Match Report

Match : 1st XI v Omagh
Date : 2002-09-28
Venue : H
Score : 4-0
Scorers : Currie (2), Greer, Burgess

By 1st XI Captain

Saturday saw the 1st XI take on Omagh at Ballysillan in the final Linden Cup game. With both teams having already been beaten by South Antrim neither was going to progress to the Semi Finals, however pride was at stake with East Antrim not wanting to begin their league campaign next week on the back of two straight defeats.

The game started brightly with East Antrim putting all the pressure on the Omagh backline. Indeed East could have went ahead in the first few minutes when Greer played the ball through for Burgess, who made his way to the byline and got the cross in but the East forwards failed to capitalise on the opportunity. It wasn't long however until the East pressure paid off, some intelligent play around the circle from Swann found Currie with only the keeper to beat and he slotted the ball into the net with ease. East Antrim continiued to dominate pocession and went searching for more goals, the second came when Caldwell took a quick free just outside the 25. He fired the ball into the circle, Swann deflected the ball into the path of Currie who calmly put the ball beneath the Omagh keeper. Omagh rarely troubled the East Antrim defence in the first half with Murphy and Hermon enjoying plenty of time and space on the ball. East went 3-0 up when Burgess slotted the ball between two defenders to find Greer who beat one defender and then beat the keeper at his near post with a powerful shot that ricocheted off the post and into the roof of the net. The half time whistle blew with East Antrim in complete control of the game.

Burgess and Caldwell asked their players to step up another gear for the second half as they believed there was still plenty to come from the men in green. The second half saw Omagh come into the game a bit more as East pushed forward looking for more goals. East failed to make the most of a number of oportunities that came their way. East did finally get the fourth goal when the Omagh keeper smothered a shot only for Burgess to smash the rebound into the back of the net. East should have had another when Currie was again released by Swann, however he put his shot wide when he had support both to his left and right.
Although dominant in pocession East Antrim lost their way a little in second half with the midfield losing their shape and players running a bit too much with the ball when a simple pass would have been a better option. Short corners also still seem to be a problem as we have still to convert one into a goal, however a 4-0 win is a good confidence boost ahead of next weeks opening league match against Ballynahinch.

Greame Cooke
Alan Murphy
Neal Hermon
Paul Fraser
Greame Reid
Alan Burgess
David Caldwell
Phil Irwin
James Greer
Leon Currie
Stephen Swann
Paul Reid
Paul Grant

Leon Currie