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| Chimney Corner |
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| Killymoon Rangers |
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Sat 8 August 2009, Championship 2
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| Kick off. 3:00 pm: Match Officials - A. Davey, B. Dodd, R. Henry |
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| A hat-trick from Warren Smith and a Patrick McElhatton goal gave Killymoon the best possible start to their season in the Ladbrokes.com Championship 2. Despite travelling to Antrim without 8 members of the first team squad, the local lads had too much in depth for their hosts and with both sides beginning the season under new management it was Don Smyth who was the happier boss at the end of the 90 minutes. |
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| The Cookstown side wore their new yellow and blue kit for the first time last Saturday, bringing back memories of their time playing at the Blue Circle, with a couple of players old enough to have played in the similar styled kits. There was little between the teams in the opening exchanges with Killymoon’s best opportunity coming after 15 minutes when Willie Watson headed over the crossbar from a David McMullan corner. Chimney Corner looked lively with their nippy wingers keeping the Killymoon backline on their toes as both teams tested their opponents. As the game progressed the visitors began to get used to the uneven surface and broke the deadlock after 25 minutes. Johnny Young, playing a more central role than normal, split the home defence with a through ball and Smith, who was also playing a more withdrawn role, beat the keeper to the ball and hit a first time shot with the outside of his right foot into the net (1-0). The home side had an excellent opportunity to get back into the game a couple of minutes later when their left winger found himself in space inside the penalty area, but with Killymoon keeper Gary Stewart advancing his attempted lob cleared Stewart, but it also cleared the crossbar. Chimney Corner were made to pay for the missed chance on 35 minutes when Smith and Young released P. McElhatton down the left and the winger chipped the ball over the advancing keeper towards goal and although a covering defender hooked the ball away from goal the assistant referee was well placed to confirm the ball had crossed the goal line before being cleared (2-0). Debutant Trevor Brownlee also went close before the half-time whistle with a shot from 25 yards, but his effort went narrowly wide. |
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| As expected the home side came out strongly at the beginning of the second half as they tried to get back into the game. Killymoon found it difficult to keep possession of the ball as Chimney Corner pushed forward and they got their reward on 57 minutes. A corner caused panic in the visitors' penalty area and was only half cleared and Jim Girvin had time to curl a left foot effort into the top corner of the net, giving Stewart no chance in the visitor’s goal (2-1). This gave the home side the boost that they needed, but Stephen McElhatton and Conall Kilpatrick along with Gary Crooks and Stephen Purvis began to take control of the visitor’s backline as Killymoon started to get back into the match. Lone striker Brownlee, who found it difficult in the first half, began to get into the game and make his presence felt. It was his flick on from a David McMullan pass that released Smith on 75 minute and last season’s top scorer showed he hadn’t lost his touch as he calmly rounded the home keeper not once, but twice before stroking the ball into the net before any defenders could get back (3-1). Within a few minutes the home side was reduced to 10 men after their first half sub stamped on Watson and the referee had no option but to send the player off after consulting with his assistant. Killymoon began to open the home defence up at will with the pace of Brownlee creating a number of chances, with Crooks having a great chance to hit number 4, but his left foot effort went well over from 8 yards out. Killymoon brought on Kyle Smith, Cameron Stewart and Dwayne McGucken to add fresh legs as the game neared the finish, but before the final whistle Warren Smith completed his hat-trick latching onto another Brownlee header to steer his shot into the bottom corner of the home team’s net (4-1). Chimney Corner had a great chance to reduce the deficit just before the end, but Stewart capped a good display by saving with his legs to give Killymoon a 4-1 victory. |
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| This week Killymoon play their first home game of the season when they face Dergview at the Sports Arena on Friday evening, kick-off 8pm. |
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| Killymoon |
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| 1. G Stewart |
| 2. G Crooks |
| 3. S Purvis |
| 4. S McElhatton |
| 5. C Kilpatrick |
| 6. D McMullan |
| 7. J Young |
| 8. W Smith |
| 9. T Brownlee |
| 10. P McElhatton |
| 11. W Watson |
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| Subs |
| 12. K Smith |
| 13. C Stewart |
| 14. D McGucken |
| 15. N Young |
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