Club Notes

The Swifts and The Albion were both in action at the weekend. The Swifts travelled to Bryansburn Rangers and continued their good form securing a point in a drawn game with McCaffrey scoring their goal.

Alan Massey continued his good form for The Albion scoring from the penalty spot for the second successive Saturday however they were unable to get back into winning ways.

The committee and members would like to express their thanks to Ian Blackwood of IB Electrical for ther generous sponsorship which is very much appreciated.

It was also great to see former player Michael Jones in attendance at Saturday’s game. Michael who is living and working in Melbourne, Australia was home recently for a family wedding and returned down under yesterday. He is playing football in one of the Victorian Leagues and secured the league championships with his team and by all accounts they are going well this season again.

Rathfriland Rangers 3 v 1 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to Iveagh Park, Rathfriland for this league encounter against the home side who are riding high and one of the favourites for promotion from Division 1B.

Last year United scored a superb away victory but despite a spirited display they could not do it again.

United played very well in the first half and were a shade unfortunate to go in at half time 2-1 down. The home side scored after twenty minutes but United equalised through Steven Kennedy on the half hour mark.

Rathfriland went into the break 2-1 up when they scored from a free kick in the closing seconds.

United toiled away in the second half in an effort to secure an equaliser but all was in vain against and experienced and well drilled home defence.

Rathfriland made sure of the points when they scored a third goal although it was somewhat contentious as most thought the player who laid on the pass to the scorer did so from an offside position.

This week United entertain Dunmurry YM in the league at Millbridge with a 2pm kick off.

Ballynahinch United IIs 5 v 0 Civil Service

The Swifts continued their improvement in form with a resounding victory over Civil Service at the Millbridge on Saturday. From the kick off the Swifts were quickly on the attack forcing a few corners and generally dominating possession. They took the lead on ten minutes when great work on the left wing by Alan McMullan and Jordan Hayes, who was making his Swifts debut, released Greg Allison and his cross ball was hooked into the net by Aaron McCaffrey.

It was 2-0 five minutes later when the Civil Service goalkeeper needlessly bundled over Jordan Hayes in the penalty area and Darren Fitzsimmons scored from the spot.

Five minutes later Aaron McCaffrey was again on the spot to score following good work in midfield from Stevenson and Gray.

At the start of the second half Civil Service stepped up a gear but this passage of play was short-lived as the Swifts defence of Alan and Craig McMullan, Majury, Dunlop and second half substitute Gary McCracken were in fine form ensuring that veteran goalkeeper Johnny McGreevy had a fairly quiet afternoon and a clean sheet.

Stevenson in midfield was making strong runs through midfield and in the 65th minute he got to the edge of the penalty area where he unleashed a bullet of a shot into the net without the Civil Service keeper moving a muscle to make it 4-0.

In the closing minutes the same player intercepted a poor clearance to skip into the penalty area and chip the ball into the net past the on rushing keeper for his team’s fifth goal.

This week the Swifts travel to Bryansburn Rangers 2nds.

Maghera IIs 4 v 3 The Albion

The Albion travelled to Church Hill Park, Maghera for this league game against Maghera 2nds.

Maghera took the lead early on from what the Albion players thought was an offside position and not long afterwards found themselves 2-0 down from a brilliant shot that gave keeper John McMenamin no chance.

Just before half time Albion got back into the game when following good work on the right wing by Ross Bingham who crossed to Graham McMullan who shot toward goal past the keeper and Stuart Wilcox made sure that it was going over the line.

In the second half Albion got back on level terms when a long throw from Paul King was scrambled into the net by Steven Bridges.

The Albion pressed forward for the winner but they were caught out by two breakaway goals to fall behind by 4-2. They never gave up and when Dean Blackwood was fouled in the penalty Alan Massey stepped up to score but it was too little too late.

This week the Albion entertain Carryduff Colts 2nds at the Council Pitch in Drumaness.

Bloomfield 3 v 2 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to Grand Parade, Belfast on Saturday for this league encounter with Bloomfield one of the form teams in the division. United’s line up was enhanced with the return of Scot Brashaw, Jay Smyth and Adam Herron however an astonishing six first teamers in JJ Carlisle, goalkeeper Brian McMullan, Craig Bowman, Johnny Hunter, Scott McKibbin and Alan Patterson were absent for a variety of reasons. Into the line-up stepped goalkeeper John McMenamin for his competitive debut and new signing Steven Kennedy with both acquitting themselves very well.

The game started evenly with both teams settling into the heavy conditions but soon United’s cause was set back by the dismissal of Ian Boal for an innocuous challenge near the touch line which deserved no more than a yellow card and a stern warning.

Soon after Bloomfield took the lead but United had got themselves reorganised and equalised through Steven Kennedy who scored on his debut with a fine drive after some skilful foot work.

United had a number of other scoring opportunities through Brashaw and Herron but they failed to take them.

In the second half United grafted hard but the game became a war of attrition with the referee continually taking centre stage dishing out yellow cards like confetti generally for the most trivial tackles while more severe challenges went unpunished.

Bloomfield nudged themselves in front midway through the half but as the game was entering its closing stages up popped Ian McMullan to head the equaliser. By this stage United had been reduced to nine players following another dismissal.

The game went into extra time and it looked as if United had done enough to win a point but again the referee intervened playing an astonishing ten minutes of additional time and it was in the 99th minute that Bloomfield scored the winner from a free kick.

This was a disappointing outcome for United however the performance of debutants John McMenamin in goals and Steven Kennedy was a welcome boost.