Fixtures & Results - Report

16 Apr 2009

Ballymena 2-8 Glenravel 2-8 A cold blustery evening on Thursday past in Ballymena was the venue for the start of the 2009 league campaign. The initial optimism of the early weeks had been dented by a spate of injuries, withdrawals and absentees and it was a skeleton squad that made its way out on to the field at Slemish Park. Glenravel playing with a gale force wind at their back in the opening thirty minutes struggled to find any form or momentum - passes went astray, wrong options taken and the wides mounted. Caolan McCambridge opened the scoring from out on the right in the 8th minutes - however it would take until the 20th minute before Connor McNeill registered a second score. Ballymena were dangerous on the break and managed a couple of points, despite the best efforts of stout hearted defending from Mark O'Connor, Paul Francis McGuckian, Paul Donnelly and Jordan McNeill. A couple of Niall Black trademark saves were also points of note. McCambridge tagged on a couple of frees and Declan Traynor made his way up the field from half back to send over a sweet point. However just on the short whistle Eoin McAlonan saw red and the Green and Whites turned into the gale for the second half , a mere 5 - 2 ahead and with only 14 men. Things looked ominous when Ballymena quickly drew level and then goaled to forge ahead in the 39th minute. By this stage caution was thrown to the 'wind' and the introductions of Neil McCafferty, Andrew McLarnon, Joseph Scullion and Karl Fitzpatrick seemed to galvanize the team. Caolan McCambridge rattled the back of the Ballymena net twice in the 43rd and 50th minute, the second a penalty, the first a pile driver in the top corner after good work from a well-worked free. However a momentary lapse allowed Ballymena in for a swift 1-2 and the lead changed hands once more. Once again the 14 men rallied and put in a rousing last 5 minutes with points from Traynor (2) and Fitzpatrick to even the tie as it moved into injury time. The referees whistle shortly after signalled the end to an exciting second half and a share of the spoils. A second half performance to take heart from. Next up - Aldergrove. Panel: Niall Black, RonanMcIlwaine, Jordan McNeill, Mark O'Connor, Paul Donnelly, Paul F McGuckian, Declan Traynor(0-3), Caolan McCambridge (2-3), Michael O'Mullan, Conor McNeill(0-1), Declan Diamond,Niall Cushenan, Chris Darragh, Eoin McAlonan, Sean O'Boyle, Neil McCafferty, Andrew McLarnon, Joseph Scullion, Karl Fitzpatrick(0-1).

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