Match Report v Rathfriland Rangers – 21/2/26

Lisburn Distillery v Rathfriland Rangers (Playr Fit Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 21st February 2026

The last time these two sides met in December at Iveagh Park a late Mark McKee goal gave Lisburn Distillery all three points on manager Lee Forsythe’s birthday. Today the two sides met on Rathfriland manager, and former Distillery player, Ally Wilson’s birthday; though this time the visitor’s manager would have to make do with a place in the stand due to serving a touchline ban.

The Whites were seeking to make it five Premier Intermediate League (PIL) wins in a row at home and after two wins on the bounce, Forsythe clearly felt if it wasn’t broke, don’t fix it as the starting eleven was unchanged for the third game in a row. Visiting goalkeeper Conor Mitchell was the first to be called to action in the 3rd minute after a Jamie McDonagh corner was cleared back out to him on the left, the winger sent another curling cross in towards Jordan Morrison.

The Distillery defender ducked thinking there was a chance of the ball perhaps going in but Mitchell managed to divert the danger away with his left leg. The Rathfriland stopper was tested again three minutes later but this time had a more comfortable time with Benny Igiehon’s strike from a couple of yards outside the box, the Distillery leading marksman was unable to generate much power with his weaker right foot.

There was little Mitchell could do in the 10th minute though when Igiehon headed home his 15th goal of the season from a deep Dean Lewis cross from the right after Callum McComb spread the ball wide following McDonagh winning possession back for Distillery in the Rathfriland half.

It was the third game in a row Lewis had provided an Igiehon goal and overall after a positive start it was a deserved lead for the home side. Stephen Teggart sought to bring the visitors level with a strike from just over 20 yards in the 16th minute but the ball was always rising over Dean Smyth’s crossbar.

This was Wilson’s sides only effort on goal of note in the opening 25 minutes of the game but the visitors were definitely starting to see more of the ball and much of the game was now being played in the Distillery half. The visitors did equalise just before the half hour mark when a throw in from the Distillery right was launched into the Whites box and flicked on. The ball then got trapped between the legs of Igiehon and early Rathfriland substitute Harry Campbell took advantage to nip in and draw the sides level five minutes after being introduced, on the balance of play it was no more than the visitors deserved at this stage of the game.

The equalising goal seemed to somewhat kick-start the home side back into life and the Whites did push to regain the lead in the closing 15 minutes but did not trouble Mitchell in this time. They were the width of the post away from scoring in first half injury time when Igiehon raced through and saw his shot across goal strike the base of the woodwork.

It looked like the rebound might just fall for McDonagh but while sliding in for the ball he was met by a Rathfriland defender with the Distillery player looking to referee Richard White hoping for a penalty. Whether it was or not may be up for debate but the man in the middle’s decision to award the visitors a free kick seemed bizarre to say the least.

As it was the week before at New Grosvenor against Dollingstown and as it had been at Iveagh Park towards the end of last year between Distillery and Rathfriland, when the half time whistle sounded it was a goal apiece with both sides no doubt feeling they had more to offer.

Half Time: Lisburn Distillery 1-1 Rathfriland Rangers

The Whites got out of jail two minutes after the restart when an attacker out on the left channel charged an Aaron Sharkey clearance down and the ball landed for Stephen McCavitt but there was a sigh of relief when his effort hit the side netting.

There were few talking points of note after this for a while; Rathfriland introduced former Distillery League Cup winner Andy Kilmartin to the game and virtually his first action was to find his name in the referee’s notebook after a foul on Ryan Sharkey, joining the player he had taken the captains armband from after coming on; Jack Barbour.

Kilmartin and Barbour would soon be joined by McDonagh on the ‘naughty step’ when he was adjudged to have unfairly stopped a Rathfriland attack as they broke into the Distillery half; the former Glentoran and Cliftonville wide man was the first booking of the game for the Whites.

This would be one of McDonagh’s last contributions as he was soon after replaced by Nathan Best, with Forsythe deciding to make some changes of his own for the home side. Smyth was called into action twice in a matter of seconds on the 65-minute mark to stop Rathfriland from taking the lead and at the other end, a cross from Igiehon landed for McComb in the middle. Having found the back of the net twice in the previous three home games it was not to be this time as the midfielder lost his footing at the crucial moment on the slick surface and the chance was gone.

The game became quite end-to-end as we entered the final 20 minutes but it would have to be said there was not a lot of goalmouth action. Stephen Teggart was off target with an effort from outside the box for the visitors while Igiehon and substitute Guillaume Keke went closer for Distillery but both could only produce routine saves from Mitchell.

There was another get out of jail free card used up by Distillery in the 83rd minute when Jordan Morrison let what looked like a routine headed clearance sail over his head, presumably thinking he had heard a shout from Smyth. When the Whites captain turned however, he saw that to his horror the ‘keeper goalkeeper was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, Aaron Sharkey and Ross Ferguson reacted quickly and managed to clear the danger away before any visiting players could take advantage.

This would be the last of Distillery’ luck used up though as in the 87th minute, the visitors won a free kick out on their right hand side, which was swung into the box and Adam Neale took advantage of some slack marking to glance the ball beyond Smyth and into the back of the net.

The Whites went in hunt of a late equaliser but did not really come close with Morrison and late substitute Caleb Crawford unable to find the target with the efforts on goal of note.

In the end, it was a reverse of the scoreline when the sides met at Iveagh Park with the game ironically enough playing out in much the same fashion, with the home side never really kicking on after taking an early lead and the visitors snatching the points with a goal in the last five minutes. Distillery have little time to lick their wounds though as we go again tonight with a long trip to face Dergview in the PIL after three home games in a row.

Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 2-1 Rathfriland Rangers

Lisburn Distillery; Smyth (GK), Lewis, Lavery, McComb, Morrison (CP), R. Sharkey, Igiehon, McDonagh, A. Sharkey, Ferguson, Herron

Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Thompson (GK), Best (for Herron, 65 mins), Keke (for McDonagh, 70 mins), Miskimmin (for A. Sharkey, 88 mins), Porter, Crawford (for Lewis, 88 mins), Alfred (for McComb, 70 mins)