Eight goal Mourne thriller
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Ryan McMurray and Kenny Graham double up to dispossess Annalong’s Stevie Doran. 04170im
Annalong Swifts 4. Kilkeel 4.
ANNALONG played host to Kilkeel in a thrilling encounter where the home side came back from the dead, fell behind yet again and salvaged a point with the last kick of the game.
The first half was dominated by the visitors, with Sloan in the Kilkeel goal being a spectator. They took the lead when the ball was headed out of the home defence and Ryan McMurray hit a brilliant first time shot which flew into the top corner, giving Haughian no chance.
With the strong wind advantage, Kilkeel kept up the pressure without creating any clear-cut chances, but when they won a free-kick on the halfway line Gary McKee drove the ball into the Annalong area and, when Haughian spilled the ball, Thomas Graham was on hand for a simple tap in.
Graham's second goal was certainly no tap in, as he picked up the ball some 35 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable shot to make it 3-0 at half time.
Annalong started the second half with the wind advantage but it took 15 minutes before they broke Kilkeel's resistance when Richard Hill, who moved himself up from defence to a makeshift striker, found Stephen Burden and he slid the ball past Sloan in the Kilkeel goal.
With the wind in their backs Annalong kept up the pressure and forced Sloan into making two magnificent saves.
An indication of just how strong the wind was, was demonstrated when Sloan, on the edge of his area, kicked out of his hands only for the ball to sail over his head and out for an Annalong corner.
Annalong's pressure was incessant and they thought they had grabbed a second when the ball fell to Stevie Doran, but from little more that six yards out he pulled his shot wide.
But with 10 minutes remaining Annalong did pull another goal back when a corner on the right by Matthew McConnell was met at the back post with a diving header from Stephen Burden.
The home side got the equaliser their play deserved when Stephen Burden played the ball back for Matthew McConnell to rifle a shot past the helpless Sloan. Parity was short-lived however, when from the restart, David McMurray raced down the right and crossed for Thomas Graham to complete his hat-trick.
To their credit Annalong forced the play for the final few minutes and they were rewarded when, with the last kick of the game, Ricky Gibson sent in a speculative shot which completely deceived Sloan in the Kilkeel goal to give Annalong a deserved share of the spoils in a thrilling contest.
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