Corkbeg 3 Strand Utd 2. A match winning performance from Corkbeg substitute Josh Allen grabbed Corkbeg all three points in Whitegate yesterday. Josh grabbed two goals and Shane Bennett scored a penalty in a hard fought win over a good side. The match report is below:
Corkbeg made it two wins from three games with a hard fought 3-2 win over a well organised Strand Utd side in Whitegate on Saturday afternoon. The game was similar to last Saturdays defeat to Banteer, in that The Beg found themselves up against a well drilled team, but this time found a way to grab all three points after a tense 90 minutes. For the second week in succession, the away team pitched up in Whitegate with a blue kit, so Corkbeg once again played in their unfamiliar green away kit.
Over the 90 minutes, Corkbeg deserved their win. They were by far the better side in the opening half, but could not find the breakthrough. Kevin O Hanlon was heavily involved for Corkbeg throughout the opening half, with Alan Hogan also busy. Chances duly arrived, particularly to Stephen O Halloran and Max Ahern, but the game remained scoreless after half an hour. And then, the sucker punch, as the Inniscarra side took a 1-0 lead against the run of play, a lead that they kept until half time.
The introduction of Josh Allen at half time proved to be the winning of the game for Corkbeg. The Corkbeg substitute was full of energy and running and after a break through the middle, Allen shot home for the equaliser on 60 minutes. But, with Strand continuing to prove sticky opponents who remained well organised, Corkbeg were unable to grab the vital lead goal. Instead, the away side plundered another goal from a deflected free kick after 65 minutes to take an unlikely 2-1 lead. Unlike last week though, Corkbeg were not to be denied and it was Josh Allen again who burst into the Strand area on 65 minutes, only to be upended by the Strand goalkeeper. Shane Bennett stepped up to dispatch the resulting spot kick to the net to tie the game up at 2-2 on 70 minutes. Corkbeg grabbed a deserved winner on 80 minutes, following a barnstorming run once again by Kevin O Hanlon and it was Josh Allen who shot home low to the Strand Utd net, his second goal of the game, to grab all three points for Corkbeg.