MILFORD UNITED PRODUCED a competent performance at Moyle View Park to defeat Castlefin Celtic in the Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division this afternoon.
Milford United 2-0 Castlefin Celtic
The home side were second in the table behind Drumoghill FC, with Castlefin in third so for both teams there was a chance to keep the pressure on.
Photo caption: The Milford United team that moved to joint-top of the Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division this afternoon with a home win over Castlefin Celtic
As it turned out, Milford’s victory – in front of Drumoghill manager Michael Lynch and a number of his players – takes them to joint top of the league, albeit it with two games more played. Drumoghill still have five fixtures to fulfill.
Today, it was Noel Gillespie’s team that took the initiative from the start, scoring twice in the first half through a deflected Paul Nash effort and then a clinical strik from PJ Hagan.
After the break, Castlefin certainly improved their play, although didn’t create that many chances and couldn’t find the goal to get themselves back in the game.
Milford scored from their first meaningful attack on seven minutes when, from a Gary Merritt corner that was only half-cleared, Nash’s shot from the edge of area took a big deflection for the opening goal.
From there, the siege continued with Hagan forcing Castlefin goalkeeper Simon McMenamin to tip over the ‘bar following a Joey Cullen pass.
McMenamin made an excellent point-blank stop on 14 minutes as Cullen’s header goalwards was touched on by Hagan from close range.
And on 18 minutes, Merritt clipped the outside of the Castlefin post with a free-kick.
It was 2-0 on 20 minutes courtesy of a great angled finish from Hagan after he was set free by Merritt.
The best Castlefin mustered before the break was when PJ Malley shot wide from a decent position and then, two minutes before half-time when Matthew O’Rourke headed wide.
The Castlefin Celtic side that lost out against Milford United in the Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division this afternoon at Moyle View
Two minutes into the second half, O’Rourke fizzed a corner across the Milford six-yard box that everyone missed but at the other end, Chris Duffy of Milford almost had his team three up only to see his shot at goal blocked on the line by two defenders.
O’Rourke, with 20 minutes left, almost got in on goal but took an extra touch and the chance disappeared and Ronan Curtis drew a top class save from Caolan McGettigan.
Late on Damian McAnaney of Castlefin also had a sight on goal but could only hit the side-netting.
Milford United: Caolan McGettigan; Damian Casey, Mark Flood, Johnny Logue, Chris Duffy; Joey Cullen, Paul Nash, Adam Serrinha, Gary Merritt; PJ Hagan, Darren McLaughlin.
Castlefin Celtic: Simon McMenamin; Damian McAnaney, Peter Bryson (Damien Doherty 43), Emmet White, Michael Dunnion; Johnny Doherty, Simon McGlinchey (Dean Mcdevitt 55), James McMenamin, Ronan Curtis; JP Malley, Matthew O’Rourke.
Referee: Kevin Logue.
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