Rangers' cup dream shattered by 'Glass

Newington Rgs 6

(after extra time and penalties)

OUTGOING manager Stuart Pike didn't quite manage to leave Newington Rangers with the parting gift of the Supplementary Cup, but they came so desperately close, only losing out to 1c champions Ardglass 5-3 on penalties after Friday night's final at Derriaghy had ended up all square at 3 apiece at the end of extra time.

As Stuart said afterwards: "It's never a nice way to lose, but well done Ardglass, they probably showed why they are champions. For us, it was just not to be and maybe it's a small consolation that we played as well as we did.

“People came up after the game saying it was one of the best finals they had seen in the Amateur League, both sides played good football, and it must justify the decision to grant the clubs Intermediate status.

“For the first half-hour, it's proba, in my opinion, it was neither a foul nor even inside the box.

"While it would have been better to have won the cup, at least getting to a final isn't a bad way to bring the curtain down on four years at the club.”

Newington made the early running, deservedly taking the lead on 15 minutes thanks to a 25-yard special from midfielder Johnny Gilliland.

Rangers looked comfortable, with Paul McCann, Geordie Lynn and Christopher Shimmon all going close to strengthening their grip, but Ardglass were tossed a lifeline on 25 minutes, when referee Peter McGrath pointed to the spot.

Back came Newington, regaining the initiative thanks to the predatory instincts of leading marksman Shimmon, following up after McCann's initial effort had been blocked.

Ardglass restored parity right on half-time, courtesy of a low free kick which bounced over the diving Gary McClune.

Rangers edged back in front again just three minutes after the turnaround, with Lynn slipping the ball to Shimmon to thunder into the top corner for his 24th of the season – and he only opened his account in mid-November, following his on-loan move from Carrick Rangers.

Ten minutes later, Newington failed to clear their defensive lines, allowing a forward to prod the ball past keeper McClune.

In that second half, it was Ardglass who had perhaps grounds to grumble, with three goals cancelled out for offside – one of the decisions being somewhat debatable.

And so into extra time, where Newington had the better of the first session with Phil Thompson bringing out the best in the ‘Glass netminder, before being deprived by a last-ditch block by a defender, just when he looked set to hammer the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

While Ardglass maybe edged the second period of extra time, it was Rangers who came closest when only a crucial challenge by a defender denied Shimmon his hat trick.

And so into the shootout, where the defining moment came with Newington's third penalty, where Gilliland's shot was superbly saved by the keeper.

Ardglass, having gone first, had scored four out of four and so it was match point to the champions as they stepped up to take their fifth kick. While keeper McClune did well to get a hand to the ball, force overcame anticipation and he could only help it on its way into the net.

There was thus no need for Geordie Lynn to take Rangers' final kick. Scoring from the spot for Newington were Ryan Cardwell, Raymond Hammond and Christopher Shimmon.

And finally, Newington Rangers would like to sincerely thank Marie and Davy Comer of the Blue Circle Club for the chips laid on afterwards.

Newington Rangers; McClune – Bell, Hammond, Cardwell – Paul Thompson, Brownlee (Moran), Gilliland, Lynn, J Thompson (Devenney) – McCann (Phil Thompson), Shimmon.