CLEARER WATER IRISH CUP
ABBEY VILLA 3
NEWMILLS 0
Dennis Nash reports from Adams Park
ABBEY Villa set up an Irish Cup third round date with Ballymacash Rangers of the Premier Intermediate League after seeing off mid-Ulster side Newmills at Adams Park last weekend.
The Dungannon club were making their second trip to the Ards Peninsula in four weeks, having booked their place in round two with a penalty shootout victory over Portavogie Rangers at New Harbour Road on August 10.
The visitors were on the front foot straight from the whistle as Adam Farrell fired a couple of early teasing crosses into the home goalmouth. Sweeping attacking play at both ends certainly stapled an intriguing opening balance to the game, with Ryan Murray and Charley Craig linking well on the right flank for the home side and the lively Shea O’Neill calling Villa captain Alan Strain into defensive action.
The first spots of rain had begun to fail from the grey sky as the energetic Alex McIlmail found space for a shot, but his well-struck effort snaked just wide.
The contest was 23 minutes old when the opening goal arrived. Ryan Convery, who minutes earlier had cracked an effort just wide, hammered a second attempt into the net to give the home side the lead.
Newmills stayed very much in contention however and Jamie Stewart, who was named man of the match at Portavogie back in August, went close to the target with a long speculative attempt.
Villa themselves were hunting for a second goal with Convery and McIlmail both testing visiting ’keeper Aaron Nimmons with tentative efforts from some distance.
The spatter of rain had gone by the time referee David Kelly signalled the end of the opening 45 minutes – with Villa still ahead on the scoresheet courtesy of Convery’s strike.
With the strong wind still swirling, the second half resumed with Adam McConville and Shea O’Neill launching early runs towards the home goals.
A Samuel Pearson corner from the Newmills left hung in the air in a moment of some early concern, but the danger was eventually tidied up.
Villa were competing strongly with keen running and sharp movement and a stern effort from Chris Murray called Nimmons into a smart save.
Jack Upritchard was just off target with a header after that as Villa went in search of the second goal.
And with 15 minutes remaining it was Murray who found it to all but decide the affair. Eight minutes later the issue really was settled as Murray registered his second and Villa’s third.
The final seven minutes were played out without incident but there was no doubting the fact that the Millisle side were worthy winners as they took another convincing step along the Irish Cup trail.
THE MATCH CARD
Abbey Villa: James Darlington, Ryan Murray, Gregg Fleming, Alan Strain (C), Matthew Dempster, Keith Armstrong, Christopher Murray, Ryan Convery, Charley Craig, Jack Upritchard, Alexander McIlmail.
Substitutes: Adam Arthurs, Mark Cooling, Jake Wilson.
Officials: Scott Collins, Brian Hylands, Paul Magee, Michael Doran, Ryan Mann, Simon Gordon.
Newmills: Aaron Nimmons, Adam Farrell, Daniel Courtney, Jamie Stewart, Mark Burns, Glenn Smyton (C), Samuel Pearson, Shea O’Neill, Adam McConville, Cesar Dafe, Jordan Boyd.
Substitutes: Reece McWhirther, Anderson Lobato, Josh Willis, Ryan McKenna, George Moffett, Jordan Holland, Jake Stewart.
Officials: Stephen Cullen, Brian Millar, Marc Stock, Nathan McFarland.
THE TEAMS
Abbey Villa FC
The cement playground in front of the old Regent House building in Newtownards may not have been the spot which pushed the Abbey Villa club into existence, but eager talks I often held with Thomas Waugh in the early 50s, when we both were pupils of that establishment, certainly led to the introduction of competitive winter football into Millisle.
A team, under the name of Millisle United, were on the starting blocks when the Cardy Winter Football League first opened up competitive winter soccer in September 1955.
After helping create the Cardy winter competition, Millisle United moved to the Churches League the following year under the name Millisle Presbyterian, but they soon shifted again and took their place in the Amateur League under the revised name of Abbey Villa.
Newmills FC
Newmills are a relatively new club.
They were formed in 2011 and currently support two teams.
Their senior side compete in the Mid-Ulster Intermediate League in Section A, with their Reserve outfit members of the Mid-Ulster Reserve Division One.
Newmills play home games at Stangmore Park, the home of Irish Premiership club Dungannon Swifts.
THE COMPETITION
The Irish Cup is the primary football knockout cup competition in Northern Ireland.
It was inaugurated in 1881 and is the fourth-oldest national cup competition in the world.
Cliftonville are the current holders having defeated Linfield 3-1 in May 2024 to end a 45-year wait since their last Irish Cup triumph.
It is Linfield who are the competition’s most successful club, lifting the trophy 44 times.
SELECTED SECOND ROUND RESULTS
1st Bangor 2-4 Dollingstown
Ballynahinch Olympic 1-2 Richhill AFC
Belfast Celtic 2-1 Saintfield United
Mossley 4-0 Rosemount Rec
Portaferry Rovers 1-3 Ards Rangers
St James Swifts 2-1 Comber Rec
CONRAD KIRKWOOD
As always, the welcome at Adams Park was genuine, warm and attentive.
It was especially cordial to get my half-time sustenance served by the IFA president.
Over past years I have enjoyed being greeted by former presidents Jim Shaw and David Martin at local games, but last Saturday was a first, having the president serve the interval refreshment.
THE REFEREE
David Kelly handled the proceedings throughout in a precise, proper and authoritative manner.
PHOTOGRAPHER
On photography duties for the Chronicle was Jimmy Graham.
