Three goals in the final half-an-hour fired Convoy Arsenal into the next round of the Ulster Junior Cup at the expense of Keadue Rovers at Orchard Park.
Convoy Arsenal 4 Keadue Rovers 1
Convoy Arsenal certainly had the better of things in the opening half but only had a 1-0 lead to show for it and that with a goal that should have been avoided from a Keadue point of view.
John A Kee with a header, Emmet Patterson with a shot that flew just over and Charles McNulty’s piledriver had all gone close in the first 15 minutes.
Keadue keeper Danny Rodgers had denied McNulty with a fine save but was at fault minutes later when he tried to dribble the ball past Anthony Bogle after Jack O’Brien’s pass back but the young striker was having none of that and slotted the ball to the net after blocking the keeper’s late attempt to clear the ball.
Keadue defended well but offered little in attack until the final minute of the half when Michael Greene’s excellent cross was taken off the head of Ultan Boyle by the retreating Iarla Mc Gowan.
In the first minute of the second-half Rodgers atoned for his earlier error with a Brillant save to deny the impressive Fergus Carson.
The big keeper was involved again six minutes later when his long clearance caught the home defence too square and Ultan Boyle raced in behind and fired a cracking drive past Darren Gibson for an excellent equaliser.
Two minutes later Rodgers produced a super fingertip save to deny Anthony Bogle’s superbly struck shot from the angle of the box.
The home side made two changes in the 58th minute with almost immediate effect. Fergus Carson’s free-kick from the left found Emmet Patterson in the box with the help of a little push by the winger on Jack O Brien, but Patterson then produced a super first-touch before volleying a cracker past Rodgers to restore Convoy’s lead.
Five minutes later subs John Moore and Conor Rodgers combined but the latter’s header was saved by Rodgers.
However four minutes later it was 3-1 to the home side as Patterson’s through ball found Eunan Kelly and the striker should both skill and composure before slotting the ball low to the net.
Keadue kept trying and David Ward went close with a free-kick which Gibson tipped over the bar but the home side had the final say when sub Paul O Leary combined with Bogle to set up Patterson for his second and Convoy Arsenal ‘s fourth and a place in the next round of the Cup.
These sides will meet again next Sunday in a top of the table Division One league clash in Central Park.
Convoy Arsenal: Darren Gibson, JC Moore (James Kee 62), Jason Elliott (John Moore 58), John A Kee, Paddy Dolan, Iarla McGowan, Emmet Patterson , Charles McNulty (Conor Rodgers 58), Eunan Kelly (Paul O’Leary 74), Anthony Bogle, Fergus Carson (Chris Murray 87 ).
Keadue Rovers: Danny Rodgers, Sean Burns, Eoin Duggan, Chris Greene, Jack O’Brien (Aaron Boyle 66), Hugh Moy, Michael Greene , David Ward, Ultan Boyle, Christy Greene (Eugene Bryne 79), Daniel McHugh.
Referee: Paddy Hunter.
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