Mals Progress in the Border Cup

Derriaghy skipper Chris Stewart, referee Ted Heffer and the rugged film star good looks of Mals' maestro

On a damp, overcast day at Derriaghy Malachians, with a committed and disciplined performance, eventually passed and moved their way to victory against a home side who were clearly up for the challenge and were in contention until just before the final whistle despite being reduced to ten men for most of the second period.

With Lowe, Doherty and McDonnell unavailable and McDonagh, Devine and Mulvenna all still out injured, managers Lyttle and Donnelly started with three at the back, Devlin, Liam Prigent and Corr, five across the midfield and McCourt and Essers Johnston upfront. Both sides struggled to overcome the slippery conditions initially as the home side’s physical approach attempted to come to terms with the Mals neat passing game in midfield. There were early bookings for home defenders Strong , for kicking the ball away, and Montgomery for a blatant shirt tug.

The game was fairly even and came to life on thirty minutes when the home side had strong appeals for a penalty for handball waved away by referee Ted Heffer before a half chance fell to Essers at the other end. Baker became the third home player to needlessly see yellow , this time for dissent, before a twenty five yard Brickie McKervey special was superbly tipped onto the bar by home keeper Cairnduff. At the other end a free from Derriaghy skipper Stewart went perilously close. Derriaghy finished the half on top with Mals hemmed back into their own half but the Mals defence continued to be outstanding with Corr in particular clearly relishing the physical challenge with combative home centre forward Rosbotham.

HT Derriaghy CC 0 Malachians 0

The second period opened with an early effort from McCourt before the emphasis of the game swung on a red card, second yellow, for home midfielder Montgomery. The midfielder and Mals Paul Prigent were both wrestling each other as they chased the ball before the home player threw his opponent over his shoulder , wrestling style, to the ground, leaving referee Heffer little option other than to produce a second yellow and Derriaghy were down to ten. The dismissed player can have little argument as despite being on a yellow he had just been spoken to moments before the dismissal for an off the ball block.

Mals were now well into their stride and the move of the match saw a raking diagonal thirty yard pass from man of the match Paul Prigent find McAtee wide on the right. His first time cross along the deck found McCourt who neatly turned inside his man before firing just over with a left foot shot.

Despite their numerical supremacy Mals somehow lost momentum and Derriaghy grew in confidence once more and only a brave headed block by Devlin denied a goal for the home side. With twenty minutes gone Dimebar Donaldson replaced the hard working Johnston upfront and he was soon in the thick of the action and could have ended up with a hat-trick. Thirty minutes in and Mals finally went ahead. A long clearance from Steele, confident and assured in goal all afternoon, was flicked on by Dimbar to the sweet left foot of McKervey on the left wing. He coolly beat his man before crossing for maestro Smyth to calmly side foot home from close range. A brilliant Mals goal but unfortunately for the home side scored when they were down to nine men as defender Alexander was being treated on the sideline for a collar bone injury.

A brilliant left footed effort from McCourt, looking much more like himself in the second period , was again brilliantly palmed away by home keeper Cairnduff at full stretch. Derriaghy still weren’t ready to give this one up and continued to fight tooth and nail for possession with substitute Welsh missing a great chance just five minutes from time when he side footed wide from eight yards out. Mals  failed to put the game away as the home side pressed forward and Dimebar hit the post twice in quick succession before blazing a third chance wastefully over the bar from close range. There was a late yellow for the excellent McKervey, to howls of derision from the large, vociferous home support before the game was finally settled in injury time when great interplay between McKervey and Prigent saw McCourt blast home from close in.

So a good, hard fought close contest went Mals way. Managers Lyttle and Donnelly were delighted with the performance afterwards. Steele looked back to his best in goal and the defensive trio of Prigent ,Corr and Devlin looked rock solid with a growing understanding and confidence in their roles. Mals midfield gave another superb demonstration of passing and moving with Paul Prigent at his imperious best, whilst upfront McCourt, Johnston and later Donaldson provided all the options required. Good luck to Derriaghy for the rest of their season, we were impressed by the home set up and superb playing facilities. Mals will now face Bangor Rangers in the next round of the Border Cup and next week face neighbours Grove Utd in the Steel and Sons. Up the Mals!

FT Derriaghy CC 0 Malachians 2

MoM : Paul Prigent

Malachians ; Steele Devlin Corr Prigent,L McAtee Smyth Prigent,P McKervey McHugh McCourt Johnston subs Donaldson Kavanagh,J Lyttle