Match Report v Loughgall (a)
Loughgall v Lisburn Distillery (Bet McLean League Cup 2nd Round) – 14th September 2021
Lisburn Distillery travelled to Lakeview Park on Tuesday night to face Championship outfit Loughgall in the 2nd round of the League Cup, the Whites having received a bye in the first round. The last time the two sides met was an eventful affair with a number of red cards and a late goal winning the game for Loughgall.
The game started very fast paced with Distillery on the attack within the first minute of the game but a Villagers defender was on hand to clear the danger away following a forward pass to Caoelain Young. In the 2nd minute of the game the home side broke down the left and when a cross was delivered into the box Jonah Nicholl got something on it but couldn’t hold the ball and there was a heart in mouths moment for Distillery when Christ Getty and Timmy Clarke both tried to clear the ball at the same time resulting in the ball heading goalwards but thankfully behind for a corner.
From that resulting corner Aaron Harris had to be on hand to clear the ball off the line and Clarke managed to clear the danger sending Whites on the counter this time, the attack ended with the ball in the back of the Loughgall net when Caoelain Young was on hand to score after a Lewis Higginson shot was saved by Berraat Turker.
The visitors lead was doubled in the 7th minute when James Begley played the ball forward after some good hold up play, Caoelain Young swung at the ball and get something on it but seen his effort come back off the post but once again the alert striker was on hand to finish off the job and score his third goal in two games and put Distillery 2-0 up after less than ten minutes.
After a bad start to the game Dean Smith’s side began to get more into the game and were certainly quick on the break, something which would cause the Whites a problem throughout the game. The Distillery lead was cut in half in the 19th minute when the home side broke following a promising run and cross from Higginson and the move ended with Nedas Maciulaitis scoring for Loughgall.
Nicholl managed to keep the Villagers at bay for a while, firstly making a superb double save to deny Maciulaitis after Harris was dispossessed in the middle of the park and the Whites stopper was called into action to tip another effort around the post after an attscking player outpaced Christian Irvine. Unfortunately, Loughgall equalised from the corner following the latter save from Nicholl and it was through a powerful header from Ben Neill.
The home side were well on top for the remainder of the first half but there were no further goals scored, though Harris was again required to clear another effort from a corner off the line and Nicholl had to palm another effort away from goal when a Loughgall player got around Clarke and Irvine was on hand to make a fine block to deny the follow up effort.
Half-time: Loughgall 2-2 Lisburn Distillery
Loughgall put Distillery under pressure early in the second half but it was the Whites who had the first effort on goal of the half when Joe Reid headed off target from a Mick O’Hanlon corner.
Distillery managed to keep The Villagers out until just after the hour mark, the goal came after Clarke blocked an effort from the right hand side and attempted to break forward but could not get far before being dispossessed, after this some quick passing from the home side ended with Lorcan Forde putting Loughgall ahead for the first time in the game.
Loughgall’s lead was doubled in the 64th minute when Maciulaitis tried his luck with a shot from the right and the ball beat Nicholl and went in off the post and six minutes later it was 5-2 with the Distillery stopper was left with no chance when a fine strike from outside the box from Pablo Andrade again went in off the post.
In the 77th minute there was another chance for the home side to score when substitute Barry Moore managed to stop a Loughgall attack but in his attempt to complete his clearance scooped the ball into Nicholl’s hands with the referee awarding an indirect free-kick to The Villagers but the wall did its job blocking the shot. The scoring was completed though in the 79th minute through substitute Steven Shearer.
A heavy defeat for Johnny Clapham’s Distillery side, the game was not without its positive moments for the Whites but ultimately, they were simply beaten by the better side with the match further emphasising the gulf between the Championship and the Premier Intermediate League.
Full-time: Loughgall 6-2 Lisburn Distillery
Lisburn Distillery; Nicholl, Higginson, Clarke, Irvine, Getty, Reid, O’Hanlon, Harris ©, Begley, C. Young, Napier
Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Pollock, McCaw (for O’Hanlon, 70), Grattan (for Higginson, 70), P. Young (for Begley, 55), Moore (for Getty, 67), McClean (for C. Young, 67), Weir
Report by C.Moore