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.