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Tuesday 5th May 2009 - Labrokes.com IFA Championship

Ballyclare Comrades team

Bench: 14.Andrew Ferguson  15.Aaron Wallace  17.Marty McAvoy

Comrades substitutions

Gareth Curlett (77')

Aaron Wallace (77')

Kyle Agnew (77')

Marty McAvoy (77')

Evan Forsythe (84')

Andrew Ferguson (84')

Goals

Killymoon Rangers - Richard Donaghy (61')

Ballyclare Comrades - Mark Craig (88')

Killymoon Rangers - Richard Donaghy (89')

Comrades cards

Ronnie Burns (33')

Comrades man of the match

Being voted for on the Ballyclare Comrades forum at irishleaguesupporters.com

Comrades’ hopes of ending a disappointing season with three successive victories were dashed by a defeat in their final game against bottom of the table Killymoon Rangers at a wet Dixon Park.

Conditions were very poor, with rain having lashed down for most of the day, but the game was played after the pitch was passed as playable following an inspection.

Gordon Chambers was forced to make a couple of changes to his side for the game, with Darren Nelson injured and Ryan Murray unavailable. He reverted to a 4-4-2 formation, with Gareth Curlett coming in at centre-back and Ronnie Burns starting up front.

Despite the conditions, both sides attempted to play enterprising football from the start, but they were obviously hampered by the driving rain, strong wind and the very heavy pitch.

Comrades started the better. On 7 minutes a Paul Caldwell cross from the right was met by a firm header from Mark Craig, 12 yards out, but keeper McElhatton was well placed to save. Then, on 16 minutes, Andy Simms did well to rob a defender on the left corner of the box before shooting low just wide of the far post.

Killymoon soon began to find their feet and as the half progressed they started to look the more dangerous side, with Comrades’ early momentum fading. On 19minutes Smith broke through onto a long ball and looked set for a clear run on goal until being denied by a fine saving tackle by Evan Forsythe.

This was a warning of things to come for Comrades, as the visitors went to produce the best chances in the remainder of the half, although possession was evenly balanced. On 28 minutes, a ball was slipped through to Donaghy, who shot first time from the edge of the 6 yard box, only to be denied by a good save from the alert Paddy Flood.

Flood was again called into action with another good save from a Donaghy shot on 38 minutes, after the Killymoon striker had got on the end of a ball in from the left. Flood’s block left the ball free on the goal-line, but Kyle Agnew was on the spot to clear.

Comrades started the second half in lively fashion. In the first minute Mark Craig struck a very well hit shot from 18 yards, which forced a flying save from McElhatton.

At the other end Comrades had a let off on 51 minutes when a corner from the left was whipped to the far post and found the head of Donaghy, who headed wide from 5 yards out. Then, five minutes later, a Ferson shot from 30 yards was fumbled by Paddy Flood, who was able to recover and dive on the loose ball before a number of Killymoon players pounced on it.

The game looked to have goal in it and on 57 minutes the first one nearly fell to Comrades. A corner from the left by Ronnie Burns was met by a powerful header from Gareth Curlett 9 yards out, but his effort was kept out by a fine save from McElhatton. Even then from the rebound Comrades came close, as Mark Craig hooked the ball just wide of the far post from 8 yards.

Craig had another effort a minute later when he hit a well struck shot from 20 yards, forcing a save from the keeper.

At this stage it looked as if Comrades were gaining a measure of ascendancy, but they were undone in the 61st minute by a goalkeeping error from the usually reliable Paddy Flood. The young keeper’s attempted clearance at the edge of the box, from a back pass, was scuffed and fell to Donaghy 30 yards out. The Killymoon striker then hit a fine finish over the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net.

Comrades now had to press for an equaliser and they threw men forward. On 69 minutes a good move involving Ronnie Burns and Kyle Agnew ended with Agnew crossing from the right for Mark Craig to head over the bar, under pressure, from 8 yards out.

As Comrades pressed, Killymoon looked dangerous on the counter-attack. On 75 minutes a 35 yard shot from Simon Young forced a save from Paddy Flood. Then, a minute later, a long ball caught out Comrades’ defence and Smith ran clear on goal, but his attempted chip over Paddy Flood from 12 yards out on the right of the box was poorly executed and the ball went well over the bar.

As the half wore on towards its end Comrades seemed to have run out of ideas, but on 88 minutes they grabbed a leveller. A throw-in into the box from the right was flicked on by the head of Aaron Wallace and then Mark Craig met it with a downward header from 7 yards, which went into the net, low past the keeper’s despairing dive.

Comrades’ joy at the equaliser was to be very short lived, as seconds later they were behind again. Paddy Flood was again at fault, this time spilling a harmless looking ball into the box, which allowed Donaghy to fire home from the right side of the 6 yard box.

This time there was no coming back for Comrades and they ended their season with a very disappointing result.