Dunterlie Delight as Ants upset 'Lie

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Mackie Celebrates Winner

Mackie celebrates the Winner with Borris and Man of the Match Bernie McDonald

The Ants finished their Sectional League Cup group unbeaten after a superb 2-1 victory at the home of Superleague Premier side Arthurlie however it was tinged with a hint of what could have been as news filtered through that Pollok would progress after beating Benburb at Tinto.

The home side started brightly and straight from the kick off Ryan Deas after gathering the ball on the left cut inside before firing a great effort that brought out a top notch save from the Ants ‘keeper Matty Carr, this was a sign of things to come!

After ten minutes the same two players were involved again, Deas tried to curl one from the edge of the box but Carr somehow got to it and gathered the ball.

St Anthony’s had their first real effort on twenty two minutes when Mark McCuish tried his luck from a free kick but Graeme Shepherd gathered before clearing up field, Paul Stewart was first to the ball but his effort hit the side netting.

A minute later though and the home side deservedly took the lead, a ball from the left saw STEVEN DYMOCK hit an effort past Carr but the ball hit the underside of the crossbar before coming down the other side of the goal line to open the scoring.

Two minutes later a short corner taken between Stewart and Deas saw the latter square the ball to Arthurlie’s trialist center back who shot just wide. Four minutes later it was the right back trialist who tried to beat Carr with an effort from outside the box but the ‘keeper took it well.

Just after the half hour good Neil Reynolds sent a great diagonal ball to Jordan Fletcher who had made a fantastic overlapping run, his cross was just as good but Shepherd managed to punch the ball clear just as John Boris was about to head home.

On thirty eight minutes the ball was heading out for an Arthurlie corner but Stewart showed great awareness and raced to stop the ball crossing the line before cutting it back to Deas, the wingers cross was met by Dymock but he couldn’t keep his header down and the ball hit the bar before bouncing past.

Two minutes later and the impressive McCuish tried his luck from distance but Shepherd took with ease.

The last action of the first half saw Stewart through on goal but Carr raced from his line and did enough to put Stewart off before Carr once again saved the day this time from Dymock to keep his side in the game.

Half Time - Arthurlie 1 v 0 Saint Anthonys

Whatever was said in the St Anthony’s dressing room during the interval seemed to do the trick as they started the second half on fire, five minutes in Boris went close with a scissor kick from just inside the home penalty area then five minutes later a cross from Dean McKay was met well by Fletcher but Shepherd touched the full backs header over for a corner.

On the quarter hour mark Boris won a flick on that Fletcher strode onto before unleashing a great shot that was just off target. It was all St Anthony’s at this point and on a rare venture upfront by Arthurlie, their corner was cleared and the Ants broke at speed, the impressive McCuish managed to get to the bye line and send over a dangerous ball that the Arthurlie right back had to put behind for a corner. The resulting kick saw GARETH TIMONEY get up highest and crash a header home to level the match.

It was end to end stuff now as both sides went in search of what could be the winning goal and it was the Govan side that got it when substitute CHRIS MACKIE forced the ball home in the 80th Minute.

Although play ebbed and flowed for the last ten minutes there weren’t any more clear cut chances and the game end two one in favour of St Anthony’s who finished an impressive sectional league cup campaign undefeated while their hosts Arthurlie will be licking their wounds after two defeats from their first three games.

Finally I’d like to wish Mrs. Isa McKenna a fantastic birthday when it comes along in three weeks’ time, and hope she gets spoiled rotten by her boys!

Arthurlie: - Shepherd, Lachlan, Crawford, Blakey, Trialist, Trialist, McKeown, McGregor, Dymock, Stewart, Deas.
Subs: - Merriman, Hodge, Wilson, Macklin,

Match Report above and photo's below courtesy of

Robert Burns of Pulse FM's Nugent4Nil Radio show

Full Time - Arthurlie 1 v 2 Saint Anthony's

Ants Website Man of the Match - Bernie McDonald