Mills rely on James to deliver killer blow

18 January 2017

DRUMANESS Mills survived a torrid derby clash with Comber Rec at Meadowvale to secure a third round tie away to Abbey Villa.

It was hot and heavy from the off and by the end of 90 pulsating minutes of non-stop action, the Mills were down to nine men and had three players booked with Comber also having three players shown the yellow card.

Comber settled immediately into their fluent passing game and with three minutes gone Jordan Dougherty escaped from Michael Rainey down the left flank. He delivered a teasing, low cross into the box, but neither Colin Manley or James Milligan had gambled on the ball going straight across the face of the goal.

Less than a minute later Shane Murray should have given Comber the lead when he only had Steven Keenan, but the Mills custodian was off his line in a flash and managed to smother the strike.

Drumaness finally started to compete in the middle of the park and took the lead against the run of play in the 14th minute. Jordan Patterson broke up a Comber attack and switched the ball to Stefan Mason, who was just inside the Comber half.

The young striker left two defenders trailing in his wake with an injection of pace and bore down on Comber’s 18 yard box. His surprise interjection meant he had to go it alone and with nothing else on he decided to let fly from just outside the box.

His well struck shot was definitely on target, but it took a deflection off a Comber foot and flew into the top corner past a stranded James Darlington.

Comber tried to retaliate, but Keenan saved well from Dougherty before the visitors were caught again on the break again. The Mills regained possession on the halfway line and the ball broke to an unmarked Adam Garland, who raced away to beat Darlington for his first goal for the club.

As an ultra competitive first half drew to a close, the Mills were dealt a cruel blow when centre half Brendan Ward was red carded for retaliation.

Comber tried to get back on level terms and went for broke at the start of the second half, but the elusive goal just wouldn’t come,.

A Conor McGourty cross was headed wide by Manus O’Gorman when it seemed easier to score in the 54th minute, but minutes later the same combination carved the Mills open again and this time O’Gorman didn’t miss, 2-1.

With 65 minutes gone Keenan saved brilliantly to keep out a Darren McNamee effort before the Mills made it 3-1. Mason and the hard working Matthew McGarrity dovetailed perfectly on the break before the former Ardglass midfielder crossed for Garland at the back post.

Garland unselfishly headed the ball back across goal for James McGivern to slot home and rock Comber to the core. Some poor defending from the Mills allowed Comber to hit back immediately and Shane Murray was perfectly placed at the back post to volley in a Milligan cross, 3-2 with 20 minutes still to play.

Comber bombarded Drumaness looking for the equaliser, but were caught short at the back again in the 75th minute when Darlington parried a Michael McGarrity shot into the path of McGivern and he wasn’t going to miss from less than six yards out.

It was at this stage of the game that an injured Keenan came into a class of his own as he plucked corner after corner out of the air and saved brilliantly from Dougherty, twice, Manley and Murray to send the Mills through, despite a red card for Mason in the dying stages.

Drumaness Mills: S Keenan, M Rainey, J Patterson G Murdock, B Ward, O Wright, J McGivern, Matthew McGarrity, A Garland, Michael McGarrity, S Mason. Subs: M Drake, C Curran-Cochrane, G Mooney.

Comber Rec: J Darlington, R Hand, C Rafferty, M Busby, D McNamee, M O’Gorman, S Murray, C McGourty, C Manley, J Milligan, J Dougherty. Subs: J Walls, C Gillen, E Wilson.

Drumaness Mills 4

Comber Rec 2

CLARENCE CUP 2ND ROUND

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