Saturday 3
January 1.30pm Kick off at Rossconnor Recreation Grounds
Downpatrick 0 v
Ballymoney United 0
Downpatrick win 4-3 on penalties
Ballymoney United crashed out of the WKD Intermediate Cup at Rossconnor Recreation Grounds Annacloy on Saturday despite controlling the game from start to finish.
The game had a lively start with Ballymoney showing their intentions from the start O’Kane in on the home goal on 6 mins but scuffed his feeble effort wide.
Kearney left the home defence for dead a few minutes later and found McLernon who should have done better with his close range shot.
It was all Ballymoney at this stage and a great ball in behind the defence from McLernon put in McKinney who blasted over the bar.
A McLernon corner on 18mins was fumbled by Stranney but there was no one on hand to capitalise on the error.
On a rare attack Downpatrick had a great shot from Young well saved by Smyth.
The visitors continued to press and on the half hour McKinney put in O’Kane whose shot this time was on target but well saved Stranney in the home goal.
Straight from the clearance the visitors were again on the attack and a lively McKinney again put in O’Kane on goal and this time it was a poorly hit effort straight at Stranney.
Just before half time the home team started to find kinks in the Ballymoney defence and Telford brought a good save out of Smyth.
However the last action of the half belonged to Ballymoney when Gilmore broke down the left fed O’Kane who slipped the ball inside to McKinney in on goal one on one with Stranney to shoot wide.
Half Time 0 – 0
Ballymoney started the second half as they had finished the first and on 52 mins McKinney skinned the defence and found Tully free in the box to blast wide when he should have scored.
On the hour it was that combination again McKinney put O’Kane through to again shoot wide.
O’Kane made amends on 62 mins when he hit a screamer on target only to see his effort well saved by Stranney in the home goal.
McLernon found McKinney with a glorious pass on 70 mins and his goal bound shot struck the diving Stranney on the face to thwart another Ballymoney chance.
Downpatrick only chance of the second half came when a front post corner from McShane found Gracey to bring a great save out of Smyth.
With time running out O’Kane found McKinney on 85 mins he rounded Treacy in the home defence took the ball wide of Stranney in goal and shot wide when it would have been easier to score.
Full Time 0 – 0
Ballymoney continued to press in the first period of extra time and it was O’Kane who made a great run and his shot was cleared of the line by Gracey straight to McKinney who shot over the bar.
In the last action of this period McLernon pinpointed his pass to Denver Gage who headed wide at the back post.
First Period of extra time 0 – 0
There was little or no action in the second period of extra time looking as though both teams had resigned themselves to a penalty shoot out although from a Downpatrick corner Telford squared the ball across the Ballymoney goal for the incoming McQuoid who couldn’t get a touch.
The visitor’s only chance of the period came in the dying minutes when McLaughlin got behind the defence a cut his pass back to Gilmore whose subsequent shot was saved by Stranney
Final Score 0 – 0
Penalties:
Downpatrick.
Ballymoney United.
1. Galbriath. 1.
McQuitty.
2. Gracey. 2.
O’Kane.
3. McShane. 3.
Denver Gage saved by Stranney.
4. Mullan.
4. McLaughlin.
5. McStravick
saved by Smyth. 5. Surgenor saved by Stranney.
YELLOW CARDS 
RED CARDS 
SUBS REPLACING NUMBER
GOALS
SCORED
