Ballymena and Provincial Football League
St James’ Swifts 4-0 Wakehurst
ST JAMES’ SWIFTS sailed to victory in an exctiting 4-0 victory over Wakehurst at Donegal Celtic Park on Saturday.
The game got off to a pacey start with each side probing each other for any sign of weakness, and testing out each other’s defence, and by the second minute, Swifts had already taken on the goal when Ciaran Hyland blasted the ball at the net, only for it to be saved by Wakehurt’s ’keeper Ryan Morrell.
On nine minutes, Sean Pat Donnelly took another shot for the West Belfast men, which was again deftly saved by Ryan Morrell.
The Ballymena outfit got their first chance against Swifts when Jason Paul had a wide-open chance, but somehow fluffed it at the last minute due to pressure from West Belfast’s defence.
By the 12th Swifts had already gotten their first goal when Michael Feerick was left facing an open goal to which he sealed the deal nicely with a quick tap putting the West Belfast lads up to 1-0.
Swifts now began completely dominating the play, and controlling possession, not allowing Wakehurst a chance to make their own moves, and keeping their defence on their toes. A beautiful cross from the wings gave Francis Nolan a chance to deliver a blaster of a header, but the shot went wide by centimetres with the crowd roaring in approval.
Sean Pat Donnelly gets first to the ball
17 minutes in and Michael Feerick attempted another shot at goal, but the ball went just a bit too wide, and a bit too high. Five minutes later, Donnelly planted another with speed towards the net, but it was squarely caught by Ryan Morrell.
That same minute another chance opened up and Swifts were able to climb further into the lead when Daire McGrogan took an excellent right footer that curled the ball right into the top right of the net, and put Swifts up another goal to make the scoreline 2-0.
However, a minute later play hung in the balance when a bad foul by Swifts inside the box saw Wakehust awareded a penalty which was taken by forward man Jason Paul. In a phenomenal example of goalkeeping, Swifts’ Conan Russell dived into the air and belted the ball away, denying the Ballymena men a chance to up the ante.
At 26 minutes, Michael Feerick went down in a tackle and appeared injured and was quickly replaced with Joseph McCall, with the goalscorer returning to the sidelines to wait out the rest of the game. Joseph McCall proved to be a good replacement, playing extremely well for the rest of the match on the wing and weaving past Wakehurt’s defence with agility.
Despite losing a goalscorer early into the game, Swifts appeared unable to even contemplate slowing down, and by 29 minutes attempted another go on goal with Aaron Martin attempting a shot at range that went narrowly over.
Minutes 38 and 39 saw Swifts captain Sean Donnelly try to thrilling chances, in the first he was left solo against Ryan Morrell but the shot went just over the bar, and a minute later Donnelly drove in a lovely cross which again went just over the net.
At 44 minutes and with the first half almost over, Daire McGrogan for Swifts booted a screamer into the back right hand side of the net, and put the West Belfast men up by three goals.
The second half got underway with a deflated looking Wakehurst attempting to undo the damage they suffered in the first half, with Mark Waddell trying two good chances at 48 and 49 minutes, but unfortunately the first went over, and the next wide.
Conan Russell saves Jason Paul's penalty
Wakehurst appeared to be suffering from a string of bad luck when after 56 minutes a shot from Swifts was caught by goalkeeper Ryan Morrell, who somehow fumbled the ball and ended up costing his side an own goal, putting the score up to 4-0 to Swifts.
After this various substitutions were made, with John Savage of Swifts coming on to replace Ciaran Hyland and Francis Nolan coming off for Joshua Diver.
Play slowed down a tad, with Swifts easing off the throttle as Wakehurst decided to make some changes of their own with Aaron Smyth coming off to be replaced by Matthew Carroll.
Wakehurst got in two shots on goal in the last minutes of the game, first with Jason Paul attempting another which went wide and again with the shot going just wide.
With little extra time awarded the game closed down after around 90 minutes with Swifts leaving the pitch to celebrate a big victory over the Ballymena men.
ST JAMES’ SWIFTS: C Russell, M Feerick, R McMenamin, A Martin, D Wilson, C Doran, E Gallagher, D McGrogan, F Nolan, C Hyland, S Donnelly. Subs: J McCall, J Diver, R Hamill, J Savage
Goals: M Feerick 12, C Hyland 22, D McGrogan 44, R Morrell (OG) 56
WAKEHURST: R Morrell, A Shaw, C McQuillan, L McAllister, S Burns, C Doherty, A McLaughlin, M Waddell, B Etherson, J Paul, A Smyth
Subs: M Carroll, D Kidd, J Dawson
