Lisburn Distillery v Limavady United (Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 16th April 2022
Lisburn Distillery played their last game on Saturday before the Premier Intermediate League splits into two halves. The opposition on the day was 4th placed Limavady who had already got the better of the Whites on two occasions at The Limavady Showgrounds this season so Distillery fans were hoping home advantage would pay off once again.
There was one change to the side that lost midweek against Newington, Timmy Clarke returned to the starting eleven and Neil Dillon dropped to the bench.
The Whites had a positive start to the game and in the 3rd minute Mick O’Hanlon sent a dangerous looking cross into the box from the right-hand side, but it was comfortably gathered in the end by Connor Brown, in goal for the visitors.
In the 14th minute the visitors threatened the Distillery goal for the first time when Dean Brown tried his luck from outside the box but the ball went well off target. Three minutes later and Brown went one step closer to opening the scoring but this time his effort on goal, the first to hit the target so far during the game, was well saved by Jonah Nicholl and the resulting corner cleared.
With 23 minutes on the clock the visitors had a great chance to take the lead when Nicholl collided with a United player when trying to claim a cross from the left, despite the Whites appeals no foul was given but fortunately the ball trickled behind for a goal kick.
There was little more to report for the rest of the half and when the referee called half-time on a drab affair so far it was no goals for either side at this stage of the game.
Half-time: Lisburn Distillery 0-0 Limavady United
The home side had the first opportunity of the second half to take the lead when, in the 51st minute a through ball released Caoelain Young towards goal but the Whites player was forced wide, and his eventual shot took a deflection into the hands of Brown.
Two minutes later up the other end it was a Limavady player who looked to be clean through on goal, but Nicholl did well to stand his ground and block the shot and a recovering Joe Reid was able to clear behind for a corner.
The opening goal came in the 59th minute when the Whites lost the ball in the middle of the park and a ball down the line put a United attacker through on goal, Barry Moore went to ground but could not get anything on the ball and clipped he opposition player just inside the box, leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Alex Pomeroy took on the responsibility for the visitors and send Nicholl the wrong way to open the scoring.
In the 62nd minute Young was involved again when both he and Brown tried to lay claim to a ball in the United penalty box, the Whites player did just enough to nick the ball away from the ‘keeper but once again was forced wide so could not get a shot off on goal. Instead, he opted to cross into the box towards O’Hanlon who, with the goal gaping, just could not quite connect with the ball.
The Whites made a few changed but it was the visitors who doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Jack Mullan headed home from a corner to all but end the game as a contest.
After the second goal United essentially played out the game with Brown in goal being largely untested. It was a disappointing day for the Whites, but attention now turns to Tuesday night’s game against PSNI.
Full time: Lisburn Distillery 0-2 Limavady United
Lisburn Distillery; Nicholl, Angus, Clarke, Moore, Reid, Higginson, O’Hanlon, Harris ©, Sullivan, Lucas, Young
Lisburn Distillery substitutes; Pollock, Morgan (for Lucas, 84 mins), Edge (for Angus, 65 mins), Brannigan (for Higginson, 84 mins), Scott (for Young, 65 mins), Dillon (for Moore, 65 mins), Conlon
