Delight for high-flying Parkvilla as they secure Premier spot
They are back in the big time. Parkvilla clinched promotion to the NEFL Premier Div when they defeated OMP 3-2 before a big crowd at St Mary's Park today.
The visitors produced the better football over a longer period of time to claim their victory and a place in the top flight.
This was Parkvilla's first season in the NEFL Div 1 and after shipping a early defeat to Torro they pushed on to get the results they needed to ensure they will be in the Premier next season.
The side managed by Derek Coogan and his assistant Mervyn Ennis went for goals from the start and they took the lead early on with a spectacular strike from Ciaran Rogers on the edge of the box after the OMP defence failed to clear.
OMP looked very vulnerable in those early stages and they leaked another goal, this time scored by Jamie Blake. OMP briefly created the impression they might mount a comeback when Michael Brennan directed the ball to the net from close range but immediately afterwards Parkvilla got a third when Pierce Challenger directed the ball home. It stayed 3-1 at the break.
In the second-half OMP enjoyed plenty of possession without managing to make a breakthrough until near the end when Joe Garvey turned the ball into the Parkvilla net from close range. However, there was to be no more goals and Parkvilla celebrated their promotion at the final whistle. There were nine bookings in a real derby encounter.
Action from today's NEFL Div 1 game between Parkvilla and OMP.