Bellurgan see off Enfield in tricky cup tie
NORTH EAST FOOTBALL LEAGUE
ENFIELD BELLURGAN UNITED 1 1
BELLURGAN prevailed after extra-time and penalties in this Leinster Junior Cup tie as they extended their winning run on Sunday to three games, beating opponents who occupied second place with a game in hand to go top of the first division.
The hosts with four wins and a defeat in their five league matches that yielded 19 goals with only six against certainly couldn’t be taken lightly.
Bellurgan went ahead after ten minutes when Paddy Keenan headed home Shane Finnegan’s free kick that he whipped to the far post. It was Keenan’s second headed goal in three games.
The visitors dominated the first 45 minutes when a goal line clearance denied goal maker Finnegan from scoring himself. His header from namesake Stephen’s freekick beat the Enfield goalkeeper but a defender managed to clear the ball for a corner kick after 20 minutes.
Keenan then was within inches of notching a second goal on the half hour when he surged past a couple of players in midfield and let fly from 20 odd yards.
Enfield hardly created an opening but were handed a golden opportunity to go in level when awarded a disputed spot kick for a foul that looked to have occurred outside the penalty box. Robert Arthur saved the penalty to preserve Bellurgan’s slender lead.
Bellurgan remained on top after the break, but there was a holdup when an unfortunate clash of heads between goalkeeper Robert Arthur and a home player resulted in the latter being removed by ambulance with suspected concussion.
Shane Finnegan wasted a glorious chance to clinch victory for Bellurgan 20 minutes into the second period when Stephen Finnegan played an inviting ball in behind the defence. He had time to take it down, but shot first time and
struck it wide with the goalkeeper at his mercy.
Enfield mustered their first shot on target with 20 minutes left, and Robert Arthur at full stretch tipped it past the post. Then from the corner they went close with a header that just cleared the bar.
Disappointingly for Bellurgan they were caught on the break by Enfield to tie up the score with ten minutes left.
In the closing minutes Emmet Rogan’ s shot at the last second just swerved past the post, and Barr Carr with the last kick of normal time should have spared his side the anxiety of extra-time and a penalty shoot out. He was put clear with only the Enfield goalkeeper standing in his way but put his shot wide of a gaping goal.
Bellurgan converted their first five penalties, with Stephen and Shane Finnegan, along with Paddy Keenan, Daragh Lafferty and Ray Finnegan all on target. Enfield missed their second spot kick allowing Bellurgan to qualify for the next round.
BELLURGAN: Robert Arthur, Owen Traynor (Thomas Dullaghan 97), Ray Finnegan, Daragh Lafferty, Emmet Rogan, Eoghan McGuinness, Sean McEvoy (Daniel McDonald 80), Stephen Finnegan, Shane Finnegan, Barry Carr, Paddy Keenan. IN the game of the day in the second division Redeemer had a tough task when they travelled to take on Bailieboro immediately above them in second place with maximum points from their four games entering this tussle on Sunday.
They took the lead after 20 minutes when Dean McConnell headed home from a freekick, but Bailieboro proved a cut above what they had encountered in the league and drew level ten minutes later, also following a free-kick.
The hosts then moved in front five minutes from the break with a fine finish, but Redeemer had their problems losing Andy McDermott after 25 minutes, and Simon Pictures: Ben McShane O’Shaughnessy also had to retire at the break through injury.
They lifted their game in the second-half, creating plenty of scoring chances, but fortune didn’t favour them, with Kevin McDermott hitting the side netting on a few occasions.
They also had two clear claims for a penalty waived away, and having to push forward in search of an equaliser were caught out at the back by Bailieboro to increase their lead to 3-1.
Bailieboro then put the outcome beyond doubt, scoring their fourth goal in the dying minutes.
REDEEMER: Kyle Murphy, Andy McDermott (Caolan Carroll 25), Stephen McGuinness, Conor Brennan, Paul Gartland, Sean Kellegher, Martin Murphy, Simon O’Shaughnessy(Niall Kelly 45), Dean McConnell, Kevin McCormack, Sean Bailey.