Vs Ballymena Utd (6th April, Home, League)

Ballinamallard IIIs picked up another three points on Saturday to stay top of the Irish Youth League table.
They defeated fourth place Ballymena by four goals to two in an entrtaining game which saw them lose a two goal lead.
However, the Ferney Park side bounced back in the second half to add two more to their tally and secure the points.
It was good preparation for the Mallards on a lively surface before their Irish Youth Cup final against Linfield on Friday evening.
After 20 minutes Michael Simpson set Josh McIlwaine on his way to beat the defender and finish with his left foot from a narrow angle.
Then keeper Karl Fallis had to make an excellent blocking save when Ballymana opened the home defence on the left side to get a shot on goal from the corner of the six yard box.
But on the hour Ballinamallard increased their lead.
A loose ball dropped to Simpson who struck it first time to give the visiting keeper no chance.
But five minutes before the break Ballinamallard made two terrible defensive errors.
On 41 minutes a cross from the left saw a slight defelection and keeper Karl Fallis failed to gather before a Ballymena striker nodded in at the back post.
Then two minutes later Ballymena were back on level terms. A long ball over the home defence found a Ballymena striker suspiciously off side. He beat the central defenders and as Fallis raced off his line, he lobbed into the open net.
In the second half Ballinamallard improved their game, bossing the central midfield area and keeping things much tigher at the back.
Then on 58 minutes a Jake Smith corner, drilled to the back post was perfectly met by central defender Lee McNulty to head across goal and into the net.
In the closing minutes Ballinamallard added their fourth when Adam Wallace rose superbly to head on a Fallis kick.
The ball fell to McIlwaine who got to the byline before pulling a great ball back for the perfect run of Jake Smith to side-foot home from 10 yards.
Manager Ray Sanderson felt his players did enough to take the points.
“We really were the better side for most of the game apart from those five minutes before the break.
“Defensively we needed to deal with those situations in a better way. But we showed in the second half that when we play, even on a lively surface, we can cause lots of problems for the opposition.”

Vs Crusaders (13th March, Away, Irish Youth Cup Semi Final)

Ballinamallard Thirds booked their place in the final of the Harry Cavan Irish Youth Cup with a 2-0 win over Crusaders Colts in Dungannon.

Joshua McIlwaine put the the Mallards ahead not long after the interval with a thunderous strike before Gary Phair added a second, again with a long range strike.

The Crues had two players sent off for double bookings as the Mallards ran out comfortable winners.

They will now face Linfield Rangers in the final of a competition they won in 2002 and 2006.

Fixtures

Sat 20/4: Newington YC (Away, League, 11am)

Sat 27/4: Linfield Rangers (Away, League, 2pm)
Sat 4/5: Glentoran Colts (Home, League, 2pm)

Wed 8/5: Glenavon (Away, League, 7.30pm)

Sat 25/5: Linfield Rangers (Home, League, 2pm)

Vs Carrick Rangers (9th March, Away, League)

A severely depleted Ballinamallard Youth side showed great character on Saturday when they came from behind three times to take a point off bottom side Carrick Rangers.

The Mallards were without McIlwaine, Courtney, Phair, McNulty and Smith and paid dearly for defensive mistakes throughout the game.

Three times they came from behind to draw level before taking the lead with ten minutes to go, but a plucky Carrick outfit stole a late equaliser for a share of the points.

It was the home side which opened the scoring with a goal which looked suspiciously off side. The ball was played through the middle and with the Carrick player in lots of space he raced through to slot past keeper Karl Fallis.

It took the Mallard boys quite a while to settle in the strong winds, but an unstoppable volley from 20 yards from Adam Wallace close to half time brought them level.

But they were to give another away before the break. This time a ball through the middle looked to be dealt with by Paul Coalter, but his shy backpass put keeper Fallis in trouble and a Carrick striker nipped in to net.

In the second half Ballinamallard continued to show their determined coupled with some excellent football in very difficult conditions.

They drew level again when a ball played just inside the penalty area was picked up by Jake Smith who ran through to fire into the top right hand corner.

Again the Mallards let it slip, this time another suspicious lookiing off side decision through the middle of the back four. Carrick took full advantage to score number three.

But the Fisher Park boys came roaring back when Jason Cluff came short for a free kick. He opened gaps with his excellent running before playing in Smith on the byline. His low driven cross was rammed home by Michael Simpson on the six yard box.

Then Ballinamallard took the lead for the first time. A Cluff cross from the right eluded Paul Elliott, but found Mark Cutler sliding in at the back post for number four.

Then minutes from the end the visitors conceded a corner. A ball the back post found Carrick’s central defender free to head the ball crashing down and into the top corner.

Manager Ray Sanderson said, “Although we defended poorly I felt Carrick got the break with the off side decisions. We showed our team qualities coming back three times.”



Vs Limavady Utd (23rd Feb, Home, League Cup)

Ballinamallard Youth exited the Northern Ireland League Cup on Saturday at the hands of a workmanlike Limavady outfit.

