Oran Kearney insists Ballymena United penalty miss 'not the end of the world' after Irish League stalemate
Ballymena United manager Oran Kearney insists Igor Rutkowski’s penalty miss during their Premiership stalemate with Bangor “is not the end of the world” as his side extended an unbeaten run to six matches.
Rutkowski has enjoyed a dream start to life with the Sky Blues since joining from Armagh City in January, scoring 11 goals in 14 league games, and has been lethal from the spot.
However, the 21-year-old was denied just five minutes into Wednesday’s fixture at The Showgrounds, which ultimately ended 0-0.
With Ballymena and Bangor both guaranteed Premiership status next season and Carrick Rangers securing the final European play-off position, the pair are able to see out their respective campaigns without consequence.
They’re in a race with Portadown to finish eighth with two matches left to play, but Kearney wasn’t concerned by Rutkowski’s miss.
"They’ve had a few good chances in the first half but we’ve had some too,” he told the club’s media channel. “I suppose the penalty is the big moment which would really get us up and running.
"As I said to Igor, if there was ever a penalty to miss then it’s probably that one. When you look at Saturday and the pressure, and other penalties he has hit this season, they were ones we really, really needed.
"Now that the pressure is off the guys...it would have been great to get moving ahead in the game, but it’s not the end of the world.”
The final stage of this season will offer both Kearney and Lee Feeney an opportunity to hand minutes to young players as they look to take the next step in their development.
Kearney gave 17-year-old Adam Sullivan his Premiership debut from the start while fellow teenager Thomas Duffin was introduced off the bench.
Ballymena will finish their home schedule with a clash against Portadown on Saturday and Kearney anticipates further changes will be made.
"It’s so different and tough for both teams – their drive, like ours, has been trying to acquire points, get out of the mix at the bottom and get that safety,” he added. “We’ve both probably done that around the same time.
"You can see in both teams there was a huge amount of changes for Bangor and for us. If we needed to go again tonight, we would have went again tonight, but we’ve four or five players who have been playing patched up and ideally didn’t need to take the risk.
"When you make so many changes to both teams, it ends up helter-skelter like it was at times, but also that lack of understanding between the players with a lot of guys who are rusty.
"There was a bit of everything in the game...we have to take a point and move on.”