Saturday 13
December 1.30pm Kick off
Crumlin United 0 v Ballymoney United 2
Ballymoney United eased into the fourth round of the Irish Cup with a well disciplined win over Crumlin United on Saturday.
From the start the visitors had the home defence on the rack and a nervous Stitt in the home goal fumbling a couple of efforts in the first five minutes.
The first clear cut chance fell to McKinney on 8 minutes when he trapped a McLernon cross in the six yard box, took his time, beat the keeper and could only watch as the ball hit the outside of the post and wide.
Crumlin had a rare chance on 15 minutes when Grogan got clear and supplied Walls who brought a great save out of Smyth in the visitor’s goal.
Ballymoney had a let of on 20 minutes when referee Appleyard adjudged Grogan to be offside when he broke through and scored.
Ballymoney upped the pace at this stage and came close from an O’Kane screamer just wide.
It was all Ballymoney at this stage and a poor clearance on 35 minutes from a McLernon free kick resulted in Nicholl opening the scoring for the visitors.
Ballymoney had to substitute McKinney who had taken the brunt of some tough tackles and surprisingly not a card of any colour produced by the referee.
However on forty minutes referee Appleyard called over Fletcher who had punched McLaughlin in the previous Ballymoney attack and produced the first card of the day, red, Crumlin down to ten men.
Following that setback Crumlin’s discipline deteriorated but came close when Curry nearly caught Smyth with a long range shot, great save Smyth tipping over the bar for a corner.
Ballymoney had the last action of the first half when a McLernon corner was headed of the underside of the crossbar by Denver Gage to be scrambled away by the home defence.
Half Time Crumlin United 0 Ballymoney United 1
Ballymoney started the second half in lively fashion and should have scored when Nicholl fluffed an easy chance on 50 minutes.
Ballymoney dominated the play and came close again on the hour when a pinpoint McLernon corner found Denver Gage who headed just wide.
Ten men Crumlin were under pressure and another McLernon corner was headed goalward by McQuitty touched into the goal by McLaughlin and adjudged to be offside.
Ballymoney continued to press and were nearly rewarded when McLernon found himself in on the keeper with 10 minutes to go but squandered the chance right footed straight at Stitt in the home goal.
McLernon redeemed himself a minute later when in nearly the same position he slotted the ball past Stitt with the trusty left foot for the long awaited second goal.
Ballymoney should have added another when McLaughlin was through one on one with Harbison who had taken over from the injured Stitt only to give the stand in keeper an easy save.
11
YELLOW CARDS 
RED CARDS 
