Season: 2015/16

MATCH REPORT BY MURRAY
This fiercely contested derby game ended with honours even as both sides served up an entertaining 90 minutes for the crowd.
Talbot were slow out of the starting blocks & the Glens dominated the early exchanges. The visitors almost scored inside the 1st minute when McGuffie laid the ball off into the path of Malone whose dipping shot just cleared Leishman’s bar.
The Glens made most of the early running though Talbot won a free kick in a promising area in the 9th minute. Wilson stepped up to hit it but fired his shot straight into the wall.
Glenafton took the lead in their next attack. McGill raced into the penalty area and Boyd got back to make the challenge. Unfortunately for Talbot the ball squirmed out to the left where MALONE curled the perfect bending finish inside Leishman’s left hand post.
It was very nearly two nil to the visitors after 18 minutes. McGuffie dropped deep to pick up the ball in space and threaded a well-weighted pass into the path of McCann. The ex-Bot striker looked set to make it two but Leishman raced off his line and as McCann tried to prod it past him, he made the block and it spun behind for the corner.
The Glens continued to dominate without threatening the Talbot goal and gradually Talbot began to play their way into the match and produced their 1st real threat in the 27th minute when a slick passing move ended with Wilson touching the ball inside for the run of Boyd who fired over the crossbar.
A few minutes later Talbot threatened again. Milliken laid the ball out wide to Boyd who whipped a cross into the centre which Young glanced wide of target.

The match was now evenly contested with little to choose between the sides. Campbell had his name taken in the 37th minute following a robust aerial challenge with McChesney. Initially the referee seemed content with awarding the free kick but following protests from the Glens players he produced a yellow card.
Talbot almost took the lead a minute later when Boyd switched the play out wide to Milliken and he whipped it across to Young who fired into the side netting.
It was now Talbot who had the upper hand and they drew level with one minute of the half remaining. Pope fired a free kick over from the left touchline and HYSLOP raced onto the end of it to place a header under the bar and over McGarrity to make the half-time score 1-1.
Whatever words of wisdom Tucker imparted at half-time had their desired effect and Talbot started the 2nd half the way the Glens had started the 1st. From the restart Pope found Boyd out on the right & he fired an early cross into the centre which McChesney did well to head clear and a few minutes later McGill was forced into defensive duties to head behind for a corner. Pope swung it over beyond the far post where Campbell won it and headed back across the face of goal. McGarrity did well to come and claim under pressure from Milliken.
The Glens were retreating into their shell and Talbot nearly took the lead in the 50th minute. Once again it was a Pope set piece that caused the Glens defence problems as he flighted a free kick toward the back post where Campbell won the aerial battle. He headed it into the centre where Boyd tried to hit it for goal only to see his effort blocked straight to Hyslop whose low drive was well held by McGarrity.
Glenafton had offered little in 2nd half but they put together a neat move in the 58th minute that lacked only a finish. McGill fed the ball to McGuffie who sped into the box down the right only to scoop his shot high and wide of target.
The Glens had another chance a minute later when Campbell was judged to have caught McGill outside the Talbot penalty area. McGill took it himself but ballooned it over the bar.
McGarrity was put to the test as Talbot used the breeze to push the Glens deep and the Glens keeper did well to clutch Pope’s free kick into the centre and then moments later to pluck Pope’s in swinging corner from under his crossbar.
The Glens took advantage and launched a quick counter-attack from Talbot’s corner as the ball was fed out to McGuffie on the left and he raced clear before cutting it back into the centre where Leishman dived to take it off the toes of Malone.
Milliken was very unlucky in the 64th minute when he crashed a shot off McGarrity’s right post with the keeper well beaten.

Talbot came close again in the 68th minute. Milliken laid the ball out wide to Young who curled it over to the far post for Wilson whose volley produced a good stop from McGarrity.
There was little the Glens keeper could do though in the 70th minute when Talbot moved ahead. Talbot won a free kick down the right and took it quickly, shoving the ball down the line to Milliken. He raced into the box and squared it across goal for WILSON to tap home.
McGeoghan had his name taken in the 75th minute for a late challenge on Hyslop as the Bot midfielder broke forward.
The Glens now made a change with Orsi coming on in place of McGill and Talbot soon made a double switch with Boyd & G Wilson making way for S Wilson & Gillies.
Talbot’s sub almost made an immediate impact as Wilson raced into the Glens box but he took one touch too many and the defence crowded him out. The ball broke back to Hyslop at the edge of the area but he sliced his shot well wide of goal.
Glenafton won a free kick just outside the Talbot box in the 82nd minute but Malone failed to make the most of it, harmlessly curling his shot well over the bar.
Down the other end Talbot nearly put the game to bed. Gillies fed it out to the overlapping Wilson and he fired a low ball across goal. The defence scrambled it away but straight toward Hyslop who went to fire it home, only for McGarrity to race out and smother it.
The Glens drew level with five minutes remaining. Park slid a good pass to McCann on the left and he passed it across the 6-yard area to the unmarked ORSI who fired home.
Tucker made his final change in the 87th minute with Shankland on in place of White.
Shankland was barely on the park when he had a chance to restore Talbot’s lead. Pope’s free kick was met by Campbell at the back post and he headed it across goal where Shankland met it but he steered his header straight at McGarrity.
Latta received a yellow card in the 88th minute for a foul on McCann out by the left touchline. The free kick was whipped into the near post for McChesney to flick it on but no one could get on the end of it and the ball flew past for a goal kick.
Both sides continued to press for a late winner but it wasn’t to be and they had to settle for a point a piece. Next up for Talbot in the Ardagh is the midweek visit of Kello Rovers to Beechwood.

