Vs Tobermore Utd (4th Feb, Home, League)

Match sponsored by Pats Bar & Grill, The Diamond, Enniskillen

www.patsbar.co.uk

Ballinamallard made it three wins from three against Tobermore this season and managed to extend their lead at the top of the table to 10 points, with Newry only picking up a point at Stute.

The Mallards dominated the first half and would have been ahead had it not been for the heroics of Tobermore shot stopper Sammy Foster, who saved from Stuart Hutchinson, Chris Curran, Andy Crawford and Davy Kee on seperate occasions.

Neil Lamont did clip the outside of the post from an acute angle for Tobermore on the half hour mark and Mark McConkey pulled off a well timed tackle in the box to deny Kris Magill a clear shot at goal from close range, during a rare attack from the away side.

McConkey himself missed a golden opportunity immediately after the restart when he blasted over the bar from yards out, but the Blues did earn some breathing space on 53 minutes.

Goalkeeper Foster upended striker Crawford in the penalty area and Jason McCartney made no mistake from the spot for his eighth of the season.

Timothy McComb cleared a Craig Hill header off the goal line on 65 minutes after great work by McCartney, whilst Davy Kee showed excellent technique to dispatch a long range volley towards goal, producing a fine save from Foster.

Kee did double the Mallards advantage then mid way through the second half when his deflected free kick found its way into the Tobermore net.

The one way traffic continued with Hutchinson going close and Carters heading against the bar but John Neill's goal on 78 minutes made for an uncomfortable ending.

Whitey Anderson and his squad can now look forward to a crunch tie away to Coleraine next weekend in the JJB Sports Irish Cup. There are still a few spaces on the supporters bus for those wishing to travel.

Match pictures and Mallard TV now online.

Team: McGrath, Hill, Carters, Stafford, McConkey, C Curran, Hutchinson (McKenna), Kee, McCartney, Sheridan (G Curran), Crawford (Higginbotham)

Fixtures

Sat 11/2: Coleraine (Away, Irish Cup R6, 3pm)
Tue 14/2: Dundalk (Home, Friendly, TBC)
Sat 25/2: Warrenpoint Town (Away, League, 3pm)

Dundalk friendly

We all have one true love, and that's football. So Ferney Park, 14th February, it's a date!

Gary Curran signs

Ballinamallard have swooped to make another January transfer window signing, bringing in 24 year old midfielder Gary Curran from Finn Harps.

Gary came through the Sligo Rovers youth system and was an u19 youth International for the Republic of Ireland in 2006.

He made 26 appearances for Rovers before moving to Longford Town in 2009. He then signed for Galway Town and made 41 appearances in 2010/11 before signing for Finn Harps last summer as pictured right.

Welcome aboard Gary!

Bus to Coleraine (Sat 11th Feb)

The supporters scheme will be running a bus to the forthcoming JJB Sports Irish Cup R6 game away to Coleraine on Saturday 11th February. Anybody wishing to travel on the bus needs to put their name on the sheet in the bar with £10 deposit, or forward your name to Davy Johnston or email bufcsupportersclub@hotmail.co.uk.

There will also be a bus to the game away to Warrenpoint Town in February.

Vs Institute (21st Jan, Home, League)

Match sponsor: Western Cars, Sligo Road, Enniskillen. Ph: 02866324323

Both teams had to settle for a point apiece in this thrilling encounter at a blustering Ferney Park on Saturday.

Institute's head of development Paul Kee had billed the game as a 'must win' if his side were to challenge for the title, but substitute Stephen Sheridan's second half goal cancelled out Darren McCauley's opener as the pulsating game ended in a draw.

Midfielder McCauley, on loan from Coleraine, opened the scoring after 12 minutes when he headed in Mark Kelly's corner to give Stute a perfect start.

Jason McCartney skimmed the upright with a free kick for the Mallards whilst Stuart Hutchinson also went close when he fired into the side netting in what was a keenly contested first half.

Striker Sheridan, on as a first half substitute for the injured Steve Feeney, struck the post immediately after the interval for Ballinamallard, whilst Andy Crawford had a claim for a penalty turned down by referee Wesley Campbell, who awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area.

Whitey Anderson's side deservedly equalised however on 65 minutes. Crawford dispossessed full back Dean Jarvis and as his shot bounced off Stute keeper Corey Wilson, Sheridan was on hand for a simple tap in.

