Sweeney Swoops!

Ballymena’s Limavady hoodoo struck again in the rearranged Friday night game, switched to Limavady Showgrounds (something we at ‘Sport believe should never have happened), to avoid clashing with the ‘Black Saturday’ parade at Larne. United officials were worried about the effect that the last parade of the ‘marching season’ would have on their gate receipts. As the Ballymena Showgrounds is not available for Friday night games (bloody stock cars), why couldn’t the match have been switched to the Thursday night, therefore giving United their ‘home’ advantage and a chance to get three points on the board. Having said that, United, like on their visit to Portadown, were given every chance to take all three points, but once again paid a heavy price for their missed chances. Tommy Wright, who obviously didn’t learn from his mistake of playing Gary Haveron at left back at Portadown, continued with the folly at Limavady. If Craig McClean is not available or not playing well enough, why not bring his natural replacement, Boydie, into the starting line-up. The manager did however give an instant debut to new signing Darren Murphy and he began his United career in determined fashion. United started brightly, but despite forcing several corners couldn’t find the vital breakthrough and one wonders what they work on during training, obviously not set-pieces. Gary Haveron did however have a header saved by keeper Dougherty and a Gordon Simms shot was cleared off the line. Paul Brown ‘missed’ his customary free header, when after Darren Murphy had won and crossed the ball to him, he headed ‘tamely’ over the bar. In an ironic twist of fate it was two ex-Limavady players who combined to give the Sky Blues a deserved lead. Aaron Callaghan squared a pass to Lee Patrick, who cleverly ‘chipped’ Limavady keeper Michael Dougherty from the edge of the box. That goal came after 25 minutes and despite keeping up the pressure the Sky Blues couldn’t find another way through the home defence and the score at half-time was one nil for the visitors.

Four minutes into the second-half, Limavady were level, when Albert Watson ignored advice to let the ball go for a goal kick and instead headed it straight to striker Stephen Parkhorse, who last year turned down a chance to sign for Ballymena. The big striker chested the ball down, before volleying a 20 yard shot past keeper Paul Murphy. Limavady had changed their formation to a 4, 3, 3 and the United manager changed likewise switching Austin Friel into an attacking role although he appeared to still play fairly deep. Ten minutes later former Ballymena player Vinny Sweeney’s shot cannoned off the post and as it was cleared upfield, Kevin Kelbie beat keeper Dougherty in a race for the ball and then had his legs swept from under him by the keeper. This should have brought Ballymena a penalty and the keeper an early bath, but to the astonishment of visiting fans referee Robert Penney booked Kelbie for diving. This was a complete farce as Kelbie was ‘clean’ through and certain to score, so why would he ‘dive’? This was not the only ‘clanger’ by the Carrickfergus official, as he completely 'missed the bus', when former Ballymena player Sweeney grabbed United defender Simms round the throat in an off the ball incident. Insult was added to injury when the Sky Blues defence failed to cut out a through ball and Sweeney nipped between keeper Murphy and defender Callaghan, to score from a wide angle. Kelbie had earlier missed a ‘sitter’ when he completely fluffed his shot with the goal at his mercy, after a knock down from Paul Brown. Manager Wright rung the changes, taking off Darren Murphy, Friel and Kelbie, bringing on, Scates, Fitzgerald and Melly, to little or no effect. United were in need of encouragement at this stage, but team captain Albert Watson failed to motivate his team mates and one wonders if this honour has come too early for the Whitehead youngster. United finally frittered away their last chance when, after winning a free kick, they took it short and in fact lost possession instead of putting in a telling cross.


P. Murphy 6 Aid Watson 6 MoM: D. Murphy

Callaghan 7 Brown 5

D. Murphy 7 Kelbie 6

Haveron 5 Patrick 6 Referee: R. Penney 2

Alb Watson 5 1st Sub: Scates 5

Simms 6 2nd Sub: Fitzy 6

Friel 6 3rd Sub: Melly 6