Slane in seventh heaven with Ballymoney win

Ballymoney 0

SLANE tore Ballymoney apart with some breathtaking football in Saturday's Junior Cup tie.

The game was Slane's first home game and they opened the score on the 10th minute when Bingham dinked a dead ball over the top of the Money defence and Rowan squared to Ervine for a tap in at the far post.

Lee Feeney was making his home debut for Slane in front of a large crowd of supporters up the line. He slipped the ball through for John Davenport to race in and he slotted the ball under the keeper for Slane's second.

Johnny O'Neill was superb at right back on his debut for Slane and David Boyd was quietly getting on with the job at left back. Wilson and Gibbons were solid in the middle of the defence thwarting any danger.

Slane were three up on 25 minutes when Thomas McCann found Davenport who raced into the box and was up-ended. The referee pointed to

the spot, Ervine stepped up and hammered the ball into the bottom corner.

Ervine completed his hat trick on the half hour when he charged down the defender, the ball fell nicely to him and he made no mistake with the

shot.

Bickerstaff was having very little to do between the posts but he had to be alert to save well from a fierce shot from distance.

Two minutes before the break Feeney almost had his goal but his shot flipped off the cross bar.

The second half had barely started when Ervine broke up the line and fired his cross into the six yard box where Feeney was on hand to tap home.

McCann played a delightful ball to the feet of Bingham who found Feeney and he dinked around his marker and hammered into the back of the net.

Slane's manager made three changes on the hour and brought on McConville, Fairley and Anderson. Slane kept the pressure up and pushed the visitors deep into their own half.

Gibbons hit a free from 30 yards out and the keeper held well. Bingham hit just over and Rowan headed wide.

Fairley got his reward for his hard graft and he rounded the keeper and tucked the ball into the net while Anderson hit wide at the far post.

This was a great performance by Slane in front of a large crowd of vocal supporters. Best for Slane on the day was Mark Ervine who hit the net three

times in the first half hour.

Thanks to Ronnie Bickerstaff of the Parts Centre, Ballyward who sponsored the game.