Limavady, currently unbeaten in their Division Two League got off to a great start scoring after just five minutes.

A misplaced pass from central defender Lee McNulty allowed their centre forward in on the edge of the penalty area to chip the advancing Karl Fallis from20 yards. Fallis got his fingertips to the lob, but couldn’t keep it out.
With 10 minutes gone the home side was back on track.

Paul Elliott raced down the left flank, outpacing the fullback, before swinging in a left foot cross from almost the byline.
His effort deceived the visiting keeper and the ball crashed in off the far post.

The home side created enough chances to win the game, but couldn’t find the finishing touch.
Adam Wallace’s crashing low drive bounced off the diving visiting keeper into the path of Elliott, but his effort again was parried to safety.

Before the break a neat through ball found Mark Cutler finding space in the 18 yard box, but he couldn’t get his shot away quickly enough to trouble the visiting defence.

Things stayed very tight in the second half with the best chance falling to the head of Cutler from a Wallace cross, but the young striker glanced his effort just wide of the far post.
In extra time the game looked to be going to penalties until midfielder Jake Smith chased a ball that looked dead.

He got his body between the defender and the goalkeeper close to the byline before he was taken down by the Limavady netminder.

Adam Wallace stopped to slot the penalty into the bottom left hand corner.

With less than two minutes left the Ballinamallard side lost the ball in the centre of the park. As Limavady attacked down the left flank a Ballinamallard defender was adjudged to have fouled.

The resulting free kick wasn’t cleared and the ball fell to a Limavady striker to fire home into the top corner.

In the penalty shoot-out Limavady netted four times to Ballinamallard’s two to make it round two.

“It was a disappointing day for us. Despite being short four regulars I felt we had it in us to go through. We just didn’t put away our chances and gave the ball away cheaply at the end.
“Limavady are a hard working side and will surely see promotion this season.”

Vs Cliftonville (16th Feb, Away, League)

Ballinamallard thought they had this game won leading with an injury time goal, but Cliftonville were awarded a dubious penalty kick in the 94th minute to draw level and share the spoils.

The league leaders struggled to find any rhythm in the first half, playing against a tough wind and an terrible playing surface at the University of Ulster.

The ball seemed more in the air than on the ground during the opening 45 minutes which saw both sides carve out few chances between them.

In the second half Ballinamallard had a wind at their backs and pressed the home side much more.

They opened the scoring on 53 minutes when a Johnny Courtney corner cannoned in off a Cliftonville defender to give them the lead.

Four minutes later though the home side were back on level terms.

Ballinamallard keeper Karl Fallis came to punch a corner, but didn’t make good contact and the ball was headed back goalwards into the net despite a last ditch attempt to clear by defender Lee McNulty.

Ballinamallard looked the better side at this stage and Courtney and McIlwaine’s run carved out several opportunities.

Then on 68 minutes another corner saw the ball land to substitute Paul Coulter whose shot was parried away by the Cliftonville keeper, but only into the path of McNulty who side footed home strongly under pressure.

But on 80 minutes the home side came back again. This time when a free kick wasn’t cleared and the Cliftonville striker headed home. 

It looked all over that that stage, but there was plenty more drama to come.

Ballinamallard restored their lead again in the 91st minute when Gareth Carruthers crashed home a wonderful volley from 20 yards after a corner was only partially cleared.

With the final whistle about to be blown on 94 minutes Cliftonville launched a long ball to the left corner and the cross to the edge of the area saw Carruthers and a defender fight for the ball.

The referee however blew for a foul and a penalty kick for the home side which was dispatched past Fallis in nets.

Coach Ray Sanderson felt his players didn’t start the game well but improved greatly in the second half.

“There was little football played in the opening 45 , but I felt we controlled things in the second half.

“We had the lead three times, but silly mistakes and not taking a professional attitude on the park cost us. I felt it was two points dropped, even against a strong Cliftonville side.”

Vs Crusaders (9th Feb, Away, League)

Ballinamallard United Thirds were out-muscled on Saturday, having taken an early lead.

The league leaders allowed the North Belfast side to dictate the game, scoring 2 first half goals and one in the final minutes.

The away side found themselves ahead after just 10 minutes. Johnny Courtney took up a Wallace corner, and the his strike across goal was flicked into the net by striker Joshua McIlwaine.

The Seaview side levelled the game on 25 minutes when a route one ball was flicked on by the striker for his supporting player to slot past Adam McDonald.

The Crues then took the lead on 35 minutes when their centre back headed in a free kick.

The Mallards changed their formation in the second half and started to cause their opponents some problems, with Jason Cluff doing some damage after he had replaced the injured Courtney.

With minutes left the away side conceeded a third with a comedy of errors to round off a poor afternoon at the office.

Coach Ray Sanderson was disappointed. "We didn't compete and Crusaders were well up for the game. We had too many players off the pace and didn't threaten their goal enough. We have another tough fixture on Saturday away to Cliftonville and we will have to bounce back".

Ballinamallard United Internet Supporters Club

© 2000 - 2013 powered by
Doteasy Web Hosting