Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MAXIE SWAIN
IT was a little bit of magic which could yet alter the course of Ballymena United’s season.
On the face of it, Johnny Mcmurray’s audacious goal of the season contender on Friday night was worth three points, significant as they were, yet nothing more than that.
However, whether his 35-yard lob, and the manner of their gutsy win over reigning champions Linfield, becomes a proper game-changer, a catalyst for a revival which finally banishes the gloom which has been gathering over the club, remains to be seen.
Either way, it was poetry in motion with Mcmurray’s supreme strike, as he cushioned Cathair Friel’s flick-on before swivelling and firing a volley beyond Gareth Deane in one wonderfully calibrated action, loudly proclaiming the return of one of the Irish League’s most promising young strikers.
The 23-year-old found the net in his comeback game against Glentoran last month, of course, following almost three months out with a groin strain.
But he knows netting a winner of such panache in such a high-profile game, a goal he admits is arguably his best yet, will work wonders for his confidence as he bids to make up for lost time.
“It’s right up there, it was better than last year’s goal against Linfield,” said Mcmurray, referring to his strike in United’s 4-1 League Cup rout of the Blues just over 12 months ago.
“It was probably my best goal yet and my phone hasn’t stopped in about three days and it has certainly brought my confidence up.
“I actually tried one about five minutes before I scored that and I shanked it and I thought I wouldn’t try that again and then it just happened so it’s great but we need to kick on now as a team.”
Indeed, Mcmurray knows the bigger picture, namely getting Davy Jeffrey’s men back on track and threatening a top four place following a lacklustre start to the season, is more important than personal plaudits.
And he insists there’s still time for the Sky Blues to salvage something from their season.
Following a watershed campaign last year when the former Cliftonville rookie emerged from the shadows of his Solitude apprenticeship to establish himself as one of the deadliest strikers in the league, this year has been a rude awakening for him and his team-mates.
Football is the most fickle of sports, of course, and the contrast between now and 12 months ago could scarcely be more stark.
Back then, the Sky Blues were sitting third in the league having hit the summit for a few weeks in September, while Jeffrey
(circled) was being rightly lauded after landing a
33rd manager of the month award in recognition of his side’s flying start. The real story behind their success,