Report

MURRAY’S MATCH REPORT

Talbot turned in a confident display, dominating from start to finish, as they brushed aside a tepid Arthurlie at Dunterlie park.
The Bot’s first chance came in the 3rd minute. McCracken met a corner over from the right to power a header on target which Hay parried away. Talbot kept the pressure on & when Arthurlie failed to clear their lines Hyslop swept a shot wide from just outside the area.
The opener came in the 9th minute. A shy from the left was worked into JAMIE GLASGOW who had the time & space to turn 20 yards from goal & drill a low shot inside Hay’s right post.
Arthurlie’s Chisholm found himself in the ref’s book in the 25th minute when he floored Glasgow after being beaten for pace out on the left wing.
Talbot doubled their lead in the 34th minute. Armstrong’s in swinging corner was headed on across the face of goal & gathered by GORDON POPE out on the right. He coolly curled a left foot shot back across into the far corner to put Talbot 2-0 ahead.
Two minutes later Talbot nearly added a third, again threatening from a corner kick. This time Armstrong drove it in low & Graham Wilson steered a low shot on target that was scrambled clear from the goal mouth.
The home side were struggling to make any impact & Talbot were comfortable in their lead without really threatening to add to it at this stage.
A minute from the interval Craig became the 2nd Arthurlie player booked when he swiped to legs from Harvey.
The 2nd half saw Talbot on the attack from the start, looking to extend their lead, and kill the game off.
Hyslop had a decent chance in the 50th minute. Armstrong spread the ball out to Glasgow on the right & he cut it back for Hyslop to run onto but he drove his shot wide of the left post.
Two minutes later Talbot threatened again. Graham Wilson headed a ball on up the left to send Glasgow free. He whipped a dangerous cross into the near post where Wilson dived to cut it out & head it behind for the corner.
The corner was headed clear but only as far as Pope who played it back to Harvey. He slid a defence splitting pass through to find Graham Wilson free on the left of the area & he smashed a shot just over the bar from 15 yards.
The pressure finally told & Talbot moved further ahead after 57 minutes. Graham Wilson met a shy into the area & touched it off into the path of JAMIE GLASGOW who hammered it past the keeper from a tight angle.
Arthurlie had a chance to pull one back in the 59th minute when Talbot were guilty of slack marking. A shy from the right came into the unmarked Craig who fired just over the bar from the edge of the area.
It was 4-0 to the Bot on the hour mark. Lyle’s free kick into the penalty area picked out Stephen Wilson on the right & he made it to the bye line before crossing it for GRAHAM WILSON to head home from close range.
Tucker now made a triple substitution with Graham Wilson, Glasgow & White making way for McIlroy, Kemp & Thomson.
Hyslop tested the Arthurlie keeper in the 72nd minute. He turned smartly to lose his man before lifting a cross to the far post which Hay had to stretch to claw away.
In the 83rd minute Kemp came close for Talbot. Pope’s cross into the box was only partially cleared & came to him at the edge of the area where he fired a shot narrowly past the left post.
Talbot’s 5th & final goal came with two minutes remaining. Hyslop fed the ball back to CALVIN KEMP on the right of the area & his attempted cross flew over Hay & straight into the net.
In the final minute of regulation time Talbot nearly added a 6th. A corner from the left was lifted to the back post where McCracken guided a header inside the post but was denied by Hay who made a good stop to keep it out. The ball came out to Kemp but he couldn’t keep his shot down.
A good away win for the Bot & a welcome confidence booster going into next Sunday’s Ardagh final where Talbot will compete with the Glens for the 1st silverware of the season.

Arthurlie – Hay, Girvan, Wilson, Tart, Chisholm, Spence, McKenzie, McAleenan, Weir, Craig, Wyper

Subs – Nugent, Mackie, Gabir, Graham

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McCracken, White, Armstrong, S Wilson, G Wilson, Glasgow, Hyslop

Subs – McIlroy, Pooler, Thomson, McPherson, Kemp