Saints sink Barn as Sharples heads off down under

United manager Jim Pherson lamented afterwards: “It’s hard to get two 3G pitches the same. On this one, the ball bounced really high and, of course, St Luke’s were used to playing on it. They were very direct, getting the ball forward early with two outstanding midfielders. They didn’t let us settle and were always ‘in our face’. But we were poor, our passing was poor and we just couldn’t get going. ”

Barn had the first real opening on 15 minutes when Andy Kane was just about to pull the trigger when he was robbed by a well-timed challenge by a home defender.

Ten minutes later, St Luke’s were in front.

Adam Boyce took the wrong option instead of going up the line, and he was dispossessed by the lively right winger, feeding the home number 10 who gave keeper Stephen Brennan no chance whatsoever.

Barn had more possession in the second session, although they struggled to trouble a disciplined St Luke’s defence. Granted, there were some chances, such as when Kane shuddered one off the left-hand post, while John Mathers forced a fine save out of the home keeper.

The Carrick boys had thrown caution to the wind, forcing a series of corners only to get caught on the counter attack, with a slight suspicion of offside about St Luke’s breakaway second, six minutes from time.

Barn were reduced to 10 men just before the close with the wholehearted Darren McKinty, on as a second-half substitute for Neil Lammey, shown a second yellow for an over enthusiastic challenge.

The Twinbrook side compounded Barn’s misery with a third goal two minutes into stoppage time.

It’s farewell (for the rest of this season anyway) to Barn’s talisman striker Nicky Sharples, who is off ‘down under’ for at least a three-month spell. Nicky was made captain on Friday night and boss Pherson admitted: “He will be a big loss. He’s been a big part of many of the teams I’ve had - even going back to our Kilroot days. But everyone at Barn wishes him all the best and hope that it all works out for him.”