Talbot – Leishman, Latta, Pope, Lyle, Campbell, White, Young, Hyslop, G Wilson, Milliken, Boyd

Subs – Gillies, Love, S Wilson, Shankland, Findlay

Glenafton – McGarrity, Park, Cairns, Menzies, McChesney, Hay, McGeoghan, Malone, McCann, McGuffie, McGill

Subs – Boyle, Orsi, Adam, Dunne, Buchanan (gk)

MATCH REPORT BY MURRAY
Talbot’s first home game of the season went according to script as Talbot ran out comfortable 7-1 winners against Muirkirk.
The scoring started early as the Bot moved a goal ahead within 2 minutes. Love flicked the ball out right into the path of FINDLAY whose shot proved too powerful for Kirkland who got a hand to it but couldn’t prevent it dropping into the net.
Talbot piled the pressure on with the game confined to the Muirkirk half but couldn’t find the final ball needed to unlock a packed defence. When the second goal came after 17 minutes it came courtesy of an own goal. Pope drilled a diagonal ball in behind to find Love who raced to the bye line before firing a dangerous ball across the face of goal which MILLER turned into his own net.
Love came close to grabbing Talbot’s 3rd in the 25th minute. Young fired a low cross in from the right which Love met 15 yards out & powered a scissor kick wide of Kirkland’s left post.
Two minute later Butch was unfortunate not to add to Talbot’s lead as he dinked a shot from just inside the area that drifted inches wide of the post.
Love ought to have extended Talbot’s lead in the 32nd minute. He sped in behind the defence as they looked for offside and looked set for a one on one with the keeper but as he shaped to shoot, Beveridge raced back to make a last ditch challenge & the ball broke through to Kirkland.
The pressure continued but Muirkirk had plenty of bodies back & looked set to hold out until half time; however Talbot made it 3-0 a minute before the break. Love chased a ball into the right side of the area. Miller got there 1st but under pressure he hooked his clearance into the centre of the box where WELLS chipped it over the stranded Kirkland.
Tucker made a double switch at the break with Latta & Milliken joining the fray to replace Young & Love.
Milliken nearly added his name to the scoresheet in the 55th minute. He headed it past Condon & raced clear on the left before cracking an early drive just wide of the far post.
Muirkirk made their 1st change in the 58th minute with R Elder on in place of Hampson but within a minute Talbot moved further ahead. Pope hit a good, deep cross beyond the back post which Wells headed back across goal allowing GILLIES to nod home from close range.
Tucker made his final change just after the hour mark when Wilson came on for White with Gillies dropping into midfield.
WILSON made an early impact as he put Talbot 5 ahead in the 65th minute. He climbed well to meet Lyle’s cross & floated a header back across goal and inside Kirkland’s left post.
Muirkirk had never lost their discipline or desire despite the score and got their reward in the 67th minute. A shy from the right touchline was thrown into the near post where McKinnon was tugged to the deck. The ref pointed to the spot and RUSSELL coolly sent Johnstone the wrong way to pull a goal back for the visitors.
The loss of a goal fired Talbot up and Findlay passed up a good chance to restore Talbot’s five goal advantage within a minute of the restart. Milliken made tracks down the wing and fizzed a great ball across goal which found Findlay beyond the far post but he fired wide of target.
Muirkirk made two changes in rapid succession around the 75th minute; firstly Williamson came on for McCaig and then McKinnon limped off to be replaced by G Elder.
As the visitors tired the pressure intensified and Talbot spent the last ten minutes camped outside the Muirkirk box. The Kirk defence crumbled under the strain and Talbot moved 6-1 ahead in the 85th minute with the pick of the night’s goals. The Kirk defence could only partially clear a corner and it came out to MILLIKEN at the edge of the area where he rose to meet it before thumping a bicycle kick into the bottom corner.
The scoring was completed with 3 mins remaining. McGoldrick lifted the ball up the line to Pope who surged into the area where he was up ended by Condon. POPE dusted himself down and slid the penalty home to make the final score Talbot 7 Muirkirk 1.

Talbot – Johnstone, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Miller, White, Young, Findlay, Gillies, Love, Wells

Subs – G Wilson, Milliken, Latta, Hyslop, Shankland

Muirkirk – Kirkland, Peck, Beveridge, Miller, McCaig, Condon, Wilson, Russell, McKinnon, Turnbull, Hampson

Subs – R Elder, G Elder, Williamson, McLean, Scott