Battling Blues in title hunt
PREMIER MUIRHEVNAMOR 2 BOYNE HARPS 1
THE champions prevailed in this all or nothing game really for two of the leading contenders for the North East premier division title on Friday night. Each had to win to stay in the hunt with the two other main contenders Trim and Newfoundwell with less matches played.
And with the keenly fought and intriguing contest sprinkled with six players with League of Ireland experience it was that great campaigner Mickey O’Kane who did most to swing the outcome in the home side’s favour during the second half when he took control of affairs, orchestrating the play from mid-field.
But Boyne will rue that they didn’t make the most of a bright start in which they took the lead courtesy of a fine chipped goal by Stephen Carter only to pass up chances to further extend their lead as they were the better side for most of the first-half.
This allowed the champions back into the match and for Nathan Murphy to score a scorcher of an equaliser as he ran onto a breaking ball at the edge of the visitors 18 yard and angled it low with the utmost precision through a packed goalmouth into the far corner of the net.
This was the former Dundalk left back’s first goal since signing for the champions and could turn out very important in the long run as they try to hold onto their title.
Boyne’s Gavin Brennan had a great opportunity to restore the visitors lead in the early minutes of the second half when the ball floated over the home defence, leaving him alone on the right side of the penalty box . He chose to shoot with his natural left foot when his right would have been the obvious one and he ballooned it high and wide.
It such a tight encounter with real scoring chances scarce this was a defining point.
For the champions with O’Kane dictating play took command, and the otherwise subdued Billy Smith capitalised on a piece of good fortune with a lethal piece of finishing to score what turned out the decisive goal just under the hour mark.
The ball broke off him into the penalty box and he sped past a defender to power a left footed shot low inside the near post.
Brennan with a brilliant timed tackle inside the penalty box stopped Smith sealing victory minutes later when Tiarnan Mulvenna sent the striker racing clear with the most astute of passes through the centre of the Boyne defence.
Boyne to their credit mounted a strong finish to try and salvage a draw but the champions held out for the win that at this stage was all that realistically would keep them in the race for the title. MUIRHEVNAMOR: Michael Cooney, Niall Hearty, Adrian Rafferty, Chris Caulfield Nathan Murphy, Colin Hoey (Paul Mallon 85), Philip Duffy (Thomas McShane 68), Ben McLaughlin (Brian Begley 70), Billy Smith (Philip Hughes 81) Tiarnan Mulvenna (Paudie Hearty 81), Mickey O’Kane.
BOYNE: Jason Lowney, Kevin Walsh, James Traynor, Austin McCann, Luke McDonnell, Darren McCann (Mickey Leech 80), Stephen Carter, Tom Reilly, Guy Bates, Gavin Brennan, Martin Kelly (Nathan Llewellyn) .Other subs: Barry Reynolds and David Woods.