Abbey ending to O'Kane Cup tie

Towers pushed their higher-ranked opponents all the way before two second half goals from Jackie Todd sent the Antrim side through.

Elsewhere, in Division One, Carniny Rangers, on a rare Saturday off from Junior Shield and Junior Cup duties, kept up their chase for another domestic title by thrashing Ahoghill Rovers.

ARKMEDIA O'KANE CUP

Seven Towers 1, Abbeyview 3: This long awaited quarter-final took place on Saturday and the result was doubt until 15 minutes into the second half when first division Abbeyview regained the lead and then went on to run out easy winners.

Abbeyview started well but found the Seven Towers defence although they got the breakthrough 18 minutes in when Andy Robinson hammered home from inside the penalty box after good work from Darren Houston sent him clear.

Seven Towers worked their way back into the game and their twin strikers combined to create the equaliser 10 minutes from half time when Simon Murray created an opening on the right before sending the ball over to Philip Lynn who cut inside his marker and fired home.

The second half started end to end with both teams again going close but Abbeyview regained their lead when Roy Robinson broke free down the right, put the ball inside to Jackie Todd who hammered the ball past the home keeper Steven Marrs.

Abbeyview were now on top with Darren Houston and David Thompson going close and eventually they extended their lead when Roy Robinson put in a great ball and Jackie Todd rose above the defence to head home the clincher.

Although Abbeyview were dealt a major blow when their keeper Dee Thompson had to go off injured, stand in keeper Alan Cochrane did not have a save to make although he should have been beaten late on when William Williamson had a header go narrowly wide.

Abbeyview now met Clough Rangers in the semi-finals while Carniny Rangers play Randalstown Sky Blues.

RAINEY CUP ROUND ONE

Carnlough Swifts 1, Ballykeel 0: Swifts made it through to round two with a scrappy win over fellow First Division side Ballykeel.

The second half was only five minutes old when Swifts took the lead. Michael Abram and Blain McDermott took a quick corner kick which resulted in the latter swinging over a cross to Paul Laffin whose shot was cleared off the line but the clearance hit the back of a Ballykeel defender and found the corner of the net.

BSML DIVISION ONE

Ahoghill Rovers 0, Carniny Rangers 8: After their heroics in reaching the Semi Finals of both the Junior Shield and Cup Carniny could have been forgiven for slacking off in the league but this was not to be the case as it took them only five minutes to hit the first goal of an eight goal rout.

This goal came when Mark Waddell collected the ball on the halfway line and went on a solo run before slotting the ball home from just inside the box.

Leslie McCaughern made it 2-0 on 15 minutes when he volleyed home a Roger Jones corner kick. Minutes later it was 3-0 when Maurice McDowell split the Rovers defence for Jones to smash home.

Carniny hit another two goals before the break the first coming when Chris Dowie headed home a Jones cross at the back post and then Waddell drove a ball across the box which hit a Rovers defender and found the net to make it 5-0 at the break.

There was no let up from the champions in the second half as they hit a further three goals.

Alan Gaston got in on the act when he found the net with a volley from a Jones corner kick.

Dowie then hit a further two goals late on to take his tally to 47 in all competitions as Carniny showed they are still the team to beat in Division One.

BSML DIVISION TWO

Waveney Swifts 0, Connor FC 11: This 11-goal hammering of Waveney Swifts sends out a warning to all the other sides in Division Two that Connor will be hard to stop in their quest to win Division Two Title.

They were four up within 20 minutes with goals from Ricky Hanna, Mervyn Crawford, Darren Trainor penalty and one from Darren Campbell when Swifts were dealt another body blow when their goal keeper Richard Fulton was sent off.

After this it was all one way traffic with Connor hitting another three through Mervyn Campbell, Ricky Hanna and Darren Campbell before the half time beak,

The second half saw no let up from Connor as they went in search of more goals and within 10 minutes they made it 8-0 with the best goal of the match. Gary Sands won the ball with a hard tackle in mid field carried the ball to the edge of the penalty area before finding the top corner of the net with an unstoppable shot.

