Riders on the storm
OMP Utd FC 1 - 2 Borora jnrs u’15 .Blackcastle Tuesday 22nd April 2025 . Ko 7 pm .
With the division having been redrawn ,four points and six goals for having been chalked off this game had suddenly become a must win tie . If not a must win then certainly a must not loose encounter. In a division reduced by a third and now with one win and one loss from their opening two games three points seemed crucial . Three points from nine would have been of little value , on the other hand ‘two out of three ain’t bad’.
This was an attritional affair with all and sundry soaked to the skin before the match even got under way . ‘The rain it hammered down and the rain it hammered down ‘. It was relentless , accompanied by a cold wind to cut a little deeper . Both teams struggled to get a hold of the ball , heavy first touches and booming clearances were the order of the day . Try as they might Borora couldn’t quite find their rhythm. The back four of Cussen , o’Sullivan , Rothwell and Byrne held firm though and Mc’Cabe in goal mopped up anything that got through the back line with assurity . The midfield trio of Nulty , White and J. Sherlock struggled to get into the game as the aerial bombardment from either side ruled out a midfield battle . The front three of Pratt , Gardiner and Harten were living off scraps and ran into fierce opposition and meaty clearances when the ball did drop their way . The closest Villa came was a fine effort from Nulty from right hand corner of the area which grazed the top of the bar . But OMP came even closer with a thumping effort which cannoned off the bar and back into the arms of a grateful Mc’Cabe . A minute into injury time OMP took the lead . One on one with the keeper their striker collided with the onrushing g Mc’Cabe , the ball squirmed under the keepers body and trickled into an empty net . Was it a foul on the keeper ? Was it a goal ? No celebrations from the home team but the goal was given . No time to restart , the ref blew for half time .
A squeeze out of jerseys , a firm talking to , a few packets of jelly worms and the concession of a late first half goal all conspired to get the away team going . The midfield began to take control , with man of the match White winning tackles, regaining lost possession getting his body between man and ball leading to chances being created . The team were now playing with a new found assurance . Passes were sticking , wingers C. Sherlock and Kerrigan were getting round their markers and advancing with menace further upfield . The reintroduction of Captain Pratt paid immediate dividends half way through the half . Now playing with confidence the midfield trio combining in neat triangles slipped him through the defensive line for Pratt to shoot low under the keepers body and find the equaliser . ‘Let’s go again ‘ was the cry and they did . This time it was Nulty that took on the keeper one on one . Same result . A low shot under the keeper saw the ball nestle in the back of the net . 2-1 and now flying Pratt had a third chalked off as he nicked it from the control of the despairing keeper . One for VAR . A further penalty claim kept the score at 2-1.
OMP threw everything at Borara in the last ten minutes including several of their Premier league squad . But the away team were resolute . Shots were blocked , last ditch tackles were made and match winning saves were made by Mc’Cabe. You knew he wasn’t going to be beaten when he conducted his now trademark slow drop to the knees to lie prostrate on ‘his’ ball.
OMP Utd FC 1 - 2 Borora jnrs u’15 .Blackcastle Tuesday 22nd April 2025 . Ko 7 pm .
With the division having been redrawn ,four points and six goals for having been chalked off this game had suddenly become a must win tie . If not a must win then certainly a must not loose encounter. In a division reduced by a third and now with one win and one loss from their opening two games three points seemed crucial . Three points from nine would have been of little value , on the other hand ‘two out of three ain’t bad’.
This was an attritional affair with all and sundry soaked to the skin before the match even got under way . ‘The rain it hammered down and the rain it hammered down ‘. It was relentless , accompanied by a cold wind to cut a little deeper . Both teams struggled to get a hold of the ball , heavy first touches and booming clearances were the order of the day . Try as they might Borora couldn’t quite find their rhythm. The back four of Cussen , o’Sullivan , Rothwell and Byrne held firm though and Mc’Cabe in goal mopped up anything that got through the back line with assurity . The midfield trio of Nulty , White and J. Sherlock struggled to get into the game as the aerial bombardment from either side ruled out a midfield battle . The front three of Pratt , Gardiner and Harten were living off scraps and ran into fierce opposition and meaty clearances when the ball did drop their way . The closest Villa came was a fine effort from Nulty from right hand corner of the area which grazed the top of the bar . But OMP came even closer with a thumping effort which cannoned off the bar and back into the arms of a grateful Mc’Cabe . A minute into injury time OMP took the lead . One on one with the keeper their striker collided with the onrushing g Mc’Cabe , the ball squirmed under the keepers body and trickled into an empty net . Was it a foul on the keeper ? Was it a goal ? No celebrations from the home team but the goal was given . No time to restart , the ref blew for half time .
A squeeze out of jerseys , a firm talking to , a few packets of jelly worms and the concession of a late first half goal all conspired to get the away team going . The midfield began to take control , with man of the match White winning tackles, regaining lost possession getting his body between man and ball leading to chances being created . The team were now playing with a new found assurance . Passes were sticking , wingers C. Sherlock and Kerrigan were getting round their markers and advancing with menace further upfield . The reintroduction of Captain Pratt paid immediate dividends half way through the half . Now playing with confidence the midfield trio combining in neat triangles slipped him through the defensive line for Pratt to shoot low under the keepers body and find the equaliser . ‘Let’s go again ‘ was the cry and they did . This time it was Nulty that took on the keeper one on one . Same result . A low shot under the keeper saw the ball nestle in the back of the net . 2-1 and now flying Pratt had a third chalked off as he nicked it from the control of the despairing keeper . One for VAR . A further penalty claim kept the score at 2-1.
OMP threw everything at Borara in the last ten minutes including several of their Premier league squad . But the away team were resolute . Shots were blocked , last ditch tackles were made and match winning saves were made by Mc’Cabe. You knew he wasn’t going to be beaten when he conducted his now trademark slow drop to the knees to lie prostrate on ‘his’ ball.
