SENIORS PROGRESS IN JUNIOR SHIELD

The Seniors booked themselves a place in the next round of the Co Antrim Jun Shield with a win over Abbey Villa IIs on Saturday

The Seniors travelled to Millisle for a Junior Shield match against Abbey Villa IIs for the second week in a row after no referee had turned up for the first week.
It was all good this time round though with the game starting as scheduled. There wasn't much flowing football in the first half with the Ballymena men showing ring rust having not played in three weeks. The play was interrupted for minor offences on numerous occasions making a frustrating view for the spectators. The home side found themselves in on goal after a mistake in the Carniny defence but the resultant shot went far over the bar. Carniny went close themselves when a goal ward shot from Miskella was diverted by an Abbey defender. Chris Wilgaus thought he had put the visitors in the lead, beating the keeper to his right but saw his shot rebound back off the upright. All square at the break.

Fifteen minutes into the second half Neil Stevenson opened the scoring for Carniny when he fired a goal ward shot in from outside the box helped on its way by glancing off a defender high over the keeper. Abbey then tried to get back into the game and did so when Carniny failed to clear after a corner and a fine strike earned them an equaliser. Their joy was short lived when Sam Burns and Paul Dunlop got on the end of a Stevenson cross with Dunlop getting the final touch to help it over the line. Carniny finished the job off when Costello sent Gaz McMeekin through down the right flank and the same player was brought down in the box and stepped up to take and score the resultant penalty. Abbey Villa continued to attack to try and get back into the game but couldn't break down Carniny leaving the Ballymena men with the win and into the next round against Greenwell Star