Seconds Back On Track

Mals skipper Marty McKee, referee Robert Penney and Derriaghy captain Ryan Garvin

Mals earned a hard fought but well deserved three points against Derriaghy at a cold and windy Stadium of Sand on Saturday. The game opened with Mals attacking the railway end aided by the strong breeze but there was little action of note to report in the opening ten minutes as both sides battled for supremacy in midfield.

On twelve minutes Mals created the first chance when Feighan found the lively McDonnell who turned sharply and just failed to find the top corner of the net from just outside the penalty box. Slowly the hard working Mals midfield pairing of Corr and McHugh began to take a grip of proceedings. On fifteen minutes Corr won several tackles before playing a pass into Moore who showed his ability with a clever flick to Johnston in space on the right. Johnston raced to the bye line and pulled the ball back but a Derriaghy defender managed to knock the ball out for a corner as Moore waited to finish the move off.

Derriaghy played some impressive neat one touch football but Burns and
Adams made sure that goalkeeper Murphy's involvement was restricted to
dealing with a number of long range efforts.

The home team continued to press forward with Derriaghy having trouble keeping tabs on the pace and movement of the Mals forward two of Moore and McDonnell, and on twenty two minutes the latter broke the deadlock. Corr won the ball in midfield and switched play to the left finding Crossey in space. Another forward pass found McDonnell who nicked the ball passed the centre half and as the keeper came out he cooly slid the ball under the keeper into the net.

Derriaghy continued to find it difficult to create any clear openings and Mals almost went further ahead when McKee linked well with Johnston on the right but the winger took the wrong option in taking on another defender and loosing possession as the Mals forwards waited on a cross.

Corr and McHugh continued to drive Mals forward at every opportunity and Moore had one shot narrowly wide before having another saved by the keeper. As the game was on the blow for half time Mals increased their lead. Adams intercepted a through ball and found Corr in midfield. The play was then switched to the left where Feighan ran at his marker before cutting back and firing a cross into the penalty area where a defender in attempting to clear only succeeded in deflecting the ball past his own keeper.

HT: Malachians II 2 Derriaghy CC II 0

Not unexpectedly and with the breeze behind them Derriaghy came out determined to get back into the game, and again played some good football but without creating any clear chances, in no small measure due to the determined tackling of the Mals defence of Burns, Adams, Crossey and McKee. The high work rate and tackling of both Corr and McHugh in front of the back four also made life difficult for the away side.

Derriaghy were on top for the first twenty minutes of the second half and won a number of corners as Mals dropped deeper to defend their lead but having failed to reduce the arrears the away team were always vulnerable to the counter attack. Indeed every time Mals got the ball to either Moore or McDonnell another goal looked likely. Crossey began to see more of the ball going forward as the game entered the final quarter and combined well with Feighan as Mals tried to put the game to bed.

With fifteen minutes left Moore eventually got the goal he deserved when the influential McHugh played him through and the skilful striker waited for his moment before finishing brilliantly with a chip over the keeper and into the net.

Devine and Mickey Burns then came on or the last fifteen minutes and Small then replaced McKee who picked up an injury but Mals held on without any further scares to collect the three points in an impressive performance against a good Derriaghy side.

The Mals seconds play the return fixture at Derriaghy on 31st December.

FT: Malachians II 3 Derriaghy CC II 0

MoM - Gerard Crossey

Up the Mals!

Crossey, man of the match are you kidding me ?????