Author: Scott

We welcome Dundela to Dixon Park tomorrow afternoon in what will be the final fixture of the 21/22 Lough 41 Championship season.

Match Info

When: Saturday 30^th April – Kick-Off 3:00pm

Where: Dixon Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

Match Sponsor: Agnew Recovery Services Ltd

Ball Sponsor: Antrim Newtownabbey Disability FC

The Opponents

Dundela go into tomorrow’s game top of Section B of the Lough 41 Championship – which is a great achievement considering their results at the beginning of the season. Last week, Dundela swept to a comfortable victory over Institute at Wilgar Park. Eoin Kane opened the scoring with around a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock with a close range finish after Rhys Annett’s initial effort was saved. Kyle Owens added a second after half-an-hour when he rose highest to nod home a Tony Kane corner from the right, before Annett made it 3-0 early in the second half with a shot on the turn beyond John Connolly. ‘Stute pulled one back soon after through Jamie Dunne but Eoin Kane restored Dundela’s three-goal advantage later in the game with his second of the afternoon from just outside the area.

The Comrades

The Comrades secured Championship football for next season after a 2-2 draw with Queen’s University at The Dub. The Students moved in front after 18 minutes through Adam Calvert but Liam Hassin levelled for the Comrades ten minutes after that. But Queen’s regained the advantage after half-an-hour after Leon Bonnes turned home a corner, a lead they held until eight minutes into the second half when Hassin equalised again for the visitors.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, just last month, Dundela swept to a comfortable three-goal defeat of Ballyclare Comrades at Wilgar Park. Eamonn Fyfe opened the scoring as early as the eighth minute after getting on the end of a ball over the top and beating keeper Richard Purcell one-on-one. Then, after a quarter-of-an-hour, David Fearon made it 2-0 with a tap in after Ryan McKay had done well down the left before delivering the ball into the box. That was how it stayed until the final few minutes when Rhys Annett added a third after he skipped past a couple of defenders, took it past Purcell and slotted into the empty net.

We travel to The Dub tomorrow afternoon to take on Queen’s University in our penultimate 2021/22 Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Saturday 23^rd April – Kick-Off 3:00pm

Where: The Dub

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

The Opponents

Queen’s University currently occupy bottom spot of the Lough 41 Championship by 1 point with 2 games remaining. On Tuesday evening, Dundela came from behind to defeat Queen’s University at The Dub. The Students raced into an early lead when, after a couple of minutes, Chris Middleton converted from the spot following a foul on Ben Mulgrew. However, the Duns levelled around ten minutes from the break through David Fearon. And the visitors went on to claim the points just after the hour when Kyle Owens directed a header past keeper Conan Doherty.

The Comrades

The Comrades secured Lough 41 Championship football on Tuesday evening as we shared six goals with Knockbreda in an entertaining encounter at Dixon Park. The Comrades moved in front after a quarter-of-an-hour when Adam McCart beat Daniel Oates with a bullet header but just a couple of minutes after that Ciaran Heggarty was on hand to level for ‘Breda. Ballyclare scored twice early in the second half to move firmly into the lead. Jason Johnston nodded home a Ryan Arthur free-kick before Liam Hassin tapped home a third after Kyle Beggs had sent the ball to the back post. ‘Breda reduced the deficit on 72 minutes through Karl Hamill on the counter attack before Lee McGreevy bagged the equaliser in stoppage time.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, Ballyclare Comrades and Queen’s University battled to a 1-1 draw at Dixon Park with both goals coming in the first half. The home side came close to breaking the deadlock early on when an Ian Fletcher free-kick was headed against the crossbar by a visiting defender before, from the follow up, Michael Smith also directed his header against the woodwork. But Ballyclare did find a way through on 14 minutes courtesy of Kyle Beggs’ cross-come-shot which bypassed everyone to end up in the net. However the Students levelled just before the half-hour mark through Leon Bonnes after he got his head to a corner while, on the stroke of half-time, Fletcher was on hand to clear the ball off the line. The second half was a much less lively affair with neither side able to settle nor grab what could well have been the winner.

We welcome Knockbreda to Dixon Park tomorrow evening in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Tuesday 19^th April – Kick-Off 7:45pm

Where: Dixon Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

Match Sponsor: Benny Craig & Co.

