Match Report v Limavady United (h) 23/4/24
Lisburn Distillery v Limavady United (Playr-Fit Teamwear Premier Intermediate League) – Tuesday 23rd April 2024
Limavady United arrived at New Grosvenor on Tuesday night knowing that a point would secure the league title and the sole automatic promotion spot into the Championship, though with a much superior goal difference even a defeat would not have been a tragedy for them.
There was only one change to the Lisburn Distillery starting side from the win against Portstewart on Saturday, with Johnny Newell replacing Robert Geddis.
It was an uneventful start to the game, though Michael McCrudden went close for the visitors when he got on the end of a cross from the right but could only find the side-netting after seven minutes and just over ten minutes later Lewis Tosh saw a speculative effort go over Ethan Carry’s crossbar.
The Roesiders took a deserved lead with 22 minutes on the clock when Joe McCready beat the offside trap to get onto a ball over the top and let rip with a shot from range that found the bottom corner and ripped the net in the process.
The rest of the half passed in much the same way as it had started, uneventfully, and unfortunately for Barry Johnston’s side the next talking point of note was the visitors scoring their second of the game in first half injury time. Ryan Doherty delivered a free kick into the box and McCrudden got a foot to the ball to divert it home via the crossbar.
At the half-time interval Paul Owens side had one hand on the league title, while if the Whites were to spoil the party there would need to be a much improved second 45 minutes.
Half -Time: Lisburn Distillery 0-2 Limavady United
Distillery did improve after the break and in the 48th minute, Gerard Storey cut infield and went for goal, but it ended up going out for a corner. Storey delivered the ball into the box, and it dropped between McNickle and Tully, with the latter picking the ball up but being forced away from goal he played it back to Newell, whose high cross looked to have United ‘keeper Darragh McLaughlin struggling to claim it, but it went out for a goal kick in any case.
McCrudden went for goal for the visitors from outside the box after 54 minutes but was well of target and at the other end Ryan McNickle looked to take advantage when McLaughlin came outside his area and failed to clear the danger but again forced away from goal the Whites number nine did well to keep the ball in play but by the time he got the ball into the box McLaughlin was able to claim it.
Storey and Berry had shots and crosses for Distillery but one way or another these were dealt with by either the visiting defence or goalkeeper.
In the end the game slowly looked like it was going to peter into nothing further and finish 2-0 but with six minutes of normal time remaining substitute Alex Pomeroy scored to make it 3-0 to the visitors and seal the three points and the title for Limavady.
At full time as The Roesiders celebrated the Whites trudged off the New Grosvenor playing surface for the final time in what has been a frustrating season, which concludes on Saturday with a trip to Holm Park to face Armagh City.
Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 0-3 Limavady United
Lisburn Distillery; Carry, Grattan, Lewis, Angus, Whiteway, Lynch, Berry, Newell, McNickle, Storey, Tully
Lisburn Distillery substitutions; McConnellogue, Brady, Sharkey (for Lewis, 84 mins), Devenny (for Newell, 77 mins), McComb, Lundy (for Lynch, 89 mins), McCart
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