NAFL Border Cup R1 Killyleagh YC 3 Sirocco Works 0 KILLYLEAGH defied the odds in Saturday’s Border Cup opener at The Showgrounds to claim their seventh successive victory in August.
Sirocco play a division above Killyleagh in the Amateur League and have lost just one league game this season, but they were second best after the YC turned in one of their best performances so far. From the kick off, Killyleagh produced an attractive brand of possession football, inspired by Jamie Sharvin, Sam Dinu and Jack Sharvin.
However, for all that, they failed to make a breakthrough, with Sam Carson going closest from a Jack Sharvin pass. It was the 15th minute before Sirocco were able to lift the siege and after winning a corner they came perilously close to an opener, with last ditch blocks by Nathan Hamilton and Jamie Sharvin keeping the visitors out. Killyleagh tried to bring Kodi Carson into the game but as the half progressed, Sirocco started to find their feet, with lively winger Dalmar Hassan trying his best to inspire his team, even though he was closely shackled by the YC’s Caolan Lennon.
The match hinged on a breath taking save from Killyleagh’s Matthew Boyle in the 28th minute as, from another set piece, he was called into action and somehow got down low to his right to palm the ball away from Jack Glover. Fleming was proving a rock at the back for the Belfast side but Killyleagh finally got the goal they deserved in the 36th minute. Nathan Hamilton picked out Decky McComiskey and when he threaded through for Cameron Howard it looked as if he had taken one touch too many, but Howard fired past Robbie Mather to make it 1-0.
The home side started the second half as they had the first and got their reward when the tireless Sam Kirk blocked an attack, releasing Jack Sharvin. He sliced open the defence to provide Kodi Carson with a one-on-one chance with the keeper to make it 2-0 after 51 minutes. Killyleagh were relentless and they put the tie beyond doubt by making in 3-0 in the 67th minute. Conor Hamilton threaded the ball through for Jack Sharvin to finish smartly in the bottom corner, underlining his status as one of the best finishers in the local game, with his seventh goal in seven games from midfield.
Nelson went close to pulling one back with a header. However, before the finish, Killyleagh were able to afford a number of missed half chances, with Kodi Carson, who gave his man a torrid time, and Jack Sharvin coming closest to adding to their tally, and then keeper Mather chopped down McComiskey at the edge of the box when a goal looked on.
YC manager Stevie Lindsay has made promotion his side’s priority this season and the cups are something of a distraction, but this was a superb all-round display from a starting 11 which had only two players over the age of 24.
Their reward is a second round tie away to Willowbank, another side from the division above. Before then, they return to cup action at home this weekend, when they face Suffolk in the second round of the Steel and Sons Cup.
