Tag: Ian McMullan

Ballynahinch United 1 v 0 Ballywalter Rec.

United entertained Ballywalter Recreation in this league game at Millbridge on Saturday. The weather conditions and the pitch were in excellent condition for the start of this game however things would be a lot different in the second half. United started the brighter against a Ballywalter team who are struggling at the bottom of the league and they went close on a number of occasions in the early stages. A Jay Smyth shot sailed over the cross bar while the Ballywalter goalkeeper and his defenders managed to block efforts from Steven Kennedy and Ian McMullan.

United sent wave after wave of attack on the Ballywalter defence and it was from a long throw in the 21st minute from McCauley Foster that they took the lead thanks to a couple of defensive deflections and the intervention of Ian McMullan who claimed the last touch.

Any hopes that this would open the flood gates were sadly mistaken as Ballywalter staged a number of counter attacks in search of an equaliser and United’s defensive formation of Hayes, Foster and Brashaw had to be at their very best along with Brian McMullan who pulled off a number of good saves. In midfield Stuart McMullan seemed to be on the end of all of United’s attacks while Cheevers, Smyth and Hunter passed the ball about with ease.

United will have been disappointed that they had not increased their lead by half time particularly as the weather was deteriorating with sleet and snow falling. The good attendance of spectators who were huddled at every sheltered location around the ground were looking for some sparkling football and more goals to cheer them up in the second half but that is not the way things would turn out.

Ballywalter to their credit pressed forward at times hemming United into their half and the introduction of substitutes Ian Boal, David Kelly and Adam Herron whilst strengthening United defensively failed to inject that extra spark into attack.

Several long range efforts from Ian Boal caused the Ballywalter defence some discomfort and Ian McMullan shot narrowly wide while the running of Aaron Cheevers led to a number of free kicks in decent positions but Johnny Hunter could not conjure up any magic.

In the closing minutes Johnny Hunter put in an outstanding tackle to clear the ball for a corner after a Ballywalter forward was put through on goal. Not long after the referee blew the final whistle to bring proceedings to an end and give United a hard earned three points.

Supporters should keep in touch with club officials this week regarding the next league fixture as although United are supposed to be away to Immaculata in the league they are supposed to be playing in the Clarence Cup that day.

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.

Ballynahinch United 3 v 1 Bangor Rangers

United entertained Bangor Rangers in this league fixture at Millbridge on Saturday – a day that was somewhat over shadowed by the news that they had drawn Premier League side Coleraine in the 5th Round of the Irish Cup.

Right from the start United were on the front foot hemming Bangor Rangers back into their half as they probed down the right and left wings through the runs of Aaron Cheevers and Stuart McMullan. They took the lead just short of the half hour mark when Alan Patterson ran onto a Johnny Hunter through ball. The Bangor keeper raced off his line to challenge for the ball but it broke to Cheevers who calmly slotted it into the empty net from twenty yards.

United continued to probe but they conceded a goal against the run of play when a long right wing cross evaded everyone and fell to a Bangor forward who controlled the ball before slotting it into the net despite the efforts of Brian McMullan. Undeterred United pressed forward and following a goal mouth scramble Ian McMullan side footed the ball into the net.

In the second half United continued to control the game restricting Bangor Rangers to the odd excursion forward leaving Brian McMullan generally as a spectator.

The midfield of Bowman, Hunter, Patterson and Stuart McMullan were very strong moving the ball about with confidence while defensively Davy Boal, Ross Hayes, Adam Herron and Scott Brashaw all went about their tasks with efficiency.

Numerous openings were created to extend their lead but it was not until the 75th minute that they increased it when Patterson again surged forward and unleashed a shot which was brilliantly saved by the Bangor keeper however in doing so it cannoned off a defender and looped into the net.

The full substitute bench of Carlisle, McKibbin and Smyth had been introduced midway through the second half and they played their part with McKibbin out pacing the Bangor defence on a number of occasions and being very unlucky not to score.

An excellent result which keeps United in the top four of the Division 1B league table as they go into Christmas and this weekends big local derby with Temple Rangers in the Clarence Cup.

Ballynahinch United 2 v 1 Dromore Amateurs

IRISH CUP – ROUND 2

United entertained near neighbours Dromore Amateurs at the Millbridge on Saturday last for the first time in a number of years in this Irish Cup 2nd Round tie.

The home team went into this game without regulars Aaron Cheevers, Ross Hayes, David Boal who were unavailable through holiday, injury and suspension respectively.

From the start the home team were on the attack and indeed maintained this for most of the game however it was Dromore who took the lead after ten minutes when their captain latched onto a loose ball from Stuart McMullan to score from some twenty five yards with a shot that sailed over keeper Brian McMullan’s head into the net.

While this stunned the home team it did not prevent them from getting into their passing game and throughout the remainder of the half they launched attack after attack with Ian McMullan, Johnny Hunter, David Kelly, Gareth Bingham and Craig Bowman all going close.

The second half resumed with United again on the attack with Johnny Hunter hitting the crossbar with a long range deflected shot.

Inside the first ten minutes United lost influential midfielder Stuart McMullan who had to leave the field with a very nasty facial injury that necessitated hospital treatment. The circumstances of the injury caused considerable upset to both team mates and the home supporters who were incensed that the referee did not see the offending punch.

When the game settled down United pressed for an equaliser and it came on the hour mark when Scott Brashaw and Johnny Hunter combined for Hunter to run onto the edge of the six yard box to score with a shot into the roof of the net.

Adam Herron who was making his first appearance of the season following injury took the place of the unfortunate Stuart McMullan and it was he who created the winning goal when he bombed forward onto a pass from Jonathan Smyth to centre the ball which was met by Ian McMullan who’s shot was deflected into the net past the despairing dive of the Dromore keeper.

The visitors pressed forward in search of an equaliser however they found the United defence of Brashaw, Patterson and JJ Carlisle in a very determined mood.

The home team introduced attacker Scott McKibbin and he stretched the Dromore defence with his strong runs.

United travel to Ardstraw this coming Saturday for an Intermediate Cup tie.

The Swifts and Albion games fell foul of the weather.