Wilbourne Park goal-fest

Dunmurry Rec 5

IT LOOKS as though there’s one line missing: “after extra time and penalties”? – yet no, this wasn’t a cup tie but a meaningless end-of-season league fixture, where both sets of defences seemed to have already switched off for the summer.

However, what a goal feast for Island’s hardened few in this the last league game of the season at Wilbourne Park.

On Saturday, it was Dunmurry who were first off the mark, capitalising on what wasn’t to be the last unforced error in the Island defence.

That lead lasted a mere two minutes, with Carl Murray, back in a forward role in the absence of the suspended Stuart Hilditch and Andy Waide, breezing past a defender before slotting the ball in between keeper and near post.

Back came Dunmurry with a goal which the Islanders, but not referee Jackie McKnight, thought had a hint of offside about it.

Things then degenerated further for the Wilbourners, with Dunmurry consolidating their lead. That third goal prompted manager Steven Donald to make a tactical switch, with Michael Moore put back into the middle third, and Paul Waite now partnering Murray up front.

It didn’t take Waite long to find his touch in front of goal, setting things up nicely for the second half by narrowing the gap just before the interval.

It often transpires that high-scoring first half’s are followed by a scoreless stalemate after the break, but not in this instance where by and large both defences remained in blunderland.

Waite started the second half just as he had finished the first, with another goal to bring the Islanders level.

Islandmagee then nosed in front for the first time, with Paul Gibb banging the ball in off the post.

Another Gibb strike seemed to set the home side well on the way to victory – but there was to be a few twists and turns in this one yet, with another defensive miscalculation putting Dunmurry back within touching distance.

Soon afterwards, it was all square at five apiece, after a penalty conceded by Neil McKnight.

With ten minutes remaining, the match could have swung either way, but it was the Islanders who once more seized the initiative, with Waite and Gibb going on to complete their hat tricks.

Islandmagee bring their season to close away to Albert Foundry tonight (Thursday), before their last match, away to Killyleagh YC on Saturday.

Islandmagee; Harrison – Craig, McKnight, Tierney, Anderson – B Waide (A Kerby), Waite, Moffatt, Gibb – Murray, Moore. Sub (unused) Smyth