Dundalk duo firmly in hunt for silverware
SOCCER NORTH EAST FOOTBALL LEAGUE
MUIRHEVNAMOR closed to within three points of winning the North East Premier Division title as they overcame the battling hosts who were in need of a point to secure their place in the top flight.
Sunday’s victory came with the help of two more precious goals from Billy Smith to add to his impressive tally.
Harps took the lead in the opening 10 minutes through Ian Devine, but Muirhevnamor - whose form has been shaky as the season reaches a climax - staged a stirring comeback to take the vital three points.
After losing to one of their nearest rivals, Newfoundwell, in their last outing, and having victory snatched at the death, also at home, by the champions and fellow challengers Navan Cosmos, they could afford no further slip-ups.
Now a win over Navan, away, in their last match would see them lift the pennant and crown a dream first season back in the Premier Division.
However, it didn’t look good when they fell behind so early, with their morale somewhat brittle, and missing the comforting presence of three of their big players in Mickey O’Kane, Philip Duffy and Paddy Hearty.
Their nerves wouldn’t have been helped by squandering a handful of clear-cut chances in the opening period, as the end of which they could have been leading comfortably.
Instead they were relieved to be level, with Billy Smith - with another from a list of cracking goals - equalising shortly before the break.
He had wasted an excellent opportu- nity minutes beforehand, but he made amends when from close to the byeline and from a very tight angle he hit a screamer of a shot past Boyne goalkeeper Gary Thornton into the net.
The visitors forged ahead when Thornton saved a free kick by Jimmy Cooney from outside the box but couldn’t hold onto the ball which broke loose. Substitute David Mahoney gathered it and pulled it back for Thomas McShane to shoot into the roof of the net.
Smith sealed victory in a dramatic finale in stoppage time when from a long kickout by David Cooney the striker beat Thornton who hauled him down in the box.
The referee pointed to the spot and showed the red card to the home keeper, and Smith then nonchalantly stroked home the spot kick. BOYNE HARPS: Gary Thornton, Conor Healy, Anto McGuinness (Paddy O’Boyle), Kevin Walsh, Leon Campbell (Stevie Campbell), James Traynor, Darren McCann, Danny Coyle, Jonathan Deegan, Ian Devine, Stephen Carter (Gary Bedford).
MUIRHEVNAMOR: David Cooney, Brian Begley, Chris Caulfield, Paul Mallon. Steven Smith, Gary Clarke, Brendan Hughes, Jimmy Cooney, Ray McCann, Thomas McShane, Billy Smith. Subs: David Mahoney and Wayne Robinson for Steven Smith and Brendan Hughes.