Old Bawn advance in Mill Cup after Ballyowen victory

Old Bawn booked their place in the UCFL MMI Cup quarter final after seeing off the challenge of Ballyowen Celtic, on a 4-2 scoreline in Aylesbury Park last Saturday, reports John Mooney.

The Bawn turned on the style in the second half of this tie to score three times without reply, after going in at the break trailing 2-1.

They started brightly enough and scored after 18 minutes through Leon Robinson, when he slotted home from six yards after Cillian Bates set him up.

But it was the visitors who took control after that setback and they levelled the tie on 27 minutes, through Callum McGowan with a cracking volley after a Niall Kelly centre.

Two minutes later it was almost 2-1 for the Celts, but John Lowry saw his effort from 25 yards crash off the crossbar and away to safety.

However, they did take the lead in the 35th minute when a free kick from just outside the area caused confusion in the home defence and Michael Coll bundled the ball home.

On the balance of play Ballyowen were deserved leaders, but that all changed in the second half when the home side came out and started on the front foot.

Within seven minutes of the restart they were on level terms, when Lewis Talbot found the net after Bates created the chance.

Ballyowen Celtic couldn’t hold on to a 2-1 lead they had at half time against Old Bawn FC

It was nicely set up now at 2-2, the game opened up and the best chance fell to Adam Scully of Ballyowen on 75 minutes, when he went one on one with keeper Conor Keating but the net minder came out on top when denying him a goal.

It was a missed chance that came back to haunt them eight minutes later, when Bates got the goal he deserved for his performance on the day to make it 3-2.

It was a setback and one that the Celts went about rectifying by chasing the game but, unfortunately for them, they were caught out in the 91st minute when Alan McCabe made it 4-2 to the Bawn to book their place in the last eight

OLD BAWN FC: Conor Keating, Kyle Deegan, David Slevin, Conor Lyons, Grant Perry, Callum Best, Leon Robinson, Nathan Osborne, Cian Bates, Ross Hitchings, Ryan Callery, Lewis Talbot, Alan McCabe, Billy Prout.

BALLYOWEN CELTIC: Eoghan O’Neill, Daragh Moore, Thomas Gough, lan Moore, Ciaran Fortune, Conor Shortt, Aidan O’Neill, Niall Kelly, John Lowry, Michael Coll, Calum McGowan, Alan Hardiman, Gary Philpott, Adam Scully, Robert Madden, Andrew O’Donnell, Joshua Power.