Match Report – Lisburn Distillery v Newmills (Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup 2nd Round) – Saturday 16th September 2023
After three consecutive away games, Lisburn Distillery returned to New Grosvenor on Saturday for a home game against Newmills in the 2nd round of the Irish Cup.
There were a number of changes to the starting eleven from the defeat against East Belfast; Craig Robinson, Kyle Flynn, Curtis Woods Johnny Newell and Carter Savage were replaced in the side by Ethan Carry, Robert Geddis, Johnny Angus, Ryan Sharkey and Gerard Storey.
The opening stages of the game were largely controlled by the home side but it was ten minutes before the first sight of goal, Sharkey picked up a cross field ball on the right and crossed to Ryan McNickle in the middle but Josh Willis, the visiting ‘keeper, stopped the ball from crossing the line.
Eight minutes later McNickle got on the end of another cross, this time from the left, but Willis held his headed effort and shortly after this Joe Tully sent a glancing header wide of the post.
With just less than ten minutes of the first half remaining Robert Geddis, making his full debut for the Whites, tried his luck from the left hand side of the 18 yard box but a touch from an opposing player sent the ball over the bar for a corner, which came to nothing.
Distillery finally opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Storey had a shot on goal from range, Willis looked to have the ball covered but it took a bounce on its way through and ended up going past the unfortunate ‘keeper and over the line to give Barry Johnston’s men the lead.
Distillery had one further effort on goal in the first half in the 41st minute, Dean Lewis burst forward from the back but his shot from outside the box went across the goal and wide of Willis’ right hand post.
Distillery went in at the break a goal to the good but having been well on top for the opening 45 minutes there was some disappointment in the air that it was only a one goal lead the Whites would be taking into the second half.
Half Time: Lisburn Distillery 1-0 Newmills
The second half continued in much the same way as the first, it was all one-way traffic with Distillery having most of the ball.
Tully had an effort on goal in the 47th minute when he turned and shot from 30 yards but Willis comfortably held the ball, ten minutes later the goalkeeper made a more impressive save from the same player when he acrobatically tipped over a free kick from a similar range with his fingertips.
Just past the hour mark, Distillery were on the attack again and broke into the box, McNickle went for goal from a tight angle but Willis was able to push this away but only back into the danger area where Tully scooped the rebound over the bar.
Failure to take chances came back to haunt the Whites in the 62nd minute, Newmills won a free kick on the edge of the area and Samuel Pearson sent a low effort around the wall and into the bottom corner, out of the reach of Carry to level the scoreline.
Distillery pushed on after this setback though and two minutes after Newmills equalised they had a great chance to regain the lead, second half substitute Flynn flicked the ball from the back post towards Tully but the number 10 opted to control the ball with his chest instead of heading first time and when he did eventually get a shot off an opposing player was able to get a block on it.
Distillery did regain the lead with just over 20 minutes remaining, Flynn headed home at the back post after getting on the end of a cross from the right.
The game was not over yet though and Newmills almost equalised for the second time of the game, again from a set piece, as a free kick was delivered from out on the right and headed goalwards at the back post but Carry managed to save the ball on the line to keep the Whites ahead.
On the 90 minute mark Distillery were denied by the woodwork as Michael Gallagher’s header from Jamie Devenny’s cross beat Willis but struck the base of the ‘keepers right hand post and the danger was cleared.
Devenny did add to the Whites lead in second half injury time, the substitute struck home a powerful strike to make sure of the win and send the Whites through to the third round of this season’s competition.
Next up for the Whites is a second consecutive home game on Saturday, we welcome First Bangor to New Grosvenor for the 1st round of the Intermediate Cup.
Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 3-1 Newmills
Lisburn Distillery; Carry, Sharkey, Geddis, McDermott, Lewis, Angus, Grattan, Lynch, McNickle, Tully, Storey
Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Woods, Gallagher (for Grattan, 46 mins), Devenny (for McNickle, 83 mins), Cakaj, Flynn (for Geddis, 53 mins), Savage
Report by Cameron Moore (@cameron2604)
David Hunter’s picture gallery from this game is online @ https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAVb55
