Club Notes

This Saturday sees all three teams play a full schedule of games as they close out the season.

It is also the Annual Dinner and Awards Night in the Primrose Bar at 7.30pm sharp.

Anyone who has still not got their tickets should contact Steven Jess or Johnny McGreevy. All trophies which have not yet been returned should be brought along to the club house on Thursday night in one piece and polished please.

All players should contact their manager as soon as possible to give their Player of the Year nominations.

Ballynahinch United IIs 3 v 2 Ballywalter Rec. IIs

The Swifts continued their strenuous programme of fixtures when they entertained Ballywalter Rec 2nds at the Millbridge. This was most certainly a roller coaster game which could well have gone either way.

The Swifts dominated play in the first half and could well have scored a bag full but a combination of last ditch defending, great saves and rank poor finishing contrived to keep the score down.

Birthday boy Gareth Bingham opened the scoring when he fired in after 50 minutes but a rash tackle from Paul King gave Ballywalter the equaliser from the penalty spot.

Greg Allison who had played a part in the opening goal was again the play maker for the Swifts second goal when his run ended with McCaffrey executing a neat finish. Again slack defending allowed Ballywalter to equalise and a mistake by Herron left a forward with an open goal and he unbelievably placed his shot wide.

Allison’s pace and desire to pursue lost causes resulted in the Swifts winning the game when he chased down a ball that everyone thought was going out for a throw and raced into the penalty before squaring to Herron who shot into the net.

Ballynahinch United IIs 3 v 2 Greencastle Rovers IIs

Day light robbery was all one could describe the outcome of this game which was played on Tuesday 23rd April but sometimes you need a bit of good fortune.

In the first half the Swifts spurred on by Scot Brashaw in midfield laid siege to the Greencastle goal but it was the visitors who took the lead when Stafford spilled a cross and a forward slid the ball into the empty net. The equaliser came on the half hour mark when Brashaw chipped the ball through to McCaffrey and he took it on the chest before shooting calmly past the keeper.

The visitors took the lead shortly afterwards when a free kick was driven into the six yard box for Ross Hayes to deflect it into the net for an own goal.

Just before half time Scot Brashaw equalised when he guided a loose ball into the net from ten yards.

In the second half Greencastle dominated possession and how they didn’t score is something of a miracle, however in the closing quarter the Swifts came back into the game forcing several corners. Greencastle actually cleared the last corner but as they rushed out Aaron McCaffrey timed his run perfectly to run onto a Paul King cross to head the winner.

The Swifts played another game on Thursday night away to Suffolk and they also secured all three points with a winner from Ian McMullan.

Ballynahinch United 1 v 1 Lisburn Rangers

United entertained Lisburn Rangers in their penultimate league fixture at Millbridge on Saturday last. This proved to be a difficult encounter although United will be bitterly disappointed that their superior percentage of play did not yield all three points.

In the first half United were out of the blocks very quickly and Lisburn were hemmed into their own half for most of the time although they were quite dangerous on the break giving United defence of Foster, Brashaw, Boal and Herron some difficult moments while Brian McMullan was called upon to make one excellent stop.

In midfield Smyth, Hunter, Stuart McMullan and Aaron Cheevers were controlling things but they just couldn’t create the openings for hard working forwards Ian McMullan and Scott Brashaw.

Lisburn were reduced to ten men on the half hour when a moment of indiscipline followed moments later by a crude tackle on Cheevers was  suitably rewarded.

In the second half Lisburn regrouped and on the hour mark following a strong and persistent run by their centre forward he managed to hold of the tackles of Foster and Brashaw to score with a delicate shot that gave McMullan no chance.

Ian McMullan who had been lively all afternoon scored the equaliser in the 65th minute however despite the introduction of Kelly, Bowman and Allison United were unable to get their noses in front.

United’s last game of the season takes place at the Millbridge on Saturday 4th  May.