The Star crashed out of the Junior Cup on Saturday to Ballymena side Carniny Rangers. It was the Stars first defeat of the season and it couldn't have came at a worse time. In a first half to forget for the Star it was the home side that settled the quicker as their tricky wingers where giving the Star's back line a few problems. From a throw in on the right flank Captain Sean Brown tried to tackle his marker just inside the Star's penalty area but unfortunately he miss- timed his tackle and brought the Carniny player down for a stone wall penalty. The same player picked himself up and slotted the ball home to give the home side the lead. The Star couldn't be faulted for their effort but it was just the quality on the ball that was missing which was very unlike the Ardoyne men. Brown nearly made amends for his penalty blunder when he got on the end of a Ciaran Reid corner but his diving header was stopped on the line by his brother Paul who in all honestly couldn't do anything about it.

H/T 1-0

After a stern talking to from Manager Hawkins at half time the Star came out fighting as they tried to claw back the one goal deficit. Sean Brown went close on a number of occasions, most notably when he clipped the home side's bar from 25 yards out after a great run. Lawrence Toner came on to bolster the Star's attack and he gave the Carniny's defence a torrid time with his pace, power and experience upfront. Next to go close for the Star was Paul Brown when he got on the end of a McAlea cross but his headed effort came agonisingly of the post when everyone on the pitch thought it was in. Ciaran Reid then sent a smashing free kick of the under side of the bar from 30 yards out and it was then that the Star new it wasn't going to be their day. Five minutes from the end Carniny got the killer second goal when Sean Brown failed to clear his line's from a corner and somehow their forward bundled the ball over the line to finish of any hopes the Star had of a comeback.

The Star have been drawn against fellow 2A side Ford in the Semi Finals of the junior shield on the 16th March @ the Junior Stadium.

Next week the Star are away to Grange Rangers in the Clarence cup, Kick Off 2:00pm

Team: Thompson, O'Reilly, McAlea, Nellis, Burns, Mooney, S.Brown, Reid, Braniff, P.Brown, Gormley

Subs: Toner, Hawkins, Whelan, Keenan