Report

There was little for the Talbot fans to enjoy but the Indian Summer as Talbot fell to a 1-0 defeat to Ladeside in the Ardagh final.
There wasn’t much to write home about re the 1st half but what little there was concerned Talbot who edged a dull opening half.
Talbot had a half chance in the 4th minute when Graham Wilson sent Young clear down the right. He whipped a cross over to the far post where Hyslop made contact but couldn’t control it under pressure & it broke off him & went wide of the right hand post.
It took until the 22nd minute until either side threatened in the final third & again it was Talbot on the attack. McCracken picked the ball up wide on the right & played a great pass into the centre to find Steven Wilson. He ran onto it 25 yards out but with only Staunton to beat, he hesitated & the Ladeside defender nicked a foot in to halt his progress.
Two minutes later Talbot had a penalty shout waved away. Rafferty blocked McCracken’s low cross in from the right but the ball skipped up off his foot & hit him on the hand; however the ref dismissed Talbot’s appeal & awarded the corner kick. When the corner came over Hyslop glanced a header beyond the back post to find Graham Wilson in space. He tried to side-foot it home but Haxton deflected it behind.
Kilbirnie had a dangerous break in the 27th minute. Lyle lost out to McElroy out on the left & the Kilbirnie striker raced forward before releasing it to Anderson on the right. He only had Pope between him & Leishman but Pope did well making a crucial challenge to clear.
There were few efforts at goal but Hyslop had a decent one in the 36th minute. He started the move, spreading the ball out left to Graham Wilson & when Wilson’s cross was headed out it came to Hyslop 20 yards out & he took it on the half volley, sending a shot just over the bar.
A minute later Hyslop had a real chance to give Talbot the lead. Steven Wilson spun outside the area leaving two Kilbirnie men behind before slotting the ball through to Hyslop inside the area. It came to him 16 yards out in space but he got nothing behind his shot & tamely passed it straight at Hughes.
Talbot had a 2nd penalty claim turned down in the 42nd minute & again it was for handball. Young played a free kick to Graham Wilson on the right of the area & when he laid it back Green appeared to control it with his arm before clearing.
On the stroke of half time Talbot nearly took the lead, forcing the first real save of the afternoon from either keeper. Hyslop won a free kick out on the left which Pope fired into the centre. It was cleared but came straight back to Pope who crossed it to the back post where McCracken’s header was kept out at his left post by Hughes.
There were no changes at the interval & no change in the pattern of the game, with neither side able to retain possession or offer a threat in the final third.
The first near thing in the 2nd half came in the 53rd minute when Boyle misjudged a high ball through the centre. McElroy looked like he might nip onto it but McGoldrick got across to clear the danger.
Talbot’s first effort of the 2nd half came in the 55th minute. Hyslop played it into Graham Wilson who squared the ball across for White. He tried to place it inside the post from 20 yards but Hughes was well positioned to make the stop.
Brannan became the 1st player cautioned when he saw yellow in the 61st minute for barging Graham Wilson over as he broke forward.
Kilbirnie now made their 1st change with McTernan coming on for Anderson.
This proved an inspired change as Kilbirnie took the lead two minutes later through the sub. McElroy created the opening, gathering the ball 25 yards out before sliding it through to find MCTERNAN on the right of the penalty area & he drilled a low shot back across goal inside Leishman’s right post.
Tucker responded by making a double switch with Graham Wilson & White making way for Milliken & Shankland.
Talbot made their final change in the 73rd minute with Stevenson replacing Steven Wilson.
Stevenson was involved soon after coming on when he whipped a good cross over from the right but it was fractionally behind Hyslop who couldn’t adjust to get on the end of it.
Kilbirnie made their own double substitution in the 75th minute with Forde & Donnelly on for McElroy & Rafferty.
McGoldrick received a caution in the 82nd minute for a late tackle on Brannan out on the touchline.
The clock ran down as Talbot huffed & puffed without making any headway with Kilbirnie looking comfortable in their lead.
Right at the end Talbot almost snatched an unlikely equaliser when Shankland dived to meet a cross over from the right but he sent his diving header wide of the right post.
This was a disappointing afternoon for Talbot, who never turned up for the 2nd half & can have few complaints about the result. The Bot have no time to dwell on the result though as they face a tricky away tie in the West next Saturday when they travel to face Cambuslang Rangers.

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Boyle, S Wilson, Young, White, G Wilson, McCracken, Hyslop

Subs – Shankland, Milliken, Stevenson, Thomson, Pooler

Kilbirnie – Hughes, Haxton, Gold, Staunton, Rafferty, Gray, Anderson, Green, McElroy, Grehan, Brannan

Subs – Forde, Donnelly, Malone, Meechan, McTiernan