Match Report v Portstewart – 14/12/24
Portstewart v Lisburn Distillery (Playr-Fit Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 14th December 2024
It was a journey north to the seaside for Lisburn Distillery in the last away game of 2024 as we travelled to take on Maurice Mahon’s Portstewart side at Seahaven over the weekend.
Our opponents on Saturday started the day in 13th place and with only one win on the books so far this season, while the Whites went into the game in 9th place, four points ahead of the north-coast side and one more win.
There were two changes to the side following the narrow 1-0 defeat to Dollingstown last time out; Aaron Cochrane returned having served his one game ban and Mark McKee also found his way back into the starting eleven, Ryan Sharkey and Brendan Glackin were the players to make way.
Before the game, there was a well-respected minutes silence for former Distillery Chairman, Jim Greer, who passed away suddenly last weekend. Our thought’s will continue to be with the Greer family over the Christmas period and also with the Hines family following the passing of Eddie, father of our Academy coach Gareth, this past weekend.
The first real action of note was the Whites, playing in black, going ahead after three minutes. Kyle Flynn played a lovely pass through to McKee from the left but with his back to goal and under pressure from a defender, the number eight had no choice to go back and set up Josh Lynch who found the top corner with a sublime 30-yard strike. It was the midfielder’s first goal for the side since an away game against Armagh in March 2023 but it was certainly worth the wait!
With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Barry Johnston’s men could have all but had the game wrapped up when a cross from the left curled dangerously inwards. Reece Oliver, in goals for the home side, managed to get his hand to the ball to claw it away, but only as far as Dean Lewis who blazed over the bar with the goal gaping.
Distillery were on top throughout the first half and had opportunities to extend their lead through set pieces but were unable to make these count. Lynch really should have had his second goal of the game when he found himself with only Oliver to beat when the Whites countered following a Portstewart free kick but Oliver saved his effort with his legs.
There were appeals for a Distillery penalty with just less than five minutes of the half remaining, the home side could only partially clear a corner away and when Johnny Angus shot from just outside the box a defender blocked the ball, the visiting players felt with a hand, but the referee turned the protests away.
In the end it was the sole Lynch goal that had Johnston’s side ahead at the break and with Lorcan Donnelly, in goals for Distillery, having barely touched the ball the only question perhaps was how Distillery were not ahead by more.
Half Time: Portstewart 0-1 Lisburn Distillery
Distillery would live to regret their missed changes as in the first minute of the second half a Portstewart a cross from the left went across the face of the Whites goal and Joel Bradley was on hand to draw the home side level with ease.
There followed a nervy few moments for the visitors and with 52 minutes played a ball over the top caused the Whites defence a problem but Donnelly was able to block the eventual shot and the resulting corner came to nothing.
Distillery nerves were eased just before the hour mark when Angus restored the lead, glancing in a header from Lynch’s left hand free kick, the big defenders first goal of the season.
The Whites continued to control most of the game but the visitors were still able to threaten on occasion and in 67th minute Adam McCart joined Aaron Cochrane and Fra Brennan in the referee’s book for bringing down a Portstewart player who sought to break away towards the Distillery goal, Angus would soon join them on a caution. With just less than 15 minutes remaining Jack Kinner tried to catch the home side out by attempting a low pass from a 20-yard free kick instead of going for goal. This move seemed to catch his own teammates out as well though and despite his best efforts Angus was unable to keep the ball from going out for a goal kick.
In the end, Flynn managed to wrap up the points for Distillery in the final minute of normal time, curling in a free kick from 25 yards for another superb strike.
The Whites got their travelling for 2024 off to a positive end and made their way back down the road with three points in the bag from a venue that, despite Portstewart’s current league position, is never an easy place to go and has produced mixed results in the past for Distillery.
The win moves Johnston’s side up into the top half of the table, ahead of Oxford Sunnyside but behind Rathfriland and Moyola on goal difference and a point off 3rd spot in what is looking at this stage like being an incredibly tight league with plenty of twists and turns to come. The next Distillery game is on Saturday when we welcome Banbridge Town to New Grosvenor for the last game of the calendar year.
Full Time: Portstewart 1-3 Lisburn Distillery
Lisburn Distillery; Donnelly, Lewis, Brennan, Lynch, Cochrane, McKee, Flynn, Grattan, Angus, Kinner, McCart
Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Newell, Sharkey (for Lewis, 90 mins), Devenny (for McKee, 90 mins), Stewart (for Brennan, 60 mins), Morrow (for Grattan, 50 mins), McVicker (for Kinnner, 90 mins)
