County Armagh picked up a fine Supercup NI premier section bowl victory over local rivals County Tyrone at a rainy Clough in Ballymena.
Armagh started the better of the two and could have been ahead on three minutes when Cathal McGinty linked up with Ben Davison before he fired just wide of goal. Ryan Leeman then thought he had broken the deadlock as his long-range shot whistled just over the Tyrone crossbar.
Tyrone then settled and if it wasn’t for Armagh defender Mark Lucas they would have been ahead as Sean Graham worked his way into the box before his effort was well blocked by the defender.
In an entertaining end to end game Adam Pollock was forced into a superb low save to keep out a Tom Weir drive from the edge of the box. Tyrone then created another good opening as Jamie Burke hit a powerful drive from twenty-five yards out before Armagh keeper Tyler Boyce made a superb flying save to the right tipping the ball away from the danger zone.
Lee Upton then thought he had put Antrim into the lead as he latched onto the end of a Pablo Andrade cross before he thumped his header just wide of the target from point blank range.
On the stroke of half-time Boyce was called into action once again as he made a good save to keep out George Currans effort after he skipped around the Antrim defence working his way into the box.
It was Armagh who started the second half the better as man of the match Mark Lucas drove forward before he crossed low for Oisin Smyth but he slid his effort just wide of goal after Pollock had closed him down.
Smyth then found himself with another opening two minutes later as he connected well with a Weir cross but fired just over the crossbar. However Antrim did grab their well-deserved lead on 58 minutes as Smyth hit a sweet freekick from the edge of the box after Adam Bishop brought down Leeman from the edge of the area.
This saw Tyrone pick up their game and they were nearly level as the impressive substitute Andrew Scott who applies his club football at Maiden City weaved his way through the Antrim defence before seeing his drive kept out by Boyce.
David Harvey’s Tyrone side were close to an equaliser when Tyler Anderson saw his effort once again well saved by the impressive Boyce as he tipped the ball away from the target.
However Tyrone did grab their equaliser after brilliant work from Scott that saw him beat the Antrim defence before he pulled the ball across to the onrushing attacker who planted the ball into the empty net with ease.
With time running out Tyrone thought they had grabbed their second when Scott picked out Curran but he scooped his effort over the crossbar at the back post.
With three minute to go the Orchard county grabbed their winner when Smyth Grabbed his second as he latched onto a corner to head the ball into the net past the despairing dive of Pollock.
Credit, Joshua Bunting @Distillerymad