Match Report v Ballymacash Rangers – 8/11/24

Ballymacash Rangers v Lisburn Distillery (Playr-Fit Premier Intermediate League) – Friday 8th November 2024

Lisburn Distillery made the short trip to The Bluebell on Friday night for the first derby game of the season against Ballymacash Rangers; the Whites went into the game off the back of a win against Tobermore and a draw against Knockbreda. It has been a patchy start to the season for Rangers but they had thrashed Queens 6-0 in their last league game the previous weekend.

Barry Johnston made two changes following the game against Knockbreda with Dean Lewis and Sam Morrow dropping to the bench and Josh Lynch and Kyle Flynn earning spots in the starting eleven.

The home side started the game brightly and threatened the Distillery goal after five minutes when Johnny Angus attempted to put the ball out for a throw in but the home side managed to keep the ball in play. Fortunately, Adam McCart was able to cut out the cross and remove the danger with Benny Igiehon lurking at the back post.

The visitors soon settled into the game and with 7 minutes on the clock Aaron Cochrane did well to retain possession out on the right and cut inside but his shot was blocked by a defender and while Flynn managed to keep the ball alive on the left his cross was too close to Brian Neeson, in goals for Ballymacash.

Igiehon did have the ball in the Distillery goal after 15 minutes but the assistant referee had already raised the offside flag, either side of this another Flynn cross was just too fair ahead of the lunging Hanna and Jack Kinner’s shot from the edge of the box was pushed away by Neeson.

The home side were denied by the woodwork after 23 minutes, Johnston’s side lost the ball in midfield and Anthony Burns outpaced the defence but his shot hit the outside of Lorcan Donnelly’s near post and went out for a goal kick.

Shortly after this Cochrane again threatened the home sides goal from range but Neeson was equal to it and the Whites also looked a threat from set pieces with some good deliveries from Lynch finding McCart but the big defender was unable to get the crucial touch to open the scoring.

The first goal of the game came with just less than 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Lynch headed the ball away from the Distillery box but Stuart Clarke reclaimed possession for the home side in the middle of the pitch and laid the ball off for a teammate to send a hopeful ball forward towards Burns. The Ballymacash player did well to reach the ball before it went out of play and sent a first time cross into the middle of the box, where Igiehon had escaped the attention of the Whites defence and headed his side ahead with ease.

The Whites management made a change before the break with Lewis entering the fray in place of Hanna but the rest of the half passed with few talking points of note. Distillery had enjoyed a good spell of possession after bright start from the home side but it was Lee Forsythe’s men who took a one-goal lead into the interval.

Half Time: Ballymacash Rangers 1-0 Lisburn Distillery

Four minutes after the break and it was Distillery’s turn to be frustrated by the woodwork, the Whites attacked down the left and Flynn let fly with an effort on goal that Neeson parried into the path of Mark McKee but his follow up struck the base of the post and the danger ended when Cochrane shot wide.

Distillery were dealt a blow with 54 minutes played when both sides tussled for possession in the middle of the park after Donnelly had cleared the ball downfield from the Distillery box. Eventually, the battle for the ball was won by Clarke who played it out to former Distillery player Dylan Sinnerton on the left, the Whites defence appealed for an offside against their former teammate but the flag stayed down and the wingers cross across goal found Adam Neale who duly doubled his sides lead.

At this point it looked like it might be game over but Distillery managed to haul themselves back into the game a minute later when Neeson flapped at an inswinging corner and substitute Brendan Glackin attempted to take advantage. Neeson managed to touch Glackin’s header onto the bar but was powerless to stop Cochrane from halving the Whites deficit at the second attempt.

Distillery were now playing on the front foot and shortly after making it 2-1 they almost levelled the game when Glackin, who had certainly made an impact since his introduction shortly after the break, broke down the left and forced a good save from Neeson. The Distillery supporters did not have to wait long to celebrate an equaliser though as from the resultant corner Cochrane got his head to the ball at the near post and brought his side back on level terms, just over two years since the Whites accomplished the same feat at The Bluebell in the first league encounter between the sides.

The Whites now set off in search of a winner and Cochrane, perhaps sensing a hat-trick, tried his luck from range just past the hour mark but his shot dipped too late and went over the bar and Glackin, Grattan and Flynn all forced saved from Neeson.

There was a let off for the visitors in the 68th minute when a cross found Burns at the back post but his downward header went wide of Donnelly’s goal though some of the home fans did think he had found the bottom corner to restore their lead.

The Whites had probably their best chance to take the lead in the 74th minute when Flynn curled a dangerous cross into the box from the left and found McKee, who had made a run into the six-yard box, but the midfielder put the ball over Neeson’s crossbar.

With just over 10 minutes to go both sides were continuing to go in search of a winner and Sinnerton blazed a shot well over the crossbar for the home side. Then, in the 84th minute, Glackin played a good pass out to Flynn who had found acres of space on the left but Neeson spread himself well to block his shot. Seconds later, Flynn sought to turn provider for Glackin but the Whites substitute headed over the crossbar.

With 87 minutes played, Distillery hearts were in mouths when Donnelly struggled to claim the ball from a Ballymacash corner, leading to a scramble right in front of the goal but somehow the Distillery defence managed to stop the ball from crossing the line.

Distillery continued to push for the three points right to the end and two Lynch free kicks found Angus and McCart respectively but neither managed to trouble Neeson.

In the end both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils and while it was a result Distillery would likely have taken before the game and they can certainly take a lot of heart from the fightback. However, they may look at the chances created, especially in the second half, and feel they should have been heading home with three points on the board.

Full Time: Ballymacash Rangers 2-2 Lisburn Distillery

Lisburn Distillery; Donnelly, Brennan, Lynch, Cochrane, Flynn, McKee, Grattan, Angus, Kinner, Hanna, McCart.

Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Lewis (for Hanna, 42 mins), Sharkey, Whiteway, Glackin (for Kinner, 52 mins), Devenny, Morrow, McVicker