Hegarty’s Ballynure see off North End, Albion snatch point

Intermediate Division: Rathcoole suffered their third league defeat of the season when they lost 2-1 to Desertmartin at The Diamond. The visitors were on the front foot as early as the 13th minute when James Johnston broke the deadlock. That’s how it stayed until the 66th minute when Robin Patton doubled their advantage before Rathcoole netted a consolation goal six minutes from time.

Junior Division One: FC Whiteabbey were 3-1 up at Cookstown RBL when the referee called a halt to proceedings in the 74th minute after he had sent two Cookstown men off. Conor Mullan had put Whiteabbey in front before Jim McPartland equalised for RBL. Chris Loy gave the Whites a 2-1 lead and Mullan landed number three.

Junior Division Two: Craig Hegarty’s Ballynure Old Boys ‘B’ eased to a 4-1 success over Ballyclare North End. A Robert Watson double gave Ballynure a two-goal lead at the interval before Michael Plant pulled one back for North End in the 49th minute. But Watson struck again, completing his hat-trick in the 53rd minute and Jordan Stirling wrapped things up with four minutes left.

In the battle of the top two, leaders Krag Albion rescued a share of the spoils with a late goal in a 2-2 draw at Sport & Leisure Swifts.

Bryan Zepo had put the Swifts in the driving seat on 35 minutes only for Noel Williams to level matters for Albion. Conor Moreland gave the Belfast men the edge again just before the hour-mark and they held a 2-1 lead until Jackson Griffith netted an 89th-minute equaliser to snatch a draw.

Junior Division Three: Remo Reserves inflicted yet more misery on winless Carnlough Swifts witha 5-2 victory. Remo went in front through David Lyness in the 20th minute and Sam Forde doubled their lead six minutes later. Half-time was almost reached when Mark Pollock scored a third for Remo on 40 minutes.

Remo went four goals clear when Steve McGregor nettedon the hour, then Kenny Hastings gave Carnlough hope with a brace of goals scored on the 65th and 80th minutes.

Time was then almost up when Forde scored his second of the afternoon with two minutes remaining, to complete the scoring on the day.

Linda Welsman Cup R2: Brantwood Reserves made sure their name was in the hat for the third round with a 3-2 success against Remo. First-half efforts from Kenny Grealey, Ross Early and Patrick Mallon secured the win. A first-minute John Fox penalty and a strike from Niall Stewart accounted for Remo’s goals.