Match Report v Dollingstown (h) 23/3/24

Lisburn Distillery v Dollingstown (Playr-Fit Teamwear Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 23rd March 2024

After two defeats in a row on the road Lisburn Distillery returned to New Grosvenor hoping to return to winning ways, with Dollingstown the visitors on this occasion.

There were three changes to the side from the defeat against PSNI the week before, Robert Geddis, Johnny Angus and Johnny Newell were replaced by Breandan O’Neill, Dylan Whiteway and Gerard Storey.

It was the visitors who had the first shot of the game with less than five minutes played but Ethan Carry pushed Daniel Gordon’s effort away and gathered at the second attempt.

With six minutes played the Whites were denied by the woodwork when a training ground corner, delivered by Storey, found Joe Tully, who had found some space for himself, but his shot crashed against the crossbar.

In the 10th minute Dollingstown passed up a glorious chance to open the scoring, a Curtis Woods pass to Carry fell short but the goalkeeper still managed to get something on the ball to prevent the initial danger, but it still made its way into the path of a visiting attacker but with the goal at his mercy he somehow missed the target.

Stephen Uprichard’s side would soon regret this missed opportunity as in the 16th minute Storey collected the ball infield and space opened up for the number 10 to shoot, which he did from outside the box, finding the back of the net to mark his return to the team with a goal.

After the Whtes opened the scoring Dollingstown enjoyed a spall of more possession but had few clear-cut chances before the half hour mark. With five minutes to go before the break a curling Dollingstown free kick from the left found the target but Carry got behind the ball and was able to turn it behind for a goal kick.

In the 42nd minute the Distillery captain had to be quick off his line to deny Conall Curran and a minute later Woods won the ball back in the Dollingstown half and Jack Berry picked up the ball and set off towards goal, but his shot was blocked by a defender.

With a minute left of normal time, the Whites doubled their lead after a corner was only partially cleared and Storey again shot from distance but this time his shot was parried by Macauly Cairns, Ryan McNickle however was on hand to tap in the rebound and send the home side in two goals to the good at the break.

Half Time: Lisburn Distillery 2-0 Dollingstown

Distillery went close to adding to the tally five minutes after the restart when Berry laid the ball off to Dean Lewis after cutting infield and beating his defender, but the shot was just off target.

After this Dollingstown began to gain the upper hand and won several corners but the closest they came to scoring was a shot from the edge of the box that was deflected behind for yet another corner.

Just past the hour mark Stephen Flanagan attacked down the right for the visitors but his cross-cum-shot was deflected beyond for a corner, which was cleared, and in the 68th minute Curran was unable to trouble Carry after doing well to get the ball under his control.

There was a rare sight of goal in the second half for the Whites when Cairns came a long way out of his box to try and clear the ball, but it only went as far as Berry but instead of passing infield to Storey the number seven went for goal himself but seemed to miscue his effort and the ball never really got off the ground and the chance was gone.

With 15 minutes left on the clock it was the visitors turn to be frustrated by the woodwork when a shot from the left struck the inside of the post and then bounced away from the goal where Carry was able to lay claim to it. Three minutes later Carry made a superb save to deny a Harry Norton shot from the edge of the box that was heading dangerously towards the top corner.

With five minutes left on the clock a Norton free kick looked to have Carry beat but crashed down off the underside of the crossbar, Curran was on hand though to head in the rebound and halve the Distillery lead and set up a nervy end.

Surprisingly enough after finding a way back into the game Uprichard’s side did not put the Whites defence under much pressure in the closing minutes and it was the home side who scored again, Tully hammering home from a Storey pass in the fourth minute of injury time.

A return to winning ways it was then for Distillery who now move within four points of The Dollybirds having played less games than both them and Banbridge, Uprichard’s side however may have left scratching their heads as to how they left empty handed having dominated much of the second 45 minutes.

Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 3-1 Dollingstown

Lisburn Distillery; Carry, Whiteway, O’Neill, Woods, Brennan, Lynch, Berry, Lewis, McNickle, Storey, Tully

Lisburn Distillery substitutions; McConnellogue, Geddis (for McNickle, 77 mins), Sharkey, Devenny, Newell (for Lewis, 58 mins), Grattan (for Berry, 77 mins), McCar

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