Shamrock through to semi-finals

Press, 20 August 1984, Page 26

Shamrock through to semi-finals

The Shamrock soccer team clinched a place in the semifinals of the English Cup with a 2-0 win against Buniaale at Burnside Park on Saturday. Shamrock looked dangerous from the start of the match and only some fine goalkeeping by Burndale’s Neville Petrie kept Shamrock goalless for most of the first half. It was Shamrock’s John Boyle who broke the drought after 35 minutes of play. He was rewarded for some good following up when a shot rebounded to him off the post. Bumdale’s defenders were caught flat-footed and Boyle had time to control the ball and drive it into the back of the net. Boyle was again on hand to score Shamrock’s second goal 15 minutes into the second half. Shamrock’s at-

tackers controlled the ball close to Bumdale’s goal for _ several minutes, looking for an opening, and just when it looked as if they would lose possession Boyle turned, found a gap in the defence, and shot hard into the goal. Bumdale seldom threatened Shamrock’s goal in the second half and the game coasted on to a deserved victory for Shamrock. New Brighton had an im : pressive 3-0 win against Western at Queen Elizabeth ft Park and now leads group one of the competition. Western made most of the play in the first 20 minutes through its front runners, Paul Laffey and Jeremy Bendall, but through some sloppy ball work in front of the goal it failed to score. New Brighton asserted itself

more towards the end of the half but looked as if it too would squander its chances. John McGuire had an early chance when he ran through the defence, saw the ’keeper off his line, and ■ chipped the ball. The shot drifted over the ’keeper but also outside the goal. It was McGuire, however, who scored New Brighton’s first goal after 32 minutes when a clearance from Western’s defence was mis-kicked. New Brighton scored again only two minutes later with a goal by Greg Clark, who combined with McGuire to beat the Shamrock goal-keeper, Steve Payne. The game was all New Brighton’s from then on and McGuire scored his second, and New Brighton’s third goal,

mid-way through the second half with a lofted drive over the ’keeper. In the third game of the day, Halswell United beat a lacklustre Christchurch United reserve team, 2-1, at Halswell Domain. With five national league players United should have had no trouble dealing with Halswell but through stout defence the score was locked at 1-1 at half-time. Derek Jones scored for Halswell after 18 minutes but Paul Hillis equalised five minutes later with a fine volley through Halswell’s defence. . Halswell scored the deciding goal, from the penalty spot, just two minutes into the second half when Mike Cowan was brought down. Malcolm Williams made no mistake

with his shot GROUP ONE

In premier grade cup matches on Saturday Cashmere beat High School Old Boys, 6-1, New Brighton and Rangiora drew, 0-0, Riccarton and Rangers drew, 2-2, and Shamrock beat Western, 2-1.

Brighton Cashmere P 3 3 W 2 2 D IF A Pt 1 1 0 9 2 0 8 4 7 7 SthCanty 3 2 <0 1 5 4 6 Nomads 4 1 ifl 3 3 10 3 Western 3 0 0 3 3 10 0 GROUP TWO P W D L F A Pt Shamrock 4 4 0 0 12 4 12 ChchUtd 4 2 0 2 7 6 6 HaJswell 4 2 0 2 4 3 6 Rangers 4 2 . 0 2 6 8 6 Technical 4 2 0 2 3 8 6 Barndale 4 0 0 4 1 6 0