaffrey going close with a header and shot respectively as Adam Herron, Dalton Tate and Stuart McMullan combined consistently down the left wing to provide a series of half chances and force corner after corner.

Rathfern, for their part, were dangerous on the break and on more than one occasion Ross Hayes or Davy Boal had to be at their very best to stop the swift breaks while Bryan McMullan pulled off a few important saves.

Ethan Majury was moved into a more forward position for this game and was a willing runner in the absence of the injured Ian McMullan and his chasing down of defenders along with Gavin Crawford and McCaffrey caused the visitors some very uncomfortable moments.

The equaliser came five minutes from half time when Davy Boal fired in a shot from the right hand side of the penalty area which nestled in the side of the net having taken a deflection.

In the second half United started brightly but appeared to lose momentum and for long periods of the second half found themselves defending breakaways which required some solid defending from Hayes, Herron and an outstanding last ditch tackle from Dickson to save a certain goal. That combined with a close penalty shout made it almost inevitable that they would concede. That was the case in the 70th minute when a Rathfern forward broke through and scored although there was a hint of offside about it.

United were now up against it but they rallied with Scott Brashaw providing the leadership from midfield but Rathfern were not about to surrender their lead as they defended stoutly. The best chance fell to Tate who shot wide from close to the penalty spot. Greg Allison, a half time substitute, David Kelly and Gareth McMullan provided a more attacking focus with a string of free kicks being secured but none could be utilised to great effect.

The game was entering its final minute when United won a corner and up came goalkeeper Bryan McMullan to get on the end of cousin Stuart’s cross and head a superb equaliser.

This was not one of United’s better performances however they proved yet again that they have grit and determination. Next week they entertain local rivals Dromara Village in a Clarence Cup tie which has a 1.30pm kick off.