Lisnarick 2 Orchard Farm 1

Lisnarick took another step towards climbing out of the Division Two relegation zone with their third consecutive league victory. Goals from Johnny Brownlee and Daire Gallagher cancelled out Andy Elliott’s early opener for Orchard Farm, as they overturned a half-time deficit for the first time this season.

“Three months ago we would have lost this game, but our luck seems to have turned a bit,” said Lisnarick Manager, Niall Amos.

“It could have gone either way on Saturday. Both teams had plenty of chances, but we got our nose in front and held on.

“The last 10 or 15 minutes, they threw everything at us. TJ McMulkin pulled off four or five saves and some of our defending was last-ditch, but at the same time we were countering, and we had chances on the break as well.

“Overall, it was a good, hard-fought, fair game between both teams and it probably could have gone either way. They will say they could have won it, but I have said that so many times earlier this season.”

Orchard Farm Manager Stewart Armstrong acknowledged the game was closely contested, and felt Lisnarick’s McMulkin was the main reason his side did not claim the points.

“It was a pretty even game, but I felt we were always on top,” he said.

“We had gilt-edged chances but some of their goalkeepers’ saves were some of the best I have seen in a long time.

“We had a few players away, so I thought the performance was quite decent, but it was one of those days where nothing went for us.

“Lisnarick stayed in the game and deserved to score their two goals, but I was disappointed with the result.

“We have Augher next week and hopefully we can move on and get a win then.”

The game started in dramatic fashion with Lisnarick striking the crossbar inside the first 20 seconds from a Johnny Brownlee shot, but within two minutes Orchard Farm had gone ahead.

Having survived the early scare, the visitors broke forward and won a corner kick. Lisnarick failed to clear the danger at the first time of asking, and full back Andy Elliott fired through a crowd of players to net his second goal of the season.

Daire Gallagher had a chance to draw his side level, but most the of the goalmouth action in the first half came at the other end of the pitch as Orchard Farm looked to extend their lead.

Seamie Quigley, Scott Armstrong, Niall Cosgrove and Jamie Keenan all had efforts at goal, but Lisnarick stopper McMulkin was equal to anything the striking quartet could fire at him.

Ten minutes into the second half Lisnarick clawed their way back into contention when McMulkin’s long wind-assisted clearance dropped behind the Farm defence, and Gallagher capitalised to slot past Liam Magee.

Orchard Farm continued to press forward and Cosgrove and Quigley were both denied at point-blank range by McMulkin, while Gallagher hit the bar for Lisnarick. The decisive moment of the match arrived after 63 minutes, when Conor Maguire headed Niall Gormley’s corner past Magee to give Lisnarick the lead for the first time.

Orchard Farm mounted some late pressure but the goal they were searching for never arrived, and Lisnarick held on to claim a valuable three points.