Rosemount Rec v Lisburn Distillery (McCombs Coach Travel Intermediate Cup 1st round) – Saturday 15th October 2022
Lisburn Distillery made the journey to the Ards Peninsula on Saturday to face Rosemount Rec on what was a windy day next to Strangford Lough, the wind would go on to play a huge part in the 1st round Intermediate Cup game between the two sides.
The game had a slow start with a couple of high balls forward for both teams getting caught in the wind but it was Distillery who had the first shot of the game on the 12 minute mark. Dylan Sinnerton did well to hold off a defender and turn and shoot but Christopher Rice, in goals for the home side, was equal to it.
The Whites went behind two minutes later when Stephen Atcheson headed a corner just out of Ethan Carry’s reach right into the bottom left hand corner.
The visitors thought they had equalised in bizarre circumstances with just under 20 minutes played, a corner from Conall Murray was helped by the wind and swerved inwards towards goal but Rice managed to punch the ball away. Then, just a couple of minutes later a golden chance went begging for Barry Johnston’s side as Sinnerton sent a low cross into the box from the left but Matthew Swann just could not get his feet sorted on time to finish it off.
Both sides almost took advantage of the wind just before the 25 minute mark, first a high Rosemount free kick caught in the wind and left Carry, who had come off his line, stranded but the attacker shot well over. At the other end a Distillery effort on goal was deflected by a defender and flew upwards only to catch in the wind and drift towards the goal but Rice was alert and claimed the ball.
The equaliser eventually did come for Distillery in the 26th minute, Bobby Robinson fizzed a cross over from the left hand side that was the perfect height for Swann to head goalwards and some help from the wind saw the ball go past Rice and in.
Before the break, Carry was called into action to save two long range efforts, the second of which he was unable to hold and Odhran McCart managed to clear behind for a corner. The Whites had a great chance of their own to take the lead in the last minute of normal time, when Murray got on the end of Lewis Higginson’s flick on but his shot was straight at Rice and the follow up effort was cleared off the line by a defender.
The half time whistle sounded and the sides went in level, both teams had struggled throughout the half to deal with the strong wind blowing around the ground and would hope the elements would be better for the second 45.
Half Time: Rosemount Rec 1-1 Lisburn Distillery
The second half had a similarly slow start to the first but soon livened up after six minutes when a long goal kick from Rice found Reece Ritchie in the final third and the Rosemount attacker fired past Carry to give the home side the lead for the second time in the game. The Whites felt Ritchie had been in an offside position prior to the goal but the appeals went ignored.
Three minutes later the visitors had what looked to be a clear penalty turned down when the ball appeared to strike the outstretched hand of a Rosemount defender following a free kick on the right but only a corner was given. From the corner, a header sent the ball goalwards and it looked like Rice pushed the ball over the bar but this time a goal kick was given.
Josh Lynch went close with a free kick for Distillery and then just before the hour mark substitute Jourdan Shearer linked up well with Swann sending the latter through on goal but the final shot was tame and Rice managed to push the ball away.
At this stage Distillery were pretty well on top and pulled themselves level right on the hour mark when a Lynch corner delivered from the right found the head of McCart and the defenders downwards header gave Rice no chance.
Unfortunately, it did not stay level for long and two minutes after equalising for the second time of the game Distillery went behind. Carry managed to make a superb save from a powerful long range effort, tipping the ball onto the bar bur unfortunately he could do nothing as Curtis Giltrap fired home the rebound to make it 3-2.
The third goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Whites and there were few more chances during the rest of the game. They were denied by the bar in bizarre circumstances in the 82nd minute when a Rosemount defender headed back towards his own goal following a corner and then in injury time Murray found Jonathan Angus with a good pass but the substitute could not get the ball past Rice.
The referee soon ended a frustrating day for the Whites to say the least, the side had not played badly and had certainly created enough chances to win the game and can take encouragement from fighting back from behind twice but to give credit to the opposition they took their chances and saw the game out well.
Full Time: Rosemount Rec 3-2 Lisburn Distillery
Lisburn Distillery; Carry, Smyth, Murray, McCart, Patton, Sinnerton, Higginson, Warnock, Lynch, Swann, Robinson
Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Young, Elliott, Shearer (for Higginson, 51 mins), Gray, McGuinness (for Warnock, 61 mins), Angus (for Smyth, 80 mins), Fleming
Match report by Cameron Moore (@cameron2604)
David Hunter’s picture gallery from this game are available online @ https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAbB2Q
