IFA Intermediate Cup, round two
Kilmore Rec 1 Castlewellan Town 1
(Kilmore win 7-6 on pens AET)
CASTLEWELLAN Town arrived at Robert Adams Park on Saturday to face an in-form Kilmore side who had won their last seven games, only conceding two goals in the process.
The visitors themselves were on a good run of form with only one defeat from their opening 15 games this season, so this had all the hallmarks of a great cup game and it didn’t disappoint.
Castlewellan were without their talisman striker Ruairi Croskery and captain Conall Corrigan, as well as missing a few others through injury, but this didn’t show in the early stages as the visitors found themselves on top early on.
The away side took a deserved lead when Jarosinski got onto a flick from McKay to stab the ball past the on rushing McGonagle.
One should have become two when Barry Travers went close not once but twice, while McKay, McArdle and McCartan all had decent efforts in the opening 25 minutes for the visitors.
Two divisions may separate the sides on paper but on the evidence of Saturday’s game, very little separated them on the pitch.
The hosts did start to come back into the game in the last 20 minutes of the first half as they started to enjoy a lot more possession. Indeed, Castlewellan had the woodwork and goalkeeper Rory Burns to thank for the score remaining 1-0 at the break with Clark, Conlon and McGrattan all going close for Kilmore.
As the whistle sounded for half time, the Town men were good value for their lead but knew a tough 45 lay ahead.
As expected, Kilmore came out of the blocks quick in the second half with Burns again pulling off a great save to deny Murray at the near post.
The game then became a midfield battle with half chances falling to McCartan in the Castlewellan midfield, while Jarosinski went close from a free kick.
With little of note after the hour mark, the game kicked into life on 70 minutes when a foul on Carvill in the box resulted in a penalty to the home side which Parislav coolly slotted home.
Some handbags after this saw a coming together between the players which resulted in Castlewellan being reduced to ten men as McKay saw red although, rather strangely, he was the only player booked during the incident.
When the game restarted, chances were of a premium as Castlewellan defended well and proved a tough nut for Kilmore to crack from open play.
A Kimore chance late on for Mahoney was well saved by Burns in the Castlewellan goal and the referee’s whistle sounded for full time in what had been an entertaining 90 minutes of football.
Extra time offered very little in the way of chances for either team, with Kearney going close for the hosts and McArdle having the visitor’s best effort.
With nothing between them in extra time, it was on to the dreaded penalty shootout.
After 12 perfect spot kicks, Paul Kearney stepped up and saw his kick saved by McGonagle, which left Kilmore’s Patrick Grant with the chance to be the hero from the spot.
Grant sent Burns the wrong way and put Kilmore into the draw for the third round.
A close encounter that could have gone either way on the day and for Kilmore, it keeps the momentum going as their good recent run of form continues.
Castlewellan will look to bounce back on Saturday when they welcome Shamrock to Corrigan Park in a league fixture.
Next up for Kilmore is Dunmurry YM as they look to extend their lead at the top of NAFL 1A.
Best for Castlewellan on the day were Burns, McArdle and Carvill.
