Best performance of season from Cloney

Donacloney 4

DONACLONEY gave their best performance of an indifferent season on Saturday past to secure an impressive victory over high flying Armagh Blues.

Cloney got the perfect start when they opened the scoring inside the first five minutes of the match. A Darren Brooker corner caused confusion in the box and Alan Ferguson volleyed home in of the post.

Cloney doubled their lead as Aaron Chambers raced onto a Chris Shields through ball to cross for strike partner Steven Leckey to stoop and head in from close range.

Armagh looked dangerous and had plenty of possession, but Cloney kept their discipline and defended as a unit and limited any clear cut opportunities on Campbell’s goal.

Cloney continued to create opportunities on the break as the front two of Leckey and Chambers seemed to have the home defence running scared while they well supported by Shields and Scott on the wings.

It was Cloney who stretched their lead 10 minutes before the half as Chambers raced onto a lackey flick to exquisitely lob the keeper from 25 yards. Just before the half Chambers raced through again from another Leckey flick only to be hauled down on the edge of the box with a clear run on goal.

To the disbelief of the Cloney the defender was only yellowed carded for his professional misdemeanour, and making matters worse the home custodian pulled off a tremendous save to deny Ferguson’s curled free kick.

Cloney started the second half with the expectation of an Armagh onslaught. The defence of Johnson, Robinson, Graham and Buchanan seemed to have weathered the initial storm. This was until 10 minutes in the ref awarded a penalty for a Geoff Johnston tackle, even to the surprise of the home players.

Campbell was sent the wrong way from the resultant spot kick as Armagh got renewed confidence of a comeback.

Ten minutes later the deficit was reduced to just one; as Cloney appealed for a foul on Brooker in midfield Armagh pushed forward to score.

Armagh piled on the pressure with the Cloney surviving with some steely defending, a slice of luck at times and some great work by Campbell in goals.

With Armagh pushing so many forward it was inevitable that Cloney would get an opportunity.

In the closing minutes sub and debutant Matthew Parkinson showed a great piece of skill to beat a man only for his dangerous through ball being intercepted as it looked like Chambers would get an opportunity.

In injury time Cloney eventually killed of the game. Brooker played a long ball into the channel to sub Adam Beattie, he in turn laid of to Leckey whose low driven cross into the box saw the defender under pressure from Chambers putting into his on net to give them a deserved 4-2 victory.

Everyone on the day performed brilliantly, but the stand out performer was Steven Leckey who tortured the Armagh all afternoon.