The game was - in the first half at least - an exciting, open affair.

Ballymena opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Austin Friel's corner was powerfully headed home from 15 yards by Paul Brown.

But Limavady were level within five minutes, however, when Ryan Semple, on the right flank, outsmarted Darren Murphy and his cross was converted from close-range by Stephen Parkhouse.

Tommy Wright's side regained the lead on 32 minutes. Mark Picking's effort to cross from the right flank was shut off and the winger instead came inside onto his left foot and crossed for Kelbie to somehow out-jump keeper Alan Ryan and head home.

Remarkably, Limavady were back on level terms just three minutes later when Semple cut through the United defence and although keeper Paul Murphy kept out the winger's effort with his foot, the ball fell to Stephen Lowry who fired home the loose ball off the inside of the post.

And six minutes before the break, the visitors went in front for the first time when Martin Cutmore's deflected free kick beat Murphy and ended up in the bottom corner.