Ballinamallard seal Premiership status after last-gasp winner against Institute

In a the dramatic 94th minute, a corner from Cathal Beacom was flicked into his own net by central defender Mark Stoltock. It was a cruel blow to a young Institute side who had taken the lead three times in the game.

They opened the scoring after just 16 minutes when Dunne’s shot from the corner of the penalty box crept just inside the far post after a slight deflection.

But Ballinamallard drew level three times and all from set pieces. The first came on 21 minutes when Friars rose high to head home a great McCartney free kick.

Before the half hour ‘Stute were ahead again. This time McCrudden skipped down the flank to deliver for Brown to guide home at the near post.

Mallards levelled 16 minutes into the second half when Lafferty was pulled down in the box and Beacom delivered from the spot kick.

A minute later though they were behind again when a rasping shot from McGinty sailed into the top corner past Rouse.

The game looked dead and buried and Institute were on their way to the top flight, until the corner delivery from Beacom had them backtracking and it was Stoltock who was unfortunate enough to head into his own net.

Ballinamallard United: Rouse, Morris, Dykes, Friars, Feeney, McCartney, Beacom, Currie, Campbell, Lafferty, McKenna

Subs: McMenamin, Smith, Owens, McIlwaine, Brownlee

Institute: Gallagher, O’Donnell, Morrow, McLaughlin, Stoltock, C. Harkin, Dunne, A. Harkin, Brown, McGinty, McCrudden

Subs: Hume, Jarvis, McIntyre, Connolly, Muldooon

Referee: Raymond Hetherington

Ballinamallard manager Whitey Anderson was elated after the dramatic finish.

“I don’t think you can put that into words. It was incredible for everyone at the football club,” he said.

“There is so much relief for everyone around here tonight. It has been a long season,” he said.

“I want to pay the utmost credit to my players.”

“The game was end to end and you could see the two teams hadn’t played a lot. It was very hard for both sets of players tonight. It was the case of they went ahead and we came back. We kept going to the very end.

. What they have been through in the last seven or eight weeks has been immeasurable. Their lives have been turned upside down.”

He criticised Carrick Rangers for their incompetence and the inability of the IFA to have the correct processes in place for disciplinary matters.