Match report – Moyola Park 11/12/21

11 December 2021 – Distillery 0 Moyola Park 0

Lough 41 Premier Intermediate League

Distillery recorded their first draw of the season in what was their last home game at New Grosvenor in 2021.

The home side pressed in the opening minutes but it was Moyola Park who soon posed the greater threat in the opening-half and looked particularly dangerous on the counter-attack.

On five minutes keeper Jonah Nicholl made a good double-block at the feet of Moyola players following a corner. Three minutes later the Whites won a corner that was cleared and Moyola countered, Tomas McCann breaking into the box but Nicholl denied him with a good save to his left.

Ciaran McKeever then cut inside and fired wide on 20 minutes before Distillery began to come back into the game. A diagonal ball wide left found Caeolin Young who broke forward but his shot was blocked by Moyola’s Aaron Harris.

Within a minute the Whites threatened again, Neil Dillon saw his shot saved at the near post by Morgan Moore. The best two chances of the half came late on. Shea McSorley broke forward down the right and whipped in a great cross which skimmed across the goalmouth and fortunately eluded Distillery defender Christian Irvine sliding in at the near post whilst Moyola striker Tiernan Rafferty at the back couldn’t get a touch either.

In added time, it took a cracking save from Moore to keep out a great header from Lewis Higginson – the keeper leaping to his right to get a strong arm on the ball and turn it away.

Half-time – Distillery 0 Moyola Park 0

The Whites came out strongly after the break and had two great chances inside three minutes. Mikey Withers broke on the left but it was Moore who saved his shot and the follow-up was blocked by a combination of goalkeeper and defender. Moore then made another good stop to keep out a twenty-yard effort from Michael O’Hanlon.

On the hour, McSorley whipped in another dangerous cross but the bounce saw the ball rise high and Rafferty could only get a touch from his thigh which sent it over the bar.

A minute later another couple of chances fell to the home side. Distillery captain Aaron Harris sent in a free-kick which was cleared to the edge of the area where Higginson hit another good shot on the volley. The ball rebounded wide to the edge of the six-yard area but Young saw his follow-up shot blocked.

McSorley then dragged a shot wide with fifteen minutes to go and at that stage it looked like one goal would win it. On 84 minutes Rafferty did head the ball into the Distillery net but the nearside official’s flag was raised instantly for offside.

A hard-earned point for both sides who will think they should have won it; equally neither should have lost it so a draw and a point apiece was probably a fair outcome.

Full-time – Distillery 0 Moyola Park 0

Lisburn Distillery: Nicholl, Reid, Dillon, Irvine, Moore (Clarke 46), Higginson, O’Hanlon, Harris ©, Sullivan (McAuley 63), Withers, C. Young (McCaw 68). Unused subs: Pollock, Brannigan, Getty, P.Young.

Moyola Park: Moore, McSorley (McGarrity 83), Harris, McLean, O’Mullan, Forrest (Barfoot 57), McKeever, Tolan, Rafferty ©, Patchett, McCann. Unused subs: McClure, O’Neill.

Referee: Simon McKay

Match report copyright – © David Hunter