Villa 1; Ferrybank 0
No matter how hard they try, Ferrybank just cannot record their 2nd league victory of the season and on Sunday last they lost their 8th game in the current campaign and as a result they remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just 6 points from 12 games played.
It is a paltry total of points for a side which almost won the title last season. Their average of a goal a game (12 from 12) is not good and to make matters worse time is running out on them in their quest to stay in the top flight.
They have six games left to get the points required, starting with an away game against Tramore on Saturday night.
Villa scored their first goal in four games and that goal was enough to win a contest that failed to set the world alight. The win will however have worked wonders for the Connors Park outfit as they begin to look forward to the Ardagh Cup.
Villa carved out the first chance of the game when Declan Woodgate got in a cross from the left. Declan Furlong of Villa and the Ferrybank goalkeeper Sean Phelan tussled for the ball which ran lose but defender Niall Walsh cleared the danger.
Shortly afterwards Mark Dalton, the Ferrybank wide player took a free from the right which was met by Richard Gaffney but his header struck the top of the Villa crossbar.
Ferrybank went on the attack again after 13 minutes with Kevin Roche picking out Peter Murphy but he shot over the crossbar from a pretty good position. Ferrybank were enjoying a good spell at that stage with Sean Flynn getting plenty of possession in the middle of the park.
However it was the home side who broke the deadlock on 41 minutes. Ian Cantwell played the ball forward and when Ferrybank players Richard Gaffney and Darren Lyons failed to clear, Ian Tilson took full advantage and he struck the ball low past Sean Phelan.
Conor McDonald sent over a corner kick for the home side 5 minutes into the second period which was met by Ian Tilson but Niall Walsh headed the ball off the goal-line. Ferrybank did their best to try and get an equaliser but their best chance arrived after 85 minutes.
Shane Mallon got to the endline and pulled the ball back to John O’Byrne who picked out Richard Gaffney but he headed straight at the Villa goalkeeper Cian O’Brien.
Not a good day then for Ferrybank and they will be hoping that their luck will change in Graun Park on Saturday night next.
Villa: Cian O’Brien, Niall Henneberry, Eoin Ginnety, Declan Furlong, Ian O’Sullivan, Des Mullett, Ian Cantwell, Paul Omotoso, Ian Tilson, Conor McDonald, Declan Woodgate.
Ferrybank: Sean Phelan, Richard Gaffney, Niall Walsh, Richard Gaffney, Darren Lyons, Brian Mallon, John O’Byrne, Sean Flynn, Peter Murphy, Kevin Roche, Mark Dalton. Sub: Shane Mallon for Dalton (62 mins)
Referee: John Purcell.
