Match Sponsor: Ballyclare Comrades Supporters Club

Ball Sponsor: Ballyclare Comrades Supporters Club

Match Photos: Graeme Bolton Photography

Saturday 2nd May 2009 - Ladbrokes.com IFA Championship

Ballyclare Comrades team

Bench: 12.Andy Long  14.Andrew Ferguson  15.Gareth Curlett  17.Ronnie Burns  18.Marty McAvoy

Limavady United: McGraw, Canning, Cutmore, Kelly, McNulty, Patrick, Owens, Lowry, Harkin, Deane, McKeever. Bench: McCandless, Whoriskey.

Comrades substitutions

Darren Nelson (55')

Ronnie Burns (55')

Kyle Agnew (70')

Marty McAvoy (70')

Goals

Limavady United - Declan McKeever (34')

Ballyclare Comrades - Darren Nelson (44')

Ballyclare Comrades - Mark Craig (63')

Ballyclare Comrades - Andy Simms (89')

Comrades cards

Darren Nelson (26')

Comrades man of the match

Ryan Murray

Comrades ensured a top 14 place, and therefore top level Championship football next season, with a good comeback win over Limavady United, in front of a disappointingly low crowd on a lovely spring day at Dixon Park.

For the penultimate game of the season Gordon Chambers kept faith with the line-up and 3-5-2 formation which had brought victory over Dergview in midweek.

The first half chance of the game fell to the home side when Darren Nelson latched on to a bouncing ball inside the box and attempted a cheeky lob over McGraw from the corner of the 6 yard box, but the keeper managed to grab the ball at full stretch.

Soon, however, Limavady began to dominate, playing the more incisive attacking football. On 10 minutes the dangerous midfielder Patrick produced a great shot from 30 yards which was only kept out by an excellent diving save from Paddy Flood.

Comrades were struggling to make any impression on the game and the visitors were bossing it at this stage. On 24 minutes a ball in from the left was met by a header from Patrick 10 yards out, but Paddy Flood was well placed to save.

On 34 minutes Limavady got the reward for their dominance with a deserved opener. Patrick broke through three rather weak tackles around the left corner of the box before laying the ball to McKeever, who struck a sweet finish low past Paddy Flood from 12 yards.

Conceding the opening goal seemed to wake Comrades up and they responded with some vigour. On 36 minutes Ryan Murray struck a decent shot from just outside the box, but McGraw saved comfortably. Then, on 42 minutes, Mark Craig got on the end of a high ball at the edge of the area, in between two defenders, but his resulting effort was rather scuffed and did not overly trouble the visitors’ keeper.

However, the Limavady keeper was at fault for Comrades equaliser in the 44th minute. A back pass was hit to him and he had time to clear, but dwelt on the ball, allowing the alert Darren Nelson to block when he did attempt to punt the ball up field. Nelson then had the easy task of slotting the ball into the unguarded net from 9 yards out.

Having grabbed a leveller just before half-time, Comrades started the second half on the front foot, with the bulk of the attacking possession. Their cause was helped greatly on 50 minutes when indiscipline from the visitors lead to them being reduced to ten men; Kelly being sent off for foolishly abusing the linesman, after a fairly innocuous incident.

Comrades have often struggled against ten men in the past, but this time they made the most of their advantage, despite losing goal scorer Darren Nelson to injury on 55 minutes. His replacement, Ronnie Burns, had a good impact on the game and the home side went on to dominate the rest of the proceedings.

On 57 minutes a cross from the left by Ryan Murray was deftly headed into the path of Mark Craig by Ronnie Burns. Craig now had a great chance 11 yards out, but struck his shot wide of the far post.

Six minutes later, however, Craig made no mistake when he headed home a beautifully flighted corner from the right by Andy Simms from 6 yards out, to give Comrades the advantage.

The home side now looked confident and capable of adding to their lead. In the 65th minute a well struck Ryan Murray shot forced a save from McGraw. Then, two minutes later, with Comrades pressing forward, Murray slipped the ball to Mark Craig at the edge of the box and the Comrades striker produced a great effort which looked to be dipping over the keeper until he pulled of a great fingertip save to push the ball over the bar.

Comrades continued to look in control and Limavady rarely threatened. On 71 minutes a cross from the right found the head of Andy Simms, but under pressure from defenders, his effort went straight at McGraw, who saved easily. Then, a minute later, a long clearance by Paddy Flood fell to Simms at the edge of the box, but his resulting effort was rather weak and McGraw saved comfortably.

Andy Simms had another effort on 80 minutes when he benefitted from good hold up play by Ronnie Burns, who played him in for an attempt from just inside the box, which went low just past the near post.

On 89 minutes Comrades put the result beyond doubt with a third goal. Good work on the right edge of the box by Mark Craig saw him win the ball back and then lay a perfect ball across to Andy Simms, who calmly slid a first time shot past McGraw from 11 yards out.

This was a pleasing win and performance from Comrades, who hauled themselves back from a poor first 35 minutes, to win the game with something to spare. The confidence visibly flowed back into them after the equaliser and they looked a different side, solid in defence and inventive going forward.