BRILLIANT PAUL IS SPOT ON

ALAN FRASER paid tribute to Paul Mcmeekin after the Downshire keeper (above) beat away FOUR penalties to effectively win their Irish Cup game against Malachians.

After an entertaining tie at the Old Coach Road ended all square at 2-2, the game went to a penalty shootout in the new ABBA format, leaving Mcmeekin to emerge the hero as he clawed away every one of the Mals’ spot kicks.

And understandably Fraser, who is in alongside Kyle Rendall this season after Dessie Campbell returned to his old club Drumaness Mills, was keen to single out the stopper for praise after his matchwinning contribution.

“Our big keeper saved all the penalties and they were all wonder saves,” beamed Fraser.

“It was a big win for us, we were up against it for most of the game but the big guy was outstanding.

“He wasn’t available every week last season so he played a lot in the Seconds but this season, he has got things sorted out so he’s been playing with us from the start of the season and he just had an outstanding performance and he probably was the guy who won us the tie.”

It’s been an encouraging start to the season for Downshire who won their first two games of the season coming into Saturday’s tie.

And Fraser feels the Hillsborough outfit have enough about them this season to compete, even if he has reservations about the size of their squad.

“We’re very light, it’s a bit thin on the ground at the minute,” said Fraser, who took charge of the Amateur League’s representative team last season.

“If we can keep our starting XI we are fine, but we don’t have strength in depth.

“But the guys have been working superbly and we had two good wins against Colin Valley – we beat them back-toback in the Steel & Sons and then in the league on Tuesday night – and now obviously we are delighted to beat a Premier League team.”