Loughgall 3 - 2 Dungannon Swifts

Loughgall booked their passage through to the final of the Ivan Marshall Memorial Trophy thanks to a promising second half performance.
Swifts scored the opener in the 13th minute when Darren Murphy’s corner was blasted home at the back post by the unmarked Johnny Montgomery.  Before that PJ Lavery went close when he forced goalkeeper Marc Robinson into a smart low save.
Just 6 minutes later the home side had almost equalised when defender Andy Moore’s powerful header from Glenn Waddell’s corner was cleared off the line. 
Left winger Murphy couldn’t trouble ‘keeper Robinson on 32 minutes when his free kick curled over the crossbar from 20 yards.
Loughgall’s strike partnership almost resulted in a leveller shortly after, when Dean Smith’s byline cross was flashed narrowly wide by Paul Baron.  A free kick routine on 37 minutes saw Ryan Moffatt release Andy Smith down in the penalty area where he raced to the ball, beating ‘keeper Brandon Reagan, before crossing.  The ball was headed out to the edge of the area where Alan Murphy returned it over the crossbar, under pressure.
5 minutes before the interval, Paul Forker’s good pass allowed Mark McConkey to unleash a great strike inside the penalty area which ‘keeper Robinson did excellently to save.
It took only 6 minutes for the Villagers to get back on level terms when Waddell’s deep corner was nodded home by substitute Willie Herron, despite the best efforts of Joe McKee on the goal line.  On the hour mark Waddell again delivered a good cross which Moffatt angled his header across goal, only to see it end up just wide of the post.
Dungannon’s new signing Aaron Baker nearly put his side back in the lead when he collected the ball before narrowly striking the ball over the crossbar on 64 minutes.  The hosts took the ascendency 2 minutes later when Davy Hawthorne waited for the perfect opportunity to release an incisive pass into Andy Browns run, the striker slotted past ‘keeper Reagan with ease inside the penalty area.
Baker was presented with another opportunity in the 79th minute and he netted from close range following a low cross from the right.
With 8 minutes remaining, substitute Glen Clarke’s deep cross was punched out by ‘keeper Reagan and Scott Walker lobbed everyone from outside the area to find the back of the net.
The Swifts thought they had grabbed a late equaliser when in injury time Terry Fitzpatrick’s 25 yard drive was tipped onto the crossbar and out for a corner by ‘keeper Robinson.

Date: Tuesday 22nd July 2008
Competition:Ivan Marshall Memorial Trophy
Venue: Lakeview Park, Loughgall
Kick-Off: 7.30pm

Loughgall: Marc Robinson, Andy Smith, Bryan Pentland (Walker 35m), Andy Moore, Alan Murphy, Andy Hamilton (Herron 45m), Ryan Moffatt (Uprichard 70m), Davy Hawthorne, Paul Baron (Brown 63m), Glenn Waddell, Dean Smith (Clarke 70m).

Dungannon Swifts: Brandon Reagan, Jason Ferry, Joe McKee, Johnny Montgomery, Fergal McAlliskey, PJ Lavery, Mark McConkey, Paul Forker, Aaron Baker, Darren Murphy, Terry Fitzpatrick.  Subs: Mark Leonard, Scott McCullough, Chris Fay, James McPartland, Barry Kelly.

Referee: Lee Tavinder (Dungannon)