SBYL u12 David Winter Cup
Carryduff Colts FC 1-1 St Mary’s FC
St Mary’s couldn’t have got a more difficult opening fixture to kick off the David Winter supplementary cup than a trip to Lough Moss Leisure Centre, home of current league leaders Carryduff Colts.
In what was a somewhat cagey opening to the game, both defences appeared more concerned with not making any defensive mistakes which would gift their opponents any early advantage.
St Mary’s edged in front on fifteen minutes when Eoin O’Reilly finished well following good work from Cathal McGarrity in the midfield area. O’Reilly spurned a further opportunity to increase that lead just minutes later when Patrick Ross fed a ball in behind the Carryduff defence but he was forced wide when rounding the goalie and struck his effort narrowly off target.
Carryduff were having a lot of possession in the midfield area as the first half ended but found the St Mary’s defence a hard nut to crack coupled with goalie Niall McGinnity’s safe handling.
St Mary’s dropped a bit deeper second half as Carryduff tried to engineer a way back into the game resulting in both sides having some glorious chances. The energetic Jack Parke volleyed narrowly over the top for St Mary’s from outside the area while at the other end Trevor McCormick bravely blocked a certain goal as the Carryduff striker pulled the trigger.
The St Mary’s goal was finally breached on fifty minutes when from a speculative shot from a wide right position, the ball looped over McGinnity’s out stretched gloves before nestling in the net.
Not content with a share of the spoils, both sides to their credit continued to look for that elusive winning goal with St Marys’ Eoin McNicholl coming closest for his side with a rasping shot just clearing the crossbar. But with barely six minutes remaining, McNicholl was penalised for a push in the box as the referee pointed to the spot.
As the drama unfolded, the resultant Carryduff penalty was blazed wide only for the referee to order a retake for encroachment inside the area but the second penalty kick was expertly saved by McGinnity before being hacked to safety.
