Category: Fixtures

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 2 v 2 Rathfern Rangers

Goalkeeper Bryan McMullan has often provided that vital last line of defence for United over the last number of seasons pulling of countless last gasp or point blank saves but last Saturday, and not for the first time either, he scored the equaliser to secure his team a valuable point.

The game started very badly for United as they conceded a goal in the first few minutes from a long throw which was flicked into the path of a Rathfern forward who volleyed the ball first time past Bryan McMullan. For the remainder of the half it was United on the attack with Paul Dickson and Aaron McCaffrey going close with a header and shot respectively as Adam Herron, Dalton Tate and Stuart McMullan combined consistently down the left wing to provide a series of half chances and force corner after corner.

Rathfern, for their part, were dangerous on the break and on more than one occasion Ross Hayes or Davy Boal had to be at their very best to stop the swift breaks while Bryan McMullan pulled off a few important saves.

Ethan Majury was moved into a more forward position for this game and was a willing runner in the absence of the injured Ian McMullan and his chasing down of defenders along with Gavin Crawford and McCaffrey caused the visitors some very uncomfortable moments.

The equaliser came five minutes from half time when Davy Boal fired in a shot from the right hand side of the penalty area which nestled in the side of the net having taken a deflection.

In the second half United started brightly but appeared to lose momentum and for long periods of the second half found themselves defending breakaways which required some solid defending from Hayes, Herron and an outstanding last ditch tackle from Dickson to save a certain goal. That combined with a close penalty shout made it almost inevitable that they would concede. That was the case in the 70th minute when a Rathfern forward broke through and scored although there was a hint of offside about it.

United were now up against it but they rallied with Scott Brashaw providing the leadership from midfield but Rathfern were not about to surrender their lead as they defended stoutly. The best chance fell to Tate who shot wide from close to the penalty spot. Greg Allison, a half time substitute, David Kelly and Gareth McMullan provided a more attacking focus with a string of free kicks being secured but none could be utilised to great effect.

The game was entering its final minute when United won a corner and up came goalkeeper Bryan McMullan to get on the end of cousin Stuart’s cross and head a superb equaliser.

This was not one of United’s better performances however they proved yet again that they have grit and determination. Next week they entertain local rivals Dromara Village in a Clarence Cup tie which has a 1.30pm kick off.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 1 v 1 Sirocco Works

United entertained Sirocco Works in this league game at the Millbridge on Saturday last. Despite the heavy rain on Friday afternoon and evening grounds man Jimmy Brown had the pitch in immaculate condition although it was unsurprisingly a little soft in places.

The visitors who have been perennial league challengers in recent years have struggled in the early months of this campaign however a recent change of manager has brought on board a number of fresh faces and encouraging results.

The first half was fairly evenly contested but neither team created any decent scoring opportunities despite the end to end nature of the game. The referee was fairly busy though as there were constant breaks in the play for minor fouls which were due more to the slippery conditions as opposed to any maliciousness.

United really got a foot hold in the game in the second half and dominated play although Sirocco were at their most dangerous in this period as they broke from defence with pace and but for several outstanding saves from Brian McMullan they could have found themselves behind.

After an hour United lost the services of Ian McMullan with a hamstring strain and manager Keith Hamilton introduced teenager Greg Allison whose pace caused the visitors considerable problems. The incisive running of Dalton Tate and Scott Brashaw from midfield and defence started to create opening and Aaron McCaffrey was finding space around the penalty area and went close on a few occasions. Paul Dickson who has been unavailable in recent weeks came into the midfield area in place of Ethan Majury and he caused Sirocco problems from corners and free kicks. Indeed he almost made contact with a superbly flighted free kick from Stuart McMullan which sailed narrowly wide of veteran Irish League goal keepers Andy McDonald’s post.

United took the lead in the 75th minute when Tate’s corner wasn’t cleared by the Sirocco defence and McCaffrey claimed his second goal in as many matches with a well drilled shot into the net.

United maintained their grip on the game as Sirocco tried desperately to get into the game. Defensively United’s rear guard of Boal, Hayes, Brashaw and Herron dealt with everything that came their way and with Brian McMullan in assured form behind them it looked like United would secure all three points. The introduction of Gareth McMullan into the forward line for the hard working McCaffrey in the closing minutes added to United’s forward threat particularly as he combined well with Allison to hold the ball up.

As the game entered injury time Sirocco enjoyed a period of possession forcing a number of corners with keeper McDonald adding to their attacking force more by way of a diversion. In one attack which should have been halted for an offside decision an attacker got a couple of shots in but both were comfortably blocked by Adam Herron and when the player, who was holding onto the defender, went to shoot a third time he missed the ball and fell over and referee Moutray awarded a penalty to the astonishment of the home team and supporters. Despite his best efforts Brian McMullan was unable to save the resulting spot kick.

In the remaining minutes of extra time United almost scored the winner from a goal mouth scramble after a corner when Dickson managed to get his toe to a loose ball but a last ditch lunge from a defender managed to get it cleared off the line and United’s last hopes of full points had gone.

This was another good performance from the home team who will feel robbed of a victory by what was a poor decision from an experienced referee who otherwise had a good game. United however need to put that disappointment behind them as they prepare for another home game this Saturday against Rathfern Rangers.

Match Report: Bloomfield 0 v 2 Ballynahinch United

United travelled to East Belfast for this league encounter against Bloomfield at Orangefield velodrome which is the only cycling facility of its type in Northern Ireland.

From early on in the game United took control and spent most of the first half camped in the Bloomfield half however they failed to bring the home goal keeper into any serious action. The same could not be said for United’s Brian McMullan who whilst spending most of the afternoon spectating pulled off one of his best saves this season which played a major role in his team’s success. In the 43rd minute Bloomfield broke clear on the right wing and their centre forward raced onto the edge of the six yard box to receive a great pass from his team mate. Just as he was about to shoot into the net defender Ethan Majury managed to block the shot but it was still heading into the goal until Brian McMullan dived to palm it around the post for a corner.

