Damp Lethargy!

This game was yet another non-starter for the Sky Blues, in this most disjointed of seasons. One week we seem to capable of beating anybody and the next we look completely disinterested. The latter was the case in this Irish cup tie at the Showgrounds today, United didn't seem interested and they paid the ultimate penalty for their lack-lustre attitude, Admittedly they weren't helped by probably the worst refereeing and linesman display I have witnessed for some considerable time. The Linesman at the Fisherwick end was never up with play in the first half and missed numerous blatant offsides and then somehow 'missed' David Rainey's leg-break tackle, followed by a thrown punch. That was in the 20th minute and 2 minutes later as if to add insult to injury, Rainey scored the only goal of the game. I have said all season that this United defence has a bad habit of allowing crosses to come in and they paid the ultimate penalty for this benevolence today. Crues winger Martin Donnelly, blatantly offside again, sprinted past his marker (well he had a 2 yard start), United defender Paul Muir had time to close him down but instead allowed him to cross the ball and the unmarked Rainey had the easy task of heading past the stranded Blaney. Five minutes later it should have been two, when Albert Watson failed to clear, but 'ugly duckling' Mark Dickson sent his shot over the bar. United began the game with two changes from their starting line-up in their last game at Ballyclare, Aiden Watson, having served his 3 game suspension, came in for Ryan Deans, while Mike Ward replaced the injured Paul McNeill. The United midfield were being over-run by the hatchetmen, who were also living up to their name by chopping down United players every time they mounted an attack. Referee Moutray's response was to admonish them, a complete waste of time and after one horrendous foul on Ward he allowed play to continue, but took no action at the end of it. Halftime was reached with United not having had a shot on target and it was obvious that changes had to be made, or they were out of the cup for another year.

Craig McLean and Gavin Melaugh, made way for Davitt Walsh and David Cushley in an effort to stir things up for the home team. United to their credit did try to exert some pressure on the visitors goal, but the final pass seemed to let them down. Referee Moutray showed his biased nature shortly after halftime, when after a spell of United pressure the visitors went on the attack and Davitt Walsh was adjudged to have fouled a Crues player. The referee in contrast to the first half couldn't get the yellow card out quick enough and in fact took it out of his pocket as he blew his whistle. Compared to some of the earlier tackles this was nothing and was in fact the substitute's first foul anyway. United despite forcing several corners couldn't find the vital breakthrough although Paul Muir did come close with a vicious free kick which was headed over the bar for a fruitless corner. Then Kelbie broke clear on the left but failed to find Walsh with his pass and another chance went begging. Then in the best move of the game Walsh played Aiden Watson in and his shot was acrobatically saved by Crues keeper Kerr. The linesman who hadn't flagged once for an offside in the first half suddenly sprung into action and flagged when there was nobody offside. Referee Moutray finally had to caution a Crues defender when he blatantly elbowed Walsh in the centre of the pitch, but surely it should have been red and not yellow for that offence. For some reason known only to themselves (Muir and Cushley),Cushley took the free-kick and not Muir and he blasted it harmlessly over the bar. This was not United's day and despite matching the third placed Crues, they still lost by the solitary goal and so the trophy famine goes on and shows no signs of being alleviated!

Blayney 7 Melaugh 5 MoM: Colligan

Alb Watson 6 Ward 5

McDonnell 6 Kelbie 6

Muir 6 Colligan 7 Referee: T. Moutray 0

Aid Watson 7 1st Sub: Walsh 7

Wray 6 2nd Sub: Cushley 6

McLean 5