Ball Sponsor: Ernest Hall Menswear

The Opponents

Knockbreda currently sit bottom of the Lough 41 Championship on goal difference with 30 points alongside Queen’s University. At the weekend, they were edged out by Dundela in a 1-0 defeat at Wilgar Park. After a scoreless first-half, it was the visitors who had the first major opportunity of the game as they were awarded a penalty in the 76^th minute. However, after failing to convert from the spot, it was Dundela who took the lead 2 minutes later through a low strike from Eoin Kane which proved to be the only goal of the game.

The Comrades

At the weekend, Benny Igiehon grabbed the only goal of the game as Ards defeated Ballyclare Comrades in a Friday night fixture at Dixon Park. The visitors might have moved in front midway through the first half when Daniel Reynolds did well to send a cross over from the right but Ryan Arthur was on hand to turn the ball over as Igiehon looked poised to pounce. Ross Arthurs then found himself through on goal a short time later but Comrades keeper Richard Purcell did well to deal with the danger. But the deadlock was broken on 37 minutes when Arthurs knocked the ball on into the area with an overhead kick for Igiehon to touch past Purcell under pressure from Adam McCart. Igiehon might have added a second after the break but he couldn’t bring the ball under control in front of goal after Eamon Scannell had crossed from Christopher Crane’s punt forward. Ards were denied a second later in the game when Purcell was called into action to make a double save to keep out substitute Jay Boyd and then Scannell while Ballyclare applied some pressure in the closing stages but couldn’t do enough to force an equaliser.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met, Knockbreda twice came from behind to claim a point from The Comrades’ visit to Breda Park. It took the visitors just over a minute to move in front when Owen McKeown won a free-kick which Ian Fletcher delivered into the area for Jason Johnston to nod home. ‘Breda almost levelled straightaway only to hit the crossbar before, just shy of the half-hour mark, skipper Ross McCaughan did equalise with a header past Jack Ferguson. Ballyclare regained the advantage on the hour. Breaking on the counter attack, substitute Ciaran Dobbin ran with the ball almost the full length of the pitch before finding Liam Hassin with a pass who, in turn, cut it back for Dobbin to slide beyond Lewis Deane. However, the home side responded positively once again, and subsequently earned a share of the spoils thanks to Nathan O’Neill’s, who had only been on the pitch for around sixty seconds, 25-yard finish on 72 minutes.

We welcome Ards to Dixon Park tomorrow evening in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.

Match Info

When: Friday 15^th April – Kick-Off 7:45pm

Where: Dixon Park

What: Lough 41 Championship

Entry: Pay at the gate – £8 (Adult) / £5 (Concession)

Match Sponsor: McConnell’s Bar Doagh

Ball Sponsor: After Schools Club

The Opponents

Last week, Ards battled to an equal share of the spoils with Dundela in an entertaining four-goal clash at Wilgar Park. The Duns moved in front after a quarter-of-an-hour through Eamon Fyfe when he pounced on the loose ball after his initial effort was kept out by keeper Jack Lemoignan just inside the area. Ards levelled a couple of minutes into the second half. Benny Igiehon did well to keep the ball alive inside the area before it fell kindly to Ross Arthurs who duly tucked it past Marc Matthews. That was how it stayed until the 79th minute when Rhys Annett edged the Duns back in front after bursting through the defence to fire home at the right post. But Ards hit back five minutes after that to earn a point after Daniel Reynolds was on hand to knock home the equaliser at the far post.

The Comrades

The Comrades began their post-split fixtures with defeat as Brendan McLaughlin bagged the stoppage time winner for Institute 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.

Last Time Out

The last time these two sides met at the beginning of March, Ards hit five past the managerless Comrades. Matt Tipton’s side opened the scoring after 16 minutes when David McAllister curled a cross onto the edge of the six yard box for Ross Arthurs to control and stab past Jack Ferguson. Daniel Reynolds added a second just after the half-hour mark when he fired into the roof of the net at the back post after a corner had been flicked on from the left. And it got worse for the visitors when they fell further behind just before the break. Reynolds turned provider with a low ball across the face of goal for McAllister to touch home at the left post. That was how it stayed until the 79th minute when McAllister doubled his tally from the left side of the area from Salou Jallow’s cross from wide on the right, albeit via a deflection off Ryan Arthur. Then, with five minutes to go, Eamonn Scannell completed the scoring after sliding in to turn home Benny Igiehon’s ball from the right.