We travel to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium tomorrow evening to take on Institute in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.
Match Info
When: Friday 23rd September – Kick-Off 7:45pm
Where: Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
What: Lough 41 Championship
Entry: Pay at the gate
The Opponents
Institute picked up a first win of the campaign with a three-goal victory away to Dergview last week. Scoreless at the break, substitute Jamie Dunne opened the scoring just a couple of minutes into the second half with a touch into the bottom left corner. Dunne then doubled his tally on 71 minutes after rounding off a flowing team move before Cormac Burke knocked home Institute’s third from the spot with eight minutes remaining.
The Comrades
The Comrades had a weekend to forget last week with a 5-2 defeat away to Newington. Darren Stuart opened the scoring for the Swans with two goals midway through the first half. He headed into the top corner on 21 minutes to break the deadlock before doubling up soon after with a confident finish from inside the box. Ballyclare pulled one back before the break, however, when Calvin McCurry headed home from Conall McGrandles’ corner. The Swans restored their two goal cushion early in the second half through Robert McVarnock who got on the end of a long ball to direct a header past Richard Purcell. Then, four minutes before the hour, Gary Warwick made the most of some indecision in the visiting defence to make it 4-1 … and he added a fifth later in the half after pouncing on a loose ball. Darius Roohi grabbed a late consolation for the Comrades with a finish from the edge of the box.
Last Time Out
The last time these two sides met Brendan McLaughlin bagged the stoppage time winner as Institute defeated Ballyclare Comrades at the Brandywell. ‘Stute had gone in front after just 12 minutes when Mark McFadden smashed the ball home following a scramble in the box from a corner. The visitors might have levelled midway through the first half but Ian Fletcher was unable to beat keeper John Connolly from the spot. However, Ballyclare did find their equaliser four minutes after the interval courtesy of Andrew Mooney’s composed finish after he had pounced on an underhit back pass. And that was how it stayed until three minutes into stoppage time when McLaughlin popped up with a back post header to secure a crucial three points for ‘Stute.