Northern Ireland
Premier Intermediate League
Saturday 15th February 2020
Kick Off 15.00. On Time !
Moyola Park 1 Dollingstown 4, attendance 56
29’ 0-1
32’ 0-2
63’ 1-2
81’ 1-3
84’ 1-4
@ Mill Meadow
26 Bridge Street
Castledawson
BT45 8EB
£6 Admission
No Programme.
I chose this match for two reasons. Firstly, there was a threat that the rain that was accompanying Storm Dennis may be a problem, but it wouldn’t affect this match due to the 3G surface. Secondly, it would make full use of the hire car, as Castledawson is 36 miles northwest of Belfast and much harder to reach if on public transport. Of my other two choices of game today, both on grass pitches, Knockbreda (just under an hours journey from Belfast City Centre using bus and then on foot) was called off less than an hour before kick off. The other, Dundela (easily walkable from Belfast City Centre) went ahead without problems.
It was 140 years ago yesterday, that Moyola Park played their first ever match, beating Cliftonville 3-0 in a friendly match. On 9th April 1881 they were inaugural winners of the Irish F.A. Cup, beating Cliftonville 1-0 in the final, which to this day is their only trophy they have won at Senior level. Nowadays, they play in the Premier Intermediate League, which is level three of Northern Irish football.
I had been to Moyola Park before, when I saw them lose 0-1 to Ballymena United in a pre-season friendly on 31st July 2007, whilst I was in Northern Ireland for a week to watch the ‘Milk Cup’ Youth Tournament’. In those days they played at their ‘Moyola Park’ ground, which was part of the country estate of the same name. They left the ground at the end of the 2008/09 season, playing the first part of the 2009/10 season at Coagh United’s Hagan Park, before moving to their new ground on 16th January 2010, when they hosted Lurgan Celtic.
Moyola Park came into this second bottom in the league table, but a win would see them climb three places. Dollingstown were fifth, but a win would see them rise to third. Dollingstown looked the better team from the off, going close a number of times, before finally making the breakthrough when a fumble by the ‘keeper was put in from close range by substitute Aaron Duke, who was on early due to an injury to Thompson. Duke added a second a few minutes later, going round the ‘keeper and finishing from a tight angle to give the visitors a 0-2 lead at halftime.
Just after the hour mark Moyola Park were back in it, when a volley from the edge of the box was half blocked by the ‘keeper, but the ball was spinning viciously and he was unable to stop it crossing the goal line. The game remained in the balance, but with nine minutes left, a pass was taken down by Duke and smashed into the top corner of the net, to complete his hat trick and seal the points for the visitors. Three minutes later he added his fourth goal of the day, stooping to head in from close range, after a shot had rebounded off the crossbar, to make it 1-4.
Storm Dennis wasn’t really much of a storm after all. It had rained for around forty five minutes before kick off, but remained dry then until a heavy downpour five minutes before halftime. The dark clouds moved in at the start of the second half, resulting in the floodlights being turned on, but after a brief rain shower, it soon moved on and there was blue sky and sunshine for brief spells during the second half.
