DOWNPATRICK 3



THERE is no doubt whatsoever about this weekend’s big talking point – Islandmagee’s Michael Moore and David Harrison being sent off – for fighting with each other.

As if it wasn’t hard enough meeting champions Downpatrick, without having to play the last hour or so without your captain, and goalkeeper! Island, too, were one down at the time, yet they churned out one of their best performances of the season, and, with the big ‘if’, they had kept 11 players on the pitch, they could surely have got something out of this tussle between last year’s 1A champions against the winners of the Premier Division.

Island boss Steven Donald was “really proud of the nine men, they really battled their hearts out. As for the sending offs, I thought the referee over reacted. It was ‘handbags’, I didn’t see a punch thrown and you would have thought, considering they were from the one team, the referee would have booked them and gave them a strong telling off, but instead he acted according to the letter of the law.

“But in saying that, Michael, as team captain and in only his second game back from a four match suspension, should have known better!”

In the opening exchanges, Moore could have made headlines for the right reasons, but, just a few yards from goal, he couldn’t quite dig the ball out from under his feet. Peter Marks, meanwhile, was deprived by a fine save from keeper David Stranney, while a useful effort from Gareth McConnell was blocked.

Instead, it was Down who showed the way, with Island’s offside appeals falling to impress the referee.

Yet Andy Waide came close to cancelling that out, before down came the red mist and out came the red cards, forcing the Wilbourners to play the remaining hour or so with nine men, and with their most alert poacher Andy Waide, now turned gamekeeper.

Stand in Andy too was beaten twice, as Downpatrick wasted no time in exploiting the numbers game.

While the visitors no doubt believed they had the hard work already done, island certainly had most of the second half possession, clawing a goal back when David Lough was sent tumbling inside the box; Andy Waide trotting up the whole length of the pitch to convert the resultant penalty.

Another goal then might just have set the cat amongst the pigeons, especially as Downpatrick themselves had a player sent off, for a none too obvious offence.

Next Saturday, Islandmagee travel to Lisburn Rangers in the Steel and Sons Cup.

Islandmagee; Harrison – Craig, Tierney, Mathers, Lough (Gilmore) – B Waide, McConnell (Phillips), Moore, Moffett – Marks, A Waide. Sub (unused) Hall

Players In - Ryan Large, M, Kilroot Rec; Wallace Nelson, S, Kilroot Rec; Tony Matthews, M, Kilroot Rec.