Heartbreak for Institute as Ballymena United celebrate Premiership survival

BALLYMENA United left it late but two goals in the final 12 minutes against Championship runners-up Institute at Warden Street ensured the Sky Blues' Premiership status for 2024/25.

Both teams ended a dramatic tie with 10 men as match referee Keith Kennedy sent off both 'Stute midfielder Oisin Devlin and later Ballymena defender Daithi McCallion for separate incidents.

Institute came into the match with a 1-0 advantage thanks to Danny Lafferty's stunning strike at Brandywell in the first leg and Kevin Deery's troops looked on course for a first return to the top flight since 2020.

However, Devlin's sending off with 15 minutes to go gave Ballymena the upper hand and within three minutes skipper Steven McCullough - making his 250th appearance for the club - curled in the equaliser from a free-kick.

Ballymena pushed for the winner and it arrived on 87 minutes when sub, Calvin McCurry beat the offside trap and lobbed the ball over the head of the advancing Fintan Doherty.

It was a cruel blow for brave 'Stute who were twice denied by big saves from goalkeeper Sean O'Neill in the first half.

Ex-Cliftonville boss Paddy McLaughlin was the last man to lead them to the top flight back in 2018 and they were controversially demoted to the second tier of the Irish League two years later during the Covid-hit 2020 campaign.

A mathematical formula was used to decide the final standings of the 2019/20 Premiership campaign and after an unsuccessful appeal, Institute faced up to their future in the Irish Championship.

The club's troubles weren't quite finished there as they failed to be granted elite status and went a full season without kicking a ball during the pandemic.

A rebuild was needed and following Connor and Brian Donaghy's respective tenures as managers, ex-Derry City captain and assistant manager Deery returned to the club with modest ambitions.

He inherited a team that flirted with relegation from the Championship in two successive campaigns and they proceeded to punch considerably above their weight.

However, they fell at the final hurdle and it's the third successive time Deery has taken the club to the brink of promotion.

Ballymena were celebrating on the night having been on the brink of falling through the relegation trap door for the first time since the mid-1990s.

Runners-up in the Irish Premiership in 2019 and Irish Cup finalists in 2023, it would've been a dramatic fall from grace for the Sky Blues but they emerged victorious in the end.

Caoimhin Porter, who was the player at the centre of the controversial penalty claim for a handball in the first leg, was given a talking to by the referee 60 seconds into the match after a robust challenge on former Derry City winger Mickey Place.

That set the tone for the match but 'Stute weren't turning up to defend their slender advantage and made headway into the Ballymena final third, forcing consecutive corners which ultimately came to nothing.

For all of the visitors' dominance it was the Premiership side who fashioned the best of the early chances.

At the other end, skipper Steven McCullough, making his 250th appearance for the Sky Blues, curled a free-kick narrowly wide of the post on seven minutes after Shaun Leppard fouled Fraser Taylor 25 yards from goal.

'Stute survived a real scare on 10 minutes when keeper Sean O'Neill launched it long and when Oisin Devlin misjudged the flight of the ball, McMurray gambled but with Fintan Doherty retreating into his area the United striker audaciously attempted to lob the 'Stute keeper from 40 yards but it bounced safely into his hands.

'Stute were denied twice by a smart double save from veteran keeper O'Neill on 22 minutes after a lovely build-up from midfield.

It was spread wide on the right to Porter who crossed towards Devlin and the Larne loanee's first time strike was parried clear by O'Neill. It fell kindly to the feet of Sean Carlin who reacted quickest but once again the experienced Ballymena stopper denied the visitors as he turned the close range effort behind for a corner.

McMurray got in behind Dylan King and squared it to Taylor who delayed his shot and with Doherty off his line Porter came to the rescue to clear the eventual strike off the line on 32 minutes.

From Donal Rocks' searching crossfield pass, McMurray's deflected pass found the feet of Taylor in space. The attacker dropped his shoulder to take himself away from Lafferty but with the goal at his mercy he fired well wide of the mark.

It was another let-off for 'Stute but the Brandywell-based outfit's 1-0 aggregate lead was intact at the break.

'Stute boss Deery was shown a yellow card by the referee after the whistle went for remonstrating with the official who he felt should've stopped play for a head injury sustained to defender Leppard moments earlier.

It was nip and tuck at the start of the second half but McMurray came close on 54 minutes with a strike on the volley from the edge of the area as he met Devlin's headed clearance.

O'Neill once again thwarted 'Stute when he saved King's towering header from Liam Mullan's inswinging corner kick on the hour mark. Lafferty couldn't get enough on his header at close range from the rebound.

Stute were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes to go when Devlin, who was walking a tight rope after an accumulation of fouls, dragged Taylor back to earn himself a second booking.

It was a needless foul and the beginning of a disastrous three minutes for 'Stute as Ballymena gained the upper hand.

Indeed the Sky Blues were level on aggregate on 78 minutes after a brilliantly struck free-kick from McCullough from the edge of the box left Doherty wrong-footed.

The Championship side were under the cosh and Ballymena substitute McCurry gave the home side the lead in the tie for the first time with three minutes to go as he neatly lobbed the ball over the head of the advancing Doherty from 12 yards.

Ballymena defender McCallion, on loan from Derry City, was shown a straight red for a reckless challenge in stoppage time.

From the resultant free-kick 'Stute keeper Doherty flicked it on and Leppard's strike on the turn went agonisingly wide of the far post.

It wasn't to be for 'Stute but Jim Ervin was celebrating survival in the end after a gutsy turnaround of fortunes from his team who can prepare for another season at the top table.

Ballymena: Sean O'Neill; Donal Rocks, Scott Whiteside, Steven McCullough, Fraser Taylor, Dylan Boyle, Sean Brown, Michael Place (Alex Gawne 68), Daithi McCallion, Noah Stewart; Jonathan McMurray (Calvin McCurry 79); Subs Not Used - Samuel Johnston, Andrew McGrory, Shea McAuley, Brendan Barr, James Hood.

Institute: Fintan Doherty; Caoimhin Porter, Shaun Leppard, Dylan King, Daniel Lafferty (Tiarnan McKinney 87); Sean Carlin (Evan Tweed h-t), Liam Mullan, Conor Quigley (Orrin McLaughlin 87), Oisin Devlin, Jamie Dunne (Shane McGinty 68); Michael Harris (Shane Boyle 76); Subs Not Used - Gareth Muldoon, Cormac Burke.

Referee - Keith Kennedy.