Match Report v Dollingstown – 30/11/24
Lisburn Distillery v Dollingstown (Playr-Fit Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 30th November 2024
It was back to league action on Saturday as Lisburn Distillery hosted Dollingston at New Grosvenor on Saturday with hopes of climbing closer towards the top end of the table.
Stephen Uprichard’s side came to Ballyskeagh on the crest of a wave as they went into the game sitting pretty in top spot with six wins from six, even sides below them winning their games in hand could not knock The Dollybirds off top spot. They had also found out during the week that their reward for reaching the Irish Cup 5th round would be a home tie against Championship side Ballyclare Comrades.
There were a few changes to the Whites side, at least one of which was enforced as Aaron Cochrane dropped out to serve a one game ban after picking up two yellow cards in the Rathcoole game. Also making way were Mark McKee and Johnny Angus with Dylan Whiteway, Ryan Sharkey and Justin Grattan the beneficiaries.
The opening stages of the game were very scrappy but it was the visitors who had the first opportunity to open the scoring. Lorcan Donnelly was unable to bring Fra Brennan’s header back to him fully under control and this allowed Daniel Gordon to pounce, nicking the ball away from the Whites ‘keeper but Harry Cromack was unable to finish off his pass much to the relief of the Distillery stopper.
After a slow opening 15 minutes, the Whites settled and started to see more of the ball and a looping Ryan Sharkey cross on 23 minutes had to be touched over the visitors bar by goalkeeper Gareth Buchanan. Then, from the resulting corner, Josh Lynch found time and space to control the ball and shoot but the Dollingstown custodian was equal to it.
The Whites almost took the lead just before the half hour mark in what would have been a truly bizarre turn of events. A Dollingtown defender sliced an attempted clearance high up in the air and Buchanan came to claim the ball but at the same time, his own defender, Jordan Campbell, headed the ball over him. For a moment, it looked like the ball might just cross the line only for it to shave the wrong side of the post and go out for a corner, this time it was the visitors turn to breathe a huge sigh of relief, with Buchanan making his feelings on the matter known to Campbell.
With five minutes to go before the interval the Whites came within another whisker of taking the lead when skipper, Brennan, met a Lynch corner from the left but his header was cleared off the line.
The sides went in at half time goalless in what was largely shaping up to be a game to forget, Dollingstown had started the brighter but Distillery had grown into the game as the half went on and had possibly had the better opportunities to open the scoring at this stage.
Half Time: Lisburn Distillery 0-0 Dollingstown
Barry Johnston’s side had the first opportunity to open the scoring after the break when a lovely dinked pass from the left found Lynch, the midfielder shaped himself to shoot from just inside the box and looked to have done everything right but the ball went just over the bar.
With 53 minutes on the clock, a short pass from midfield looked to have released Gordon through on goal but Brennan was able to get across to make a great challenge with the Dollingtown number seven bearing down on goal. Then, three minutes later, Distillery were on the attack again with Flynn
and Glackin linking up on the left, the formers cross found Dean Lewis at the back post but once again Buchanan was not to be beaten.
Just when it was starting to look like there was going to be one goal in it the Whites went behind with just over 20 minutes left to play. Distillery lost possession out on the far side and a visiting player quickly passed the ball to Gordon who cut infield and shot across goal and into the bottom corner to score the games opening goal.
For the remainder of the game Distillery huffed and puffed but despite plenty of endeavour there was little end quality and Dollingtown would make it seven wins from seven in the league and remain in top spot with a five-point cushion. The Whites meanwhile dropped to 8th, level on points with Rathfriland and Moyola but with a lesser goal difference and two points ahead of Ballymacash and Coagh.
Next up for Johnston’s side is a short journey to Breda Park on Saturday to face Knockbreda for the second time in just over a month.
Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 1-0 Dollingstown
Lisburn Distillery; Donnelly, Lewis, Sharkey, Brennan, Whiteway, Lynch, Glackin, Flynn, Kinner, McCart, Grattan
Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Newell, McKee, Devenny (for Glackin, 83 mins), Taylor, Morrow, Stewart (for Sharkey, 72 mins), McVicker (Kinner, 80 mins)
