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Cliftonville
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Ballymena United
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Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Eoin Kane (18 years 296 days) |
| Oldest Player: | David Munster (35 years 255 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 28 years 150 days |
| Domestic Players: | 9 (81.82 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Matthew Shevlin (15 years 329 days) |
| Oldest Player: | David Munster (35 years 255 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 26 years 281 days |
| Domestic Players: | 13 (81.25 % of matchday squad) |
BALLYMENA United crashed out of the Toals County Antrim Shield at Solitude on Tuesday, losing 4-3 to Cliftonville in an enthralling clash.
The Sky Blues took the lead with just ten minutes on the clock, a speculative lob from all of 35 yards by Darren Boyce looped over Cliftonville goalkeeper Conor Devlin and into the net. The hosts responded with a spell of pressure and came close through James Knowles before winning a hotly contested penalty after an apparent infringement in the box on 36 minutes. Captain George McMullan stepped up to send the ball past Dwayne Nelson and draw the Reds level.
Both sides traded chances as an entertaining first half drew to a close, first Allan Jenkins threatened for United but failed to hit the target, before Tiarnan Mulvenna and Stephen Garrett both went close for Cliftonville.
The hosts began to assert their authority in the second half and almost took the lead when Joe Gormley found himself through on goal, only for a combination of Dwayne Nelson and the recovering Davy Munster keeping the ball at bay. United's defiance was only to last for so long however as on 50 minutes Gormley's cross caused havoc in the Sky Blues' defence with Stephen Garrett on hand to eventually turn the ball in and give the home side the lead.
Less than ten minutes later it was three, as Martin Murray found himself in space just outside of the box and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner to seemingly give his side a comfortable two goal cushion. That cushion was not to last for any longer than a minute as almost straight from the restart, Matthew Tipton found Allan Jenkins in the box to slot the ball home and reduce the arrears, giving United a fighting chance in the process.
Martin Murray had another chance to restore the two goal advantage but was denied by Dwayne Nelson before Darren Boyce failed to hit the target with a header from point blank range after Tony Kane's cross. Stephen Garrett became the latest Reds player to be denied by Nelson in the United goal and moments later was involved in a collision with Aaron Stewart, with the defender sent off for a second bookable offence.
Despite being reduced to ten men, United rallied and scored a dramatic late equaliser on 89 minutes when Ally Teggart finished off a neat team move from inside the box. David Cushley then tested Conor Devlin with a powerful effort before Darren Boyce spurned a glorious chance on 94 minutes, shooting high and wide when clean through on goal. With the game seemingly destined for extra time, there was time for one last twist when Cliftonville striker Davy McDaid found space in the box and steered the ball beyond Dwayne Nelson to win it for the Reds and leave the Sky Blues rueing their missed opportunities.
Match report written by Jordan Miller