Ballinamallard crash to in-form DC

Editorial Department • Published 11 Feb 2010 09:15 0 Comments

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Ballinamallard's Mark McConkey attempts to stop Thomas Lambe getting a cross in.

Donegal Celtic 4; Ballinamallard Utd 0;

Ballinamallard United crashed to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of an in-form Donegal Celtic on Saturday with the Belfast side having the points in the bag by half time.

Mallards goalkeeper Paddy Morrison had kept his side in the game with a string of superb early saves but the home side eventually found a way past him when Paul McVeigh scored in the 31st minute.

McVeigh then added a second five minutes before the break and on the stroke of half time Paul McAreavey bagged a third for DC.

The visitors did battle hard in the second half but they fell further behind when Thomas Lambe added a fourth for Donegal Celtic with Whitey Anderon now having to lift his side ahead of this weekend's Irish Cup clash with Ballymena United.

The home side were to signal their intentions right from the start with Morrison called into action after only three minutes to make a good stop.

DC then had another chance that was headed over the bar while the Mallards goalkeeper was again to come to the rescue of his side as he dived low to his left to claw away a free header.

It was all one way traffic in the opening period with Morrison making another crucial save from a strike inside the box, and then produced a breathtaking save from another effort as the Mallards goal lived a charmed existence.

It was no surprise therefore that the home side went on to take a deserved lead in the 31st minute. Midfielder Grant Hutchinson was harshly adjudged to have fouled and from the resulting free kick McVeigh superbly fired to the net.

The advantage was doubled nine minutes later when Mark McConkey upended Liam Watson in the penalty area and McVeigh tucked away from the spot, and any hopes the Mallards had were to be extinguished before half time when McAreavey followed up to tap home after Morrison had made a terrific stop from a Kevin Duff effort.

Three down, Blues manager Whitey Anderson threw on new signing Seamus Quigley for the second half to partner Andy Crawford in attack but it was DC who were to go on and increase their lead with Lambe nodding home from a free header for 4-0.

The Mallards then suffered a further blow when they lost James McKenna to a knee injury which makes him a doubt for this Saturday's cup tie against Ballymena although Richard Flaherty did go close to pulling a goal back when he chipped the goalkeeper only for his effort to bounce back off the post while Brown saved from Quigley on the rebound.

Quigley nearly opened his account for the club when he collected a flick on only for his chipped attempt to graze the bar while Duwayne McManus also saw a curling shot hit the post late on but there was to be no consolation score for the Mallards as they suffered only their second league defeat of the season.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 11 Feb 10

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