The rout was completed with a Darren Campbell penalty kick which completed his hat trick and two further goals from Mervyn Crawford and Ally McIlroy. A tremendous result for Connor who played this match without their leading goal scorer Mark Marriott.

BSML DIVISION THREE

Westend Athletic 9, Inver Athletic 1: Westend started this match at a fast pace, and were quickly in front when Gary McIlroy shrugged off a couple of Inver players, got into the box and just as Inver thought they had done enough to prevent a goal, the ball broke to Scott Dummond who smashed the ball home.

Dave Currie added a second soon after when he turned well at the edge of the box and sent a low drive past the home keeper.

Westend were dominating possession with Scott Drummon in impressive form, and although he missed a chance from two yards out, he made amends a few minutes later when he lobbed the on-coming Inver keeper.

The home team had no answer to Westend who hit their fourth when they broke from their own box with Mark Watson sending Rab Andrews clear on goal to slot home.

It was all one way traffic and Scott Drummond was provider for Rab Andrews second goal as he crossed from the left and Andrews got in front of the defender to flick it into the net.

Drummond completed his hat-trick before half-time when he scored from 25 yards out with a blistering free-kick giving the keeper no chance.

To their credit Inver gave a good account of themselves in the second half, however it was Westend who scored again, another Mark Watson through ball gave Rab Andrews the opportunity to complete his hat-trick.

Shortly after, good work by Stephen Calderwood allowed Paul Ritchie to net from close range, before Calderwood himself completed the Westend scoring, when he flicked the ball past the defender and knocked it past the keeper from six yards.

Inver did get a late consolation goal when John Haveron hit a shot from 20 yards and Steven Greer in the Athletic goal misjudged the shot and allowed the ball to creep into the corner. This win leaves undefeated Westend Athletic on track to win Division Three and promotion.

LEAGUE MEETING

The next League Meeting is on Monday, March 15, at 8pm in Ballymena United Sport and Social Club when all teams should be represented.

OTHER RESULTS

Rainey Cup, round one: FC Penarol 1, All Saints OB 5; FC Inter Stars 2, Broadway Celtic 4.

BSML Division One: Glenarm Rovers 3, FC Antrim 2; Holywell 1, FC Moylena 1.

BSML Division Two: Shore Wanderers 3, St Comgalls 2; Braid United 1, Ahoghill Thistle 1; Clough Rangers 0, Michelin 0.

Sammy Moore Trophy, first round, second leg: Cullybackey Olympic 1, Dunloy Athletic 2 (Dunloy won 10-3 on aggregate).

Sammy Moore Trophy, quarter-finals, first leg: Randalstown 3, Cloughmills Thistle 3; Woodside 2, Wakehurst Athletic 1.

BSML Division Three: Steadfast 1, Lisnafillan Swifts 2.

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 13 (10.15am) - Rainey Cup, round one: Wakehurst Athletic v Westend Athletic (Wakehurst 1); Abbeyview v St Comgalls (Forum).

BSML Division One: All Saints OB v FC Antrim (Waveney 2); FC Moylena v Carniny Rangers (Forum); Harryville Homers v Templepatrick (Wakehurst 2); Holywell v Ahoghill Rovers; Glenarm Rovers v North End; Randalstown Sky Blues v Ballykeel.

BSML Division Two: Seven Towers v Braid United (Showgrounds 4); Blackstone Rovers v Broadway Celtic (Wakehurst 4); Clough Rangers v FC Penarol; Ahoghill Thistle v Connor FC; Michelin v Waveney Swifts; FC Inter Stars v Riverdale (Dunfane).

Sammy Moore Trophy, quarter-final, first leg: Lisnafillan Swifts v Dunloy Athletic (Galgorm).

BSML Division Three: Cullybackey Olympic v Demesne Star (Tobar Park); Inver Athletic v Clougmills Thistle.