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)
