Match report Belfast Celtic 1 v Lis Distillery 2 22/01/22

Intermediate Cup Third Round 22/01/22

Belfast Celtic 1 v Lisburn Distillery 2

Hosts Belfast Celtiic went into this Intermediate cup tie at Glen Road in fine form having won no less than 13 of their 14 league games played so far this season and they would no doubt have been confident going into this one that they could get a result against Lisburn Distillery.

The visitors Distillery however were also on a fine run ahead of the game having only lost one of their last seven games and indeed it was the visitors who were to hold the upper hand throughout the first half of this encounter.

The first real chance of the game came as early as the sixth minute when a delightful through ball found Stephen Sullivan in the clear and charging towards goal however his well struck effort was well blocked by the legs of home ‘keeper Padraig Nugent.

The Whites however kept pressing and indeed didn’t have to wait much longer for their opening goal as the hosts failed to clear a wicked cross from the left on 11 minutes only to see the ball fall kindly to the feet on incoming midfielder Scott Brannigan who made no mistake hammering the ball home from just inside the box to not only give Distillery the lead but also to register his first goal for the club.

One-nil  soon became 2-0 on 24 minutes as Withers was put through by a beautifully executed pass from youngster Conal McAuley and the lively winger made no mistake firing low beneath home goalkeeper Nugent to double the Whites lead.

(Belfast) Celtic continued to work hard although the Whites defence was limiting them to very few chances and indeed it was the visitors who should have scored a couple more to add to what had been an impressive tally for their first half efforts.

Second half saw Distillery once again on the front foot with Michael O’Hanlon having a great chance on 49 minutes to make it 3-0 and put the game to bed. His effort however on this occasion was tame and easily saved by the home keeper and of course, as is often the case, the Whites were left to rue this miss as Celtic pulled a goal back on 50 minutes from a well taken strike from Kevin Lynch.

Suddenly the game changed, Celtic were now in the ascendancy with the Whites have to use all of their resources at the back to keep them at bay as they went all out in search of an equaliser. That said the Whites did have another gilt edged chance to wrap things up as Sullivan beat the offside trap to find himself one on one with home keeper Nugent. Sullivan’s shot however took the smallest off deflections off the legs of the home keeper and as Distillery fans were waiting for the net to bulge the ball somehow trickled narrowly wide of the goal.

After this it was once again the home side who were on the up creating a number of chances which on other occasions might have been taken with more clinical finishing. The Whites however clung on and thought they might have regained the upper hand when Celtic’s Mark Clarke was sent off for a second bookable offence on 75 minutes. However despite only down to ten men, and indeed down to nine men when another player (with no subs remaining) had to leave the pitch injured on 82 minutes, the hosts continued to play some great football and in the end it was with a sense of relief that the final whistle was blown to ensure the Whites progression into the next round.

Full time Belfast Celtic 1 Lisburn Distillery 2

LDFC team v Belfast Celtic:

Nicholl, Dillon, Clarke, Irvine, Reid, Sullivan, O’Hanlon, Harris, Brannigan, Withers, McAuley

Subs:  Getty, C.Young (for Withers), P.Young, Morgan, Lucas (for McAuley)