Pre-Match Guide | Loughgall 08/10/22
We welcome Loughgall to Dixon Park tomorrow afternoon for our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.
Match Info
When: Saturday 8th October – Kick-Off 3:00pm
Where: Dixon Park
What: Lough 41 Championship
Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (OAP & U16) / £3 (U12 in the company of an adult)
Match Sponsor: Terry Coulter Cars
Ball Sponsor: Gracehill After School Club
The Opponents
Loughgall are flying high at the top of the Lough 41 Championship and they defeated Danske Bank Premiership outfit, Glenavon, during the week in the Bet McLean League Cup. Following a goalless first half, Pablo Andrade put Loughgall ahead two minutes into the second half before Mark Patton got a second late on. Glenavon did pull one back through Jack Malone but this proved only to be a consolation goal.
The Comrades
Comrades exited the League Cup after losing to the odd goal in three to Danske Bank Premiership opponents Newry City. The visitors dominated the first half and their constant pressure brought the goal they deserved on 40 minutes when Gary Donnelly lost the ball deep in the Comrades half and it was played to Hughes who finished with ease from 5 yards. The second half saw Comrades compete better than they had in the first 45 minutes and Newry no longer had things quite their own way. However. there was not much threat on the visitors’ goal until the 70th minute when an equaliser was scored. Harry Adair did well to win the ball on the halfway line and then played it down the left wing, allowing Kyle Beggs to run onto it. Beggs then took on and beat a defender to get into the box before shooting from 8 yards and with the help of a deflection his effort eluded the ‘keeper and found the net. Comrades were now right back in the game and for while it looked as if they could produce a shock result. However, on 85 minutes Newry regained the lead, scoring what was to be the winning goal. Healy was given space to shoot from the edge of the box, his powerful shot forcing Richard Purcell to parry the ball out away from the goal. Unluckily for the hosts, the ball fell to a Newry man who played it across the front of the goal where Carville was there to turn it into the net from close range.
Last Time Out
The last time these two sides met was in March 2022 when the Comrades conceded a late sucker punch as Conor Kerr struck deep into stoppage time to secure a point for Loughgall from Ballyclare Comrades’ visit to Lakeview Park. The visitors moved in front after half-an-hour under Liam Hassin. But their victory hopes were dashed in the 95th minute when Kerr popped up to equalise for the Villagers.
