Glentoran v Lisburn Distillery (ToalsBet.Com Co. Antrim Shield First Round) – Tuesday 6th September 2022
Taking a break from league action, Lisburn Distillery travelled to East Belfast on Tuesday night to face Glentoran in the Co. Antrim Shield.
The last time these two sides met this was a Premiership fixture and after conceding 10 goals in six competitive games so far this season and scoring only four, most Whites fans will not have been expecting much from this tie.
Not surprisingly, the hosts started with most of the ball, this continued to be the case throughout the game, and had the first sight of goal after five minutes when Danny Purkis got on the end of a cross but could not hit the target. Soon after this Ethan Carry was the first goalkeeper to be called into action as he saved Jonathan Russell’s shot from the left at his near post after a poor clearance from a cross.
Distillery did have two efforts on goal in the opening 15 minutes but neither Conall Murray nor Matthew Swann could find the target. Carry was called into action again on the 15 minute mark when he spread himself to block Alistair Roy’s shot following an attack down the right and five minutes later up the other end Dylan Sinnerton curled an inviting cross towards the back post but a defender was able to head behind for a corner.
The opening goal did come for the hosts just before the 25-minute mark, Jay Donnelly found himself with the ball out on the left but with the angle too tight to go for goal the former Cliftonville man chipped the ball over Carry and James Morgan towards Purkis who touched the ball home at the back post.
Glentoran were in control for the remainder of the half but the Distillery defence stood strong and Carry also made a good save from Harry Murphy’s long range shot following a corner and showed good reflexes to keep a close range effort out after Morgan could not fully connect to clear another cross from the left.
Half Time: Glentoran 1-0 Lisburn Distillery
Moving into the second 45, Mick McDermott’s side were the first to threaten after three minutes when a move down the left ended with Roy going for goal but the Glens player could only find the side netting. Five minutes after this, the Glens did have the ball in the back of the net but the Whites were spared by the assistant referee’s offside flag going up.
Just before the hour mark, there was a rare Distillery attack and some good footwork from Bobby Robinson saw him beat the Glens defender on the touchline down the left but unfortunately, the ball ran out of the Whites players control before he could do any further damage and the danger was cleared.
With just over 20 minutes remaining Carry prevented the Glens from doubling their lead again after Bobby Burns let rip with a volleyed effort from outside the box that looked destined for the back of the net but the Whites ‘keeper flew across goal to push the ball behind for a corner.
Carry looked to finally be beaten for the second time of the net in the 74th minute when a free kick from the left was sent to the back post and found a green shirt who forced the ball past the Whites stopper towards the goal. Fortunately, first half substitute Stephen Curley managed to get something on the ball and cleared the danger.
With 79 minutes on the clock, the Glens had the ball in the net for the third time of the game when a corner was cleared but the ball was quickly returned into the box and headed past Carry but the referee blew for a foul on a Distillery defender.
Entering the final ten minutes of the game Distillery began to push forward in search of an equaliser but unfortunately just lacked that killer pass to cause any real threat to the Glens goal. It was actually Carry who was called into action with a great double save in the 88th minute to deny Purkis and Ruaidhri Donnelly from close range.
In the end, it was not meant to be for the Whites who bow out of the Co. Antrim Shield at the first hurdle but they can take plenty of encouragement for what was a solid defensive performance and hopefully take that into upcoming matches.
Full Time: Glentoran 1-0 Lisburn Distillery
Lisburn Distillery; Carry, Smyth, Murray, Morgan, Patton, McCart, Higginson, Lynch, Swann, Sinnerton, Robinson.
Lisburn Distillery substitutes; Rooney, McGuinness (for Swann, 63 mins), Warnock (for Lynch, 56 mins), Grattan (for Sinnerton, 56 mins), Angus, Shearer (for Higginson, 63 mins), Curley (for Patton, 43 mins).
Report by Cameron Moore (@cameron2604)
Picture Gallery by David Hunter from the above game can be found @ https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA6PGu
