The Steel and Sons Cup. The pinnacle of Intermediate competition in Northern Ireland. A tournament which Bangor have not hidden their intent to win for the time they have played in the third-tier and below.
Last year’s journey left a bittersweet taste. It is a trophy every team wants to have in their cabinet. The Seasiders already had a few, and hopes were high of adding to it last year. Alas, in a cold, dark night in north Belfast, it ended despondently. Now the quest to go a couple of steps further begins with a possibly slippery away trip.
Bangor entered last year’s Steel and Sons – one of the oldest cup competitions in the British Isles, dating back to the late 19th Century – with real hope of replicating a decade-old feat.
Under Frankie Wilson’s tutelage, the traditional Christmas Day showpiece was won. Well, in this case Christmas Eve, as the 25th fell on a Sunday.
Larne were the opponents. A very different beast now, but back then it is fair to say it was a more level playing field. The match was always going to be finely-poised, and with a bit of rivalry and history sprinkled into the mix, the potential was there for thrills and spills.
However, Bangor navigated some rocky waters to land safely to shore. First half finishes from Gareth McLaughlin and future manager Garth Scates set the side on the road to glory, with the Inver Reds only able to later halve the deficit in the second stanza. A 2-1 win at full time granted Wilson his first trophy in management.
“The atmosphere was absolutely unbelievable and it’s as good a crowd as Crusaders will see at Seaview,” the current Banbridge Town boss reflected.
“Fair play to Larne too, they brought the majority of the crowd and – even though they went home disappointed – they brought a lot to the occasion.”
An attendance in the realm of 3,000 flocking down certainly speaks to what it means. A cup final is a cup final is a cup final. It is an occasion to cherish, the chance to stake these out. The chance to bask in delight or be left brokenhearted, feelings Bangor fans are naturally acclimatised to.
It is a bit of a Northern Irish niche to have a Christmas Day spectacle. As it is to have a Boxing Day programme full to the brim of regional rivalries – which Bangor aspire to have before too long with Ards. To be involved in that is never something supporters say no to.
A decade on, they sought to repeat the trick. Where in the 2011 semifinal they availed of extra time to overcome Shankill United 3-1, it proved the team’s undoing at Seaview this time around, with ex-Bangor line-leader Dáire Rooney proving Newington’s ace in the pack.
The Ton prevailed 5-3 in a ding-dong battle in the first of two last-four match-ups, with substitute striker Rooney bagging both their goals in the additional 20 minutes.
It gave a great sense of deflation. After going down 2-0 early, Michael Halliday and a Ryan Arthur brace – the second of which was a superb half-turned volley – totally turned the tide. Richard Gowdy struck from the back-post to level it at 3-3 and from then the wind was in their sails. Rooney made their advantage count after Jonathon Doey was red-carded.
Lee Feeney has made no secret that this is a competition he wants to win. There is no doubt of Bangor’s capabilities. They can win it.
As an example of the profile the Steel and Sons brings, winning goalscorer for Newington in the final against Linfield Swifts (who defeated Distillery the following night) Aodhán Gillen earned a Premiership move to Carrick Rangers in the summer off-season. It was a stunning solo effort with superb close-control to evade a few challenges and complete a finish of calm and composure.
Carrick mentioned it in their club statement. It must have been an important consideration – as well, of course, as his role in helping the green-shirted Solitude outfit earn second-tier promotion as league champions.
The chance for youth sides of Premiership and Championship sides to compete for such a prestigious prize is also an undoubted benefit. That technically-gifted Swifts side by then comprised the likes of Callum Marshall – now acing it for West Ham’s youth setup as part of a growing Northern Irish contingent that was recently added to with Coleraine’s Patrick Kelly – and Andrew Clarke, who scored for the Blues senior side in a 4-0 win in their Premiership opener against Portadown last week.
Beforehand, all of Trai Hume (the team captain), Dale Taylor and Charlie Allen were involved in Linfield’s 2019 win over Newington. It gave a taste of revenge to Ton‘s victory this time around.
There is an attraction to any participating outfit who goes far into this tournament, be it a youth or Intermediate team. There is a lot of respectability to it.
It also offers the chance for slip-ups. Feeney has made it clear that if Bangor are complacent against Greenisland, they could get their wrists burned. After receiving a bye through the first round, this year’s adventure begins at the second stage.
Armagh City, last season’s 3rd-place side and who pushed the Seasiders all the way for the playoff spot, learned that the hard way when Willowbank of Division 1C of the Amateur League disposed of them in the Irish Cup first round last week. They were one of six Premier Intermediate League sides to be eliminated, and Bangor’s progression incidentally grants them a home tie against Strabane Athletic in mid-September in the second round.
Greenisland, who are located between Belfast and Carrickfergus, are in the same division as Willowbank. They count new Leicester City captain Jonny Evans, a likely Northern Ireland centurion before the year is out, among their alumni. They are well-respected as a developer of young local talent.
“They are a very capable side and we will treat them with the respect they deserve,” Feeney told the County Down Spectator this week.
While he singled out goalkeeper Marc Orbinson and centre backs Ryley D’Sena and Ryan Arthur for praise, he believes the team as a collective are capable of doing even better display-wise.
“We were just a bit sloppy with possession and didn’t do enough with the ball,” he added.
“But that will come as the new faces settle in and we get a bit of rhythm.
“While we weren’t at our best, we did deserve the win.”
He elaborated on the controversial call to disallow Karl Devine’s would-be deadlock-breaker, feeling that it was in fact the right decision.
“From where I was standing the ball looked out, and if we were on the receiving end of a decision like that at the other end, I’d have been furious,” he said.
It feels like Feeney is pushing his squad to take it up a gear. It was a fellow third-tier side the Seasiders defeated, one newly-demoted to this level and who will be keen to get back up as soon as possible. The side as a whole has a high ceiling, but he doesn’t want them to take it easy on anyone. He wants them firing on all cylinders, game in, game out.
Spirits are good in the side and application of the system on the pitch is yielding promise. Feeney considers the performances as important as the results. While it is an asset to win without being on peak form as he implies here and there abundantly were positives to take from the plight, it is not a strategy he will rest on. His standards are high, the players’ standards are high, the collective aim is mutual. Fight the best fight for the top aims of promotion and cups.
Greenisland will prove a stern test – and should the Seasiders advance, it is set to be a full rapsheet of away days in this competition.
Away from home comforts, the team will want to put in a strong performance ahead of the league opener against Lisburn Distillery at Clandeboye Park next Wednesday evening.
An in-form start is vital to any successful season. It was a front-footed beginning against Queen’s, but the season is decided on the marathon rather than the sprint. This trip is an excellent chance to continue this kick-started momentum.
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