Tempers began to flare between the sides as the game heated up, but Wesley Campbell showed a cool head to keep all players on the pitch.

Both sides exchanged blows for the remainder of the game as the end to end action continued but it was perhaps the Mallards who could have stolen all three points on 86 minutes. Jason McCartney's excellent whipped cross from the left was duly met by Mark Stafford, but Wilson was in the right place at the right time to clear the ball off the line, as Ballinamallard remain unbeaten against Institute this season.

Overall it was a good point for Ballinamallard as all other fixtures also ended in draws.

Next game will be at home to Tobermore Utd in the league, on Saturday 4th February.

Mallard TV highlights now online.

Team: McGrath, Hill, Carters, Stafford, Keohane, Hutchinson, Kee, Curran, McCartney, Crawford (McKenna), Feeney (Sheridan)

Vs Dundela (14th Jan, Away, Irish Cup R5)

Ballinamallard bounced back from last weeks disappointing Intermediate cup exit to Crumlin Star with a convincing 3-0 victory over Dundela, to set up a glamour away tie with Coleraine in Round Six of the JJB Sports Irish Cup.

An evenly contested first half was perhaps shaded by the Mallards who had the better of the chances. Goalkeeper Sammy Sargeant denied Crawford on three occasions whilst Dundela's best effort was a Dee Wright header that flew wide of the right post.

The Fermanagh side took the lead however on 43 minutes when they were awarded a penalty by referee Graham McIlwrath, much to the anger of the Dundela players. Jason McCartney needed no second invitation though to bag his seventh goal of the season.

It took until the 66th minute before Ballinamallard got their second goal of the game, and in the strangest of circumstances. Goalkeeper Seargant pulled off an excellent reflex save to push Steve Feeney's curling shot against the post, but as the defender tried to clear the ball from danger it deflected off Seargant and into the net.

Leon Carters headed against the bar before he scored in the 91st minute, tucking away McConkey's low cross from close range to complete a comprehensive victory for Whitey Anderson's men.

Ballinamallard will return to league action this Saturday against fourth placed Institute, in what is set to be another crunch tie at Ferney Park.

Team: McGrath, McConkey, Stafford, Carters, Keohane, Kee, Hutchinson (Currie), Curran, McCartney (Sheridan), Crawford (Higginbotham)

Vs Crumlin Star (7th Jan, Away, Coca Cola Intermediate Cup R3)

Border Cup winners Crumlin Star pulled off a shock victory over Belfast Telegraph Championship One league leaders Ballinamallard United at Solitude on Saturday.

The North Belfast side were good value for their win, despite the margin between the sides being a solitary and fortuitous own goal on 64 minutes, when Leon Carters clearance ricocheted off Gareth Liggett and into the net.

The Mallards had a nervy start to the game with Fergal Murphy called into action twice in the opening minutes and they struggled to settle on the all weather surface.

On 28 minutes centre back Leon Carters seen his header cleared off the line whilst Steve Feeney's follow up shot rattled the crossbar, but it was the Division 1B Amateur League side who should have taken the lead on 42 minutes when Joseph O'Neill glanced a free header wide of the post from six yards out.

Shortly after the break Carters was again denied, this time by goalkeeper Malachy Thompson who produced a great point blank save from a close range header. Jason McCartney skimmed the post with a powerful shot before Star got a bit of good fortune to take the lead. An innocuous cross from the left was cleared by Carters only for it to hit Liggett and fly past Murphy into the net.

It was no more than the Ardoyne side deserved however as they were impressive in possession and worked hard all afternoon, much to the frustration of the Fermanagh side. Ballinamallard were awarded numerous free kicks throughout the game on the edge of the penalty area, but neither Davy Kee or Jason McCartney managed to adequately test Thompson.

Star were reduced to 10 men in the closing stages before James McKenna seen his header rebound off the crossbar in added time to compound a miserable afternoon.

Ballinamallard fall again at the first hurdle in the Intermediate Cup, but they can have no complaints about the result against an impressive Star team.

The cup action will continue next weekend with an away tie in the Irish Cup to Dundela. Kick off 2pm.

Team: Murphy, McCartney, Carters, Liggett, McConkey, McKenna, Kee, Curran, Currie (Hutchinson), Feeney (Sheridan), Crawford (Higginbotham)