In the second half United came out full of purpose and  were ahead in the 50th minute when Stuart McMullan was released on the right wing following interplay between Dalton Tate and Gavin Crawford. He cut into the penalty area and toe poked the ball into the net past the advancing keeper. Having controlled the game up to this stage United seemed to lose their composure and it took some solid defending from the back line of Majury, Hayes, Boal, Brashaw and Herron to stem a steady stream of Bloomfield attacks. In the 65th minute Bloomfield were reduced to ten players when their No. 5 was dismissed for a second yellow card which could easily have been a straight red following a rather nasty tackle.

At this stage United were enjoying much more possession and in the 70th minute they were 2 – 0 up when Aaron ‘Beattie’ McCaffrey got on the end of a cross to score into the roof of the net off the keeper. ‘Beattie’ who has been an ever present in the team following some excellent seasons with the Swifts has been a hard working partner to Ian McMullan however the goals just didn’t seem to go in for him so was this was a well-deserved success.

For the closing quarter manager Keith Hamilton replaced his forward line with Gareth McMullan and Greg Allison and they provided a constant threat with Gareth McMullan’s first touch, a lob shot from ten yards, drifting over the crossbar while Greg Allison had a few long range shots which went narrowly wide.

This was another good team performance with every player contributing to a well-earned three points which take United into 3rd place however this Saturday they will have to be at their best to take on an improving Sirocco Works side that after a poor start to the season have been picking up points in recent weeks. The game kicks off at 2pm at Millbridge.

Match Report: Ballynahinch Olympic 1 v 2 Ballynahinch United

Bells Bridge, Dromara was the setting for the first ever derby match between Ballynahinch rivals Olympic and United. It was somewhat ironic that the setting for the game was Bells Bridge which was once United’s home ground in their early days.

A decent crowd turned up for the game however if they were looking for any fireworks at this Halloween period they would have been sadly mistaken because in general terms both teams were more focussed on playing football.

Olympic as the home side made much of the early running and but for the intervention of Stuart McMullan heading off the goal line from an early attack they could have been ahead.

Apart from this United’s experienced defensive line-up of Boal, Hayes, Brashaw and Herron with Dickson providing a shield gave United’s goalkeeper Brian McMullan solid protection and kept Olympics’ prolific scorer Niall Murray at bay.

United took the lead five minutes from half time when they forced a corner which was taken by Stuart McMullan. Paul Dickson rose above everyone else to head home past Olympic keeper Ryan Walsh.

In the second half both sides had an equal share of possession without really creating any serious goal scoring opportunities. For United Dalton Tate was very effective in central midfield along with Gavin Crawford while in attack Ian McMullan and Aaron McCaffrey chased everything.

United doubled their lead on 65 minutes when Gavin Crawford, who has been scoring regularly in his second season with the club, hit a screamer of a shot from around 20 yards which beat Walsh to nestle in the net.

United were playing with confidence and didn’t have to force the issue however in the closing quarter Olympic made a few changes and it paid dividends when they scored with a deflected header to leave a grandstand finish.

United introduced stalwart Johnny Stevenson to the action for his first outing of the season along with teenager Greg Allison and their fresh legs provided a threat to an Olympic team who were chasing the equaliser. Stevenson was unlucky not to score when he crashed a shot of the Olympic crossbar however the visitors were able to hold out to secure a vital three points and end a two game losing sequence when they have perhaps been a shade unlucky with the run of the ball.

This week United host Rathfern Rangers in a league game at the Millbridge.

Match Report: Ballynahinch United 1 v 2 New Buildings [after extra time]

A packed Millbridge was treated to a real hum dinger of a cup tie at this 1st Round Intermediate Cup game.

In the early part of the match it was United who had the better of the exchanges however they were disrupted by the loss of midfielder David Kelly after only ten minutes with a dead leg sustained in the very first challenge. They should have been ahead too but Gareth McMullan and Greg Allison failed to capitalise on the openings created. As the first half progressed the visitors enjoyed a greater share of the possession and lone forward Matty Smith was proving hard to handle for defenders Boal, Hayes, Herron and Majury. It was Smith who opened the scoring for New Buildings when a misplaced pass was intercepted and a quick through ball saw the forward close in on Brian McMullan who made a valiant effort to save his shot but to no avail.

In the second half United had the strong wind in their backs and gradually as the half progressed they took control of the game creating quite a few openings. Dalton Tate who had been relatively quiet in the first half moved further forward and he got on the end of Gavin Crawford cross to volley a shot goal ward only to see the keeper get a fingertip to it and see it cannon off the crossbar. In the 60 minute United were level when an exchange of passes with JJ Carlisle saw Davy Boal venture forward and unleash an outstanding shot which whizzed into the net.

Minutes later United had a goal disallowed when the New Buildings keeper spilled a high cross from Stuart McMullan at the feet of Aaron McCaffrey who touched it over the line but the referee adjudged that the keeper had been fouled in the build-up. United pressed continually and Ross Hayes saw his downward header bounce of the crossbar to safety.

The game went into extra time with United again pressing however neither team created any clear cut chances and the game was settled minutes before the end of the first half of extra time when Wayne Glenn crossed a ball from the touchline some forty or fifty yards from goal and with Brian McMullan who had been a virtual spectator for the previous fifty odd minutes back pedalling furiously the ball dropped in under the crossbar.

The visitors put every man they could muster behind the ball to repel United’s vain attempt to equalise and they held out for a fortuitous win however they have to be congratulated for a good performance throughout for such a youthful team.