Magherafelt Sky Blues first team played Ardstraw last Saturday in the NI Intermediate Cup at Spires Park and won 4-1.
A huge downpour before the game left the pitch in near waterlogged conditions and it was battle from the start against the eleme
nts for both sides.
The Blues got into their stride quickest and Ciaran Monaghan fired narrowly wide when well placed. Aaron Hawe was then one on one with the keeper but his shot was well saved. Gregory Stewart was then excellently released by Barry Kerr and his angled shot shaved the post.
It looked like the Blues would not get the goal their play deserved and Ardstraw created a number of half chances but Oisin Kerr in the Blues goal was never really tested.
The poor conditions required both sets of players to put in a huge effort as the ball didn't run freely and very wet and sticky conditions.
As is normal in matches you wait for ages for one goal then two comes along within a matter of minutes. Ten minutes into the second half Ciaran Mallon, scored a superb goal for the Blues when he lobbed the visiting goalkeeper from 25 yards to open the scoring.
Unbelievably Ardstraw who didn't have a shot on target all day went straight up the other end and scored two minutes later. The striker headed home despite Kerr's attempts to keep it out.
However this didn't dent the Blues will to win and Monaghan raced clear and made it 2-1 when he chipped over the advancing keeper.
The Blues then began to turn up the pressure and two soon became three when Stephen O'Neill raced clear and after the keeper saved the ball broke to Stewart who scored into an empty net.
O'Neill then nearly scored a fourth as he narrowly missed converting an excellent Monaghan cross. The move of the match saw Chris Brady race down the wing, he crossed to Mark Diamond, who back-heeled to Monaghan who would have scored but for the keepers' foot to divert his shot past the post.
Diamond then grabbed number four when he finished from close range following another excellent Brady cross.
