Competitive action kicks off this weekend, the dawn of a new season that will hopefully have a happier end than last campaign.
Queen’s, new members of the Premier Intermediate League following their relegation from the Championship in 2021/22, are Bangor’s opponents in the first round of the Irish Cup at Clandeboye Park this Saturday.
They are Northern Ireland’s highest-ranking university side – and the majority of the playing squad is made up of students of the institution.
Founded in 1910, they have offered a footballing education on the pitch for over a century. A founder member of the Amateur League, the past couple of decades in particular have seen performance-related highs with their ascension to the Irish League.
In 2014, they shocked everyone with a stunning run to the Irish Cup semifinals – upsetting the then second-tier Seasiders in the last-eight to get there – while in 2018 they won the Intermediate Cup, a regularly unpredictable competition where upsets are commonplace and it takes nerve to see through until the end.
in 2018/19 they achieved promotion to the Championship for the first time in their history, and in 2020 they pulled off an all-time great result by defeating record champions Linfield 3-2 in the Irish Cup fifth round.
2022 was a slightly more sobering year. They fought to the end for their second-tier place, but ultimately their plight proved unsuccessful.
With their promotion to the Championship came Senior status for a historical first as well. Upon their relegation after a tussling fight with Knockbreda for a last-chance playoff showdown, they are back at an intermediate level.
Despite twice taking the lead on the final day at The Dub against Ards, the visitors prevailed with a 2-3 win. A win was pretty essential to their survival hopes, plus Breda would need to slip up. Their cross-city rivals were defeated by Institute 2-1 at the Brandywell, but at no expense to their 11th-place position in the table.
Bangor won out in a dramatic final Premier Intermediate League match against Armagh City, and that set up the Breda showdown.
The dramatic scenes of the Seasiders sending the ground into raptures with a quickfire double at the death will never be forgotten. From 0-2 down and a mountainous two-goal deficit to overturn on their own patch to 2-2, back on a level pegging with wind in the sails.
Yet what followed the conflicting feel of despondency in the return, and frustration of not finishing the job at Breda Park.
That was then, though. The job couldn’t be finished, but it still remains unfinished. While it is still a week and a half before the new PIL season gets under way at home to Distillery, laying down a marker from the outset against Queen’s is an important aim – especially as they will be hungry to make a straight bounce-back.
They are a good footballing side, likely to field a lot of energetic young assets, and with universities and colleges across Northern Ireland placing more focus on football-related courses and on-pitch education, a stern examination (pardon the pun) can be expected.
Bangor enter this match on the back of a 0-3 home defeat to Larne on the final match of a fun pre-season adventure.
The Inver Reds fielded a strong team. The majority of starters one would expect to see in the lineup for their Premiership opener on home soil to Glentoran on Friday night.
Media speculation had it listed that new arrival from Cliftonville Paul O’Neill – whose final goal for the Reds turned out to be in their 4-0 defeat of Bangor at Solitude – would be paired up with winter arrival Lee Bonis. On the basis of last Saturday, their sources are pretty good as the ex-Portadown line-leader was joined by O’Neill in a second-striker role.
Fellow new arrivals like former Ballymena United captain Leroy Millar and fellow ex-Cliftonville ace Aaron Donnelly were also in from the start. Larne lined up in a 4-4-2 formation that at times morphed to a 4-3-3, with Millar and Ben Doherty slightly wider.
The visitors hit the ground running early. An early penalty was awarded against the Seasiders after a goal-mouth scramble, Doherty stepped up and the ex-Coleraine man showed steel under pressure to convert past Marc Orbinson in goal.
The goals would not be added to before the half. Larne’s approach was interesting – their link-up play along the ground was methodical and composed, but their switch-flicks to turn the tempo up were mainly instigated by more direct balls.
The Bangor backline had to keep sharp. Bonis often pulled to the flanks as a leading focal-point, and with his strength under pressure and ability to link up the team in the final third, his skills are not the sort of thing you leave untended.
With his arrival fee reported at around £100,000 initially – a figure which caused a famous stir – he is best not to be isolated against.
Meanwhile, O’Neill stayed closer to the centre while Bonis pulled out. With the support of experienced campaigner Tomás Cosgrove, who was involved in one of the most intriguing duels of the match against Jamie Glover, the 23-year-old former Ports and Northern Ireland Under-21 international was able to keep it settled.
The Seasiders’ defence still did solid work. They kept deep, and remained cool-headed when the Invermen tried to take players on.
Half time arrived with the score at 0-1. Solid work against a full-time opponent with not too many chances at either end.
That is not to say Larne rested on their laurels. As the sun showed its head, after a quiet first half Millar rattled the woodwork from distance five minutes into the second.
It was not an isolated method. Doherty, already one up, went one better than the former Sky Blues skipper and found the net from a similar angle on the hour. From around 25 yards, he hit a delicious drive into the top left corner, although Orbinson will have felt frustrated that he could not keep it out after getting a hand behind it.
The ex-Bannsider was and is a class act, though. Larne are said to have paid a handsome amount for his services too.You can see why with the energy he brings.
His strike was shortly followed by a third, a back-post header from a corner by Albert Watson. He likewise is a valuable resource to manager Tiernan Lynch for his experience, with Donnelly in line to learn under him as Kofi Balmer – who just sealed a momentous cross-water move to Crystal Palace – did last season.
Where the visitors had already asserted their control, they turned up the intensity a bit in their off-ball work. Watson and Donnelly looked assured as a centre back pair, and in truth the Bangor frontline could not get many good looks at goal.
At full time, it finished 0-3. Lynch will have been happy with how his squad acquainted themselves and found a way to win.
It was 0-5 in the Irish Cup in January, where it was a more open contest and the prowess of Ronan Hale punished the Seasiders, and the defensive structure held up pretty well even if chances were at more of a premium. There were good combinations in places, but facing up to a top-class side who reflect the professional model they operate with on and off the pitch, they’ve got the skill to make inroads against anyone.
The conclusion of that match marked the end of pre-season. Both teams will walk into their respective games this weekend feeling ready to make a mark.
Of course, Larne’s premature end to their second European adventure means it is no secret they want to start on the front foot against the Glens.
For Bangor, every game at this stage is a lesson, and now against Queen’s they will put what they have learned this off-season to the test. This time last year, it had been 18 months since the Seasiders had played competitively, with Covid-19 putting the landscape on hold.
Now is the time for the team to make another impression felt and to push for promotion as best they can. Everyone is chomping at the bit to start anew.
On Saturday, it would be optimal facing up to a tough opponent to secure cup progression and set the account from the start.
A reminder also that season tickets remain available from the press box next to the players’ entrance and exit to the pitch. The amount of season ticket holders is growing year on year, and the club would love this trend to continue.
They assure you entry to all home league matches that the senior team play this term, as well as all home Reserves matches too. It is £80 for adults and £45 for concessions, available to you if you are aged between 16-18 or over 65. Under-16s are free of charge.
Bangor Ladies have also been in action. They were defeated away to Lisburn Rangers as the push for a 3rd-place finish goes on. Many congratulations to the hosts, whose victory at Stanley Park means they have secured promotion to the Championship next season.
The club has also unveiled two new arrivals. After spending the pre-season on trial with the Seasiders, 21-year-old Bradley Lyttle and 19-year-old CJ Sullivan have been signed permanently to bolster Lee Feeney’s options in midfield.
Lyttle, formerly of Ballymena United, and Sullivan, an ex-Glenavon under-age captain, both add good pedigree to the team going forward.
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