SOCCER: Penalty drama as Coagh exit Intermediate Cup
Coagh 1 Newington 1 (AET. Newington win 6-5 on penalties)
COAGH travel to Banbridge on Saturday knowing they need a vast improvement on Saturday's match against Newington.
For the second year running the Hagan Park side has crashed out in the first round of the WKD Intermediate Cup against junior opposition. It may have took a wonder goal to turn this match on its head in 90 +1 minutes after Coagh took the lead against the run of play through a Duncan Stoddard goal.
But with the lack of finishing from the Coagh front men the dreaded penalty shoot out ensued and when Mark McMenemy's kick hit the post in sudden death, Newington were through.
Some may say they deserved it, they wanted it more. As for Coagh this was far from good enough. This was a match they needed to win to get themselves back on track but now they will have to do it the hard way.
They have only the Irish Cup to fall back on but in all honesty they need to find their form quickly or its going to be a long and hard season for everyone involved at Hagan Park.
Newington pushed Coagh back from the start on a rain sodden Hagan Park. Brothers Ronan and Cormac Brannigan linked well with Thomas Duffy to set up a number of openings early on.
The home side's lazy play was putting themselves under pressure allowing the visitors to set up repeated attacks on the Coagh goal.
Steven Lamont had a good chance on twenty minutes but shot wide while Dallas, McMemeny and Reid had shots well wide of the target.
With the score at stalemate both sides made changes midway through the second half. Coagh replaced the ineffective McCordick with Duncan Stoddard while the visitors made a double change bringing on Kevin Peirce and Daniel Smith.
Coagh's change bore fruit on 80minutes when the hard working Stoddard turned in a Lamont pass to give the home side the lead.
As expected the visitors camped in the Coagh half but as the clock ticked past the ninety minute mark up popped Thomas Duffy with a forty yard wonder goal to turn this match on its head.
In extra time we saw a small glimmer of hope as Coagh controlled the game but lady luck failed them when Dallas' shot hit the post and bounced out.
The game moved to boiling point near the end as both sides pushed for the winner but with no more goals after 110 minutes the dreaded penalty shoot started.
Both sides were guilty of misses but no one could blame Mark McMemeny when his sudden death penalty hit the post and out to put Newington through.
Coagh United: Pollock, Baird, Thornton, Calderwood, Hawe, Gardiner, Lamont, Gareth Reid, McCordick (Duncan Stoddard), McMenemy, Stuart Dallas. Subs not used Marcus Dallas, Scott Cowden, William Ferguson, Richard Allen
Referee Mr. I South
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
