Match Photos: to follow

Tuesday 9th February 2010 - WKD Intermediate Cup (Fourth Round)

Ballyclare Comrades team

Subs: 12.Sam McWilliams 14.David Officer 15.Simon McGowan 16.Johnny Gowdy 17.Gareth Curlett

Donegal Celtic: McGreevy, Duff, Spence, Hanna, Cleary, McAlorum, McAreavey, Watson, O'Neill, Lambe, McVeigh. Sub - Bradley, Gregan, Heagney, Curran, McAllister.

Comrades substitutions

 Andy Simmms (74')

David Officer (74')

Stuart Galbraith (83')

Simon McGowan (83')

Scott Irvine (85')

Johnny Gowdy (85')

Goals

Liam Bradley (90')

Comrades cards

Ricky Moore (81')

David Officer (89')

Comrades man of the match

Andy Long

Despite a battling performance, in a game in which they matched a very strong Donegal Celtic side, Comrades exited the Intermediate Cup at the fourth round stage to very late goal.

A good sized crowd was attracted to Dixon Park for this fixture, despite the on-going building works at the ground, and they were treated to a hard fought tense cup tie.

With Comrades in good form of late, Gordon Chambers kept the same starting eleven as had played in the trouncing of Glebe Rangers a few days earlier. He also had the luxury of having two of his regular midfielders; Simon McGowan and David Officer; on the bench.

Comrades almost got off to the perfect start in the 4th minute. A free-kick was won 22 yards from goal and Andy Simms stepped up to send a curling effort crashing against the crossbar.

The early period of the game was characterised by some robust challenges as both sides showed full commitment all over the park.

Despite the visitors looking threatening in their build up play, they were constantly denied by a solid home defence. Indeed, it was Comrades who had the better of the early chances and on 10 minutes Celtic keeper McGreevy, a former player at Dixon Park, made a fine save to keep out a Ricky Moore shot from 15 yards, after the Comrades striker had been set up by his attacking partner Mark McClelland.

In the 18th minute man of the match McGreevy was again called into action. A ball into the Celtic box was only cleared to Scott Irvine and his resulting shot from 16 yards was tipped low past the far post by the keeper.

Possession was fairly even during the first half, but after Comrades having the best of the early attempts on goal, Celtic managed to fashion a couple of chances in the latter period. Firstly, on 33 minutes, a free-kick played into the box broke to Hanna 6 yards from goal, but his headed effort was met by a smart save from the well positioned Allen Huxley. The, on 40 minutes, Watson held off a couple of challenges just outside the box before shooting powerfully just over the bar.

Comrades started the second half strongly and four minutes in they fashioned perhaps their best chance of the game. Andy Forsythe sent a good cross in from the right side of the box and the ball was met by a downward header from Scott Irvine 6 yards out. However, his effort was superbly denied low on his line by an athletic save from McGreevy.

The second half became an increasingly tight affair, with chances few and far between as both sides defended manfully. Mistakes were rare in either defence, but on 56 minutes a lapse in the Comrades rearguard let Gargan through on goal and he was only denied the opening goal by a great block from Allen Huxley.

On 78 minutes Comrades came close when Darren Munster latched onto a loose ball 25 yards from goal and hit a well struck low shot which looked goal bound until deflected wide of the goal off a defender’s boot.

Celtic began to assert some more concerted pressure with the normal time coming to a close. In the 87th minute a deep cross into the Comrades box found the head of Bradley whose header from 6 yards was pushed past the post by Allen Huxley. Then, with the fans thinking of the possibility of an extra-time and possibly penalties, Celtic struck with the decisive goal on 90 minutes.  A teasing ball played into the box caused mayhem, with Allen Huxley producing a great save to deny a Gargan shot from close range, but the rebound fell kindly for Celtic, to the feet of Bradley, who made no mistake from inside the 6-yard box.

There was little time for Comrades to react to this body blow and for the second time this season they exited a cup to Donegal Celtic to a very late goal.

Comrades fans should not be too down-hearted after this game. The late winner for Donegal Celtic was a blow, but the men in red had equalled their fancied opponents all over the pitch and had ably demonstrated their ability to compete with the best teams in the Championship.