GREENVERSITY RENEWABLES	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 07
Benburb	3 (1)	McDonald, Turay, McGuire
Glenafton Athletic	0 (0)
Sat 07 SEP 2024	KO 2:00 pm	New Tinto Park, Glasgow

Glens kicked off in the sunshine in a what proved to be a fairly uneventful first half until the closing minutes. The first decent chance fell to the Bens on 12 minutes when Hamish McKinlay broke into the right-hand side of the box before squaring the ball through a ruck of player to Jacob Glass with seemingly only the keeper to beat but with Dylan O’Kane closing in from behind, he fired his shot into the side netting.

Play raged back and forth with Cammy Ross in particular busy up the right flanks.

Midway through the half the lively McKinlay progressed to the outskirts of the box before slipping the ball to Declan McDonald only to be stopped in his tracks by Craig Pettigrew, deemed to a free-kick from 22 yards on the edge of the ‘D’. It was McKinlay that curled the kick round his right-hand side of the four-man wall aiming to squeeze it home at the post, only for keeper Ally Semple to dive at full stretch and push the ball wide with both hands. Like its predecessor Ryan McCrorie’s corner kick came to nothing with Lyall Holding clearing.

On 41 minutes another burst down the right saw Ross shrug off McCrorie’s shirt pull continue his run before cutting the ball inside, between McCrorie and Glass, for O’Kane to gather and break into the box only for his diagonal shot from 10 yards to be blocked by Eaun Clark and then headed clear by Glass. Ross Findlay recovered the ball and laid it off to Ross with the intent to head up the wing but Glass firmly pulled him back at the expense of a free kick which Findlay floated to the far corner of the six-yard box for Shuggy Kerr but sandwiched between Lorenzo Giovanazzi and Ryan Livingston with the latter winning the aerial battle allowing McCrorie to hook the ball clear of the box.

On 44 minutes the Bens won a free-kick of the left some 10 yards outside the box, too far the need of the wall. McKinlay curled the ball high towards the far corner of the six-yard box where the leaping Livingston won the aerial battle again with his header falling short of the near post and the danger apparently only for Declan McDonald to get the jump on Semple on his line, to guide the ball home between the post and the keeper. Benburb 1-0.

HT Benburb 1 Glenafton 0

The home side were first to threaten through McKinlay darting deep into the Glens box before picking out Reece McGuire in space only for Pettigrew and Ollie Rowe to block his progress forcing him to retreat without getting a shot away.

At the other end Lindsay launched a free kick high into the box with Stephen McClelland and Michael Mullen setting off their runs deep into the box only for keeper Grant Hay to rush some 10 yards off his line and stretch both arms to finger tip the ball away. Soon after Lindsay, from tight on the right just inside the Bens half, launched another free kick high into the box and although the leaping Kerr won the header some 12 yards from goal the ball drifted wide of the post

Back came Bens through McGuire chasing a ball deep into Glens’ box only for Semple to rush from his line and block his shot before Lyall mopped up the loose ball.

On the hour mark Glens brought on Liam Caddis for Shuggy Kerr.

Soon after Lindsay from wide on the left floated free kick into a busy box where the ball skimmed the off the top of Clark’s head and behind him Glass stooped sending a low header goalward forcing keeper Hay to scurry across his goal-line only for the ball to crash of the inside of the post before falling into the hands of Hay, now on his knees.

Glens continued to press and two minutes later the Bens goal lived a charmed life again. Mullen chased down a ball with Livingston tight on his heels while Hay rushed from his line, and on entering the box the Glens striker lobbed the ball high over the keeper leaving him stranded, however Livingston kept his head and continued his run to clear the descending ball a yard from the gaping goal before he ended up in the back of the net.

Livingston wasn’t finished however. Lindsay curled a corner deep into the six yard box beyond the reach of the leaping keeper and destined for Pettigrew at the back post only for Livingston to intercept with a powerful headed clearance.

Soon after Lindsay’s corner-kick was floated high towards the penalty spot with Pettigrew the target again only for Livingston to win the aerial battle.

Midway through the half Bens brought on Salla Turay for Hamish McKinlay and Glens replaced Cameron Crooks with Ryan Walker.

Turay was quickly in the thick things and although he blasted a free-kick form 22 yards into the Glens wall he soon made amends gathering a great ball up the left from Livingston and driving deep into the box skipping past defenders before driving a low angled shot that flew past the diving Semple at the near post and bulged the net at the back post. Bens 2 Glens 0 on 74 minutes, a blow to the visitors after a having enjoyed a good spell of possession and a couple of goal-line chances.

Benburb’s tails were now up with McGuire forcing Semple to pull off good saves low at either post before another burst into the box by Turay saw his shot bulge the side-netting.

On 85 minutes Glens countered with O’Kane breaking into the right hand side of the box and drawing Hay from his line to the corner of the six-yard box where the keeper blocked the shot and Glass mopped up the loose ball.

On 90 minutes Bens won a corner-kick and were happy to run down the time to a certain extent. However, when the opportunity presented itself they seized on the chance to make it 3-0 with Reece McGuire lashing a ferocious shot from the corner of the six yard box over the head of Semple at the near post and into the roof of the net. Bens 3-0 on 93 minutes.

FT Benburb 3 Glenafton 0

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Ally Semple 2. Cammy Ross 4. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 3. Lyall Holding; 7. Dylan O’Kane 6. Ross Lindsay 8. Stephen McLelland 11. Michael Mullen; 9. Hugh Kerr (12. Liam Caddis) 10. Cammy Crooks (14. Ryan Walker). Subs Not Used: 23. Keon Thurston (gk) Lewis Currie, Andy Strachan

BENBURB
1. Grant Hay 2. Lorenzo Giovanazzi 3. Jacob Glass 4. Jordan Bow 5. Euan Clark 6. Mikey McWilliams 7. Reece McGuire 8. Ryan McCrorie (captain) 9. Declan McDonald 10. Ryan Livingston 11. Hamish McKinlay Subs: 12. Ross Urquhart 14. Ally Taylor 15. Olly Smith 16. Sallu Turay 17. Lewis Young 18. Dylan Watt 19. Robbie Halliday

Match Photos

Benburb v Glenafton Athletic