It’s that time again. The Steel and Sons Cup semi-final, a direct pathway to a major decider, a festive showpiece. Emotions swirl in the build-up to it, nerves no more palpable than when the ball is about to be rolled before the singing and shouting starts in the hope of giving your boys on the pitch a boost to glory.
For Bangor, in their second last-four showdown in as many seasons, there is the experience of navigating this pathway – both in the joy of victory and agony of defeat. For Ballymacash Rangers, this is a new setting, a first taste of a semi-final date in this esteemed competition. Two third-tier rivals fighting by the top of the division, only fine margins separate the sides and for that the shivers are heightened for reasons more than just the cold, uncomprising winter chills.
This time a year ago, the Seasiders had been embroiled in an end-to-end thriller against Newington in what was to be a losing endeavour.
It was chaotic. As the ‘Ton of north Belfast raced into an early two-goal lead, by the first half’s end the Yellows had conjured up the energy to peg it back level.
A couple of Reece Neale set-pieces yielded strikes from Michael Halliday and Ryan Arthur to leave it at 2-2, before the comeback was completed by centre back Arthur at the start of the second stanza with a sublime take on the turn.
The green-shirted outfit weren’t done, though. When it was levelled back up at 3-3, the wind was further put in their sails when Jonathon Doey was red-carded, before a quick-fire brace from former Bangor striker Dáire Rooney booked their ticket in the 20-minute extra time period.
Following that 5-3 victory on a freezing night at Seaview, Newington went on to secure the cup after defeating Linfield Swifts in the decider. Aodhán Gillen, now of Carrick Rangers, scored the only goal of the game after a mazy dribble as part of a campaign they would also cap with promotion to the Championship.
If that is the outcome of this term for the Seasiders then there can be little cause for complaint. That said, on this Tuesday night, a stern obstacle in the form of Ballymacash Rangers stands in their way.
The teams have already got a taste of each other when they met at the Bluebell at the end of September. Adam Neale’s debut for the club was an impactful one when he cancelled out Guillaume Keke’s 84th-minute deadlock-breaker, delivering deep into added time to level with mere seconds remaining.
Two months later, Neale remarkably enters this date on double figures. His headed take against Strabane Athletic was his 10th in a Bangor shirt – even if it was to end in defeat in the Intermediate Cup second round – and he is on an unbroken seven-game scoring streak since that first 94th-minute drive low into the bottom left against the Cash. He will surely prove decisive when attention switches to the Shore Road.
That shoot-out loss to the Tyrone team following a 1-1 after-extra-time scoreline marked the end of a flurry of seven straight winning results. Simultaneously, Chimney Corner eliminated a rotated Ballymacash by the same metric, a 2-2 draw post the 110 minutes played in total followed by a penalties success.
Neither team can say they are entering with a winning bounce, but there can be little doubt that they are the Premier Intermediate pacesetters.
Ballymacash lead the league by a point, although 2nd-place Bangor have played a game fewer. Keke’s goal – a prod in from just a couple of yards out in a second ball situation – represents the only strike the Yellows have shipped in league play, with clean sheets upheld in all five of the Clandeboye club’s victories this term.
Since that result, the west Lisburn team surrounded a 2-2 inter-city derby draw with Lisburn Distillery with wins to nil over Tobermore United (0-2) and Moyola Park (1-0). Against a youthful Whites team in a game screened on NIFL’s official YouTube channel, the visitors bounced back spectacularly from a 2-0 half time deficit at the Bluebell to snatch a point with a 2-2 draw – and they were left wondering how it wasn’t more.
That broadcast outing ended with honours even, however, and assures that they hold a proud distinction of not having fallen behind for so much as a second in the league so far this season.
Cash chief Lee Forsythe undertook the call to rest his first-teamers over the weekend, thus there can’t be much excuse if the red and blue-striped unit do not come out fresh under the Seaview floodlights.
On their journey to the last-four, they have seen off the tests of PSNI (4-1), Derriaghy CC (4-1), Comber Rec (1-3) and Crewe United (0-2), in contrast to Bangor facing off against Greenisland (0-8), Belfast Celtic (0-2), Glentoran II (0-3) and Albert Foundry (1-4) on their route.
They will be buoyed by the occasion, but one wonders whether Bangor’s prior pedigree in the competition – and the raw emotions of knowing what it is like to have your heart broken – will play a part this Tuesday. Perhaps, subconsciously, the knowledge of rights and wrongs of the ‘Ton encounter still linger, and the tools for what is needed to put what faltered last year back upright are at the players’ disposal this time around.
That said, Lee Feeney has been keen to have his troops keep firmly fixed on what is immediately ahead of them, rather than the past or far-future.
“A defeat will come. When we win games we never get carried away, so if we get beat, we’ll be the same,” he told the Belfast Telegraph after the defeat of Foundry in the Steel quarter-finals 10 days prior.
Since then, the Strabane loss has fuelled a fire in the players for a busy week to come. After this, there is an Irish Cup fourth round date with Limavady United on the north coast, which the players will need to again pick themselves up for irrespective of the result here.
Ben Arthurs hobbled off early in the 1-4 victory at Foundry – a game where the Kircubbin man’s early spot-kick was added to by an Adam Neale hat-trick in the second half – and is a doubt for the clash in north Belfast, though Feeney fortunately does not have any fresh question marks over availability.
“(The defeat) gives us something to be fired up about”
Jamie Glover
Lewis Harrison, Jamie Glover, Reece Neale and David Hume had all been on the treatment table for varying periods of time, but each made returns from the start on Saturday which – while you worry about recurrences – was probably necessary for building up momentum ahead of this battle.
Feeney wants to win this trophy, and will be expected to field as strong a team as he can to try to claim what he craves.
The objective speaks for itself. The players need no more motivation for what the prize is. Let’s go out and get it.
Just a quick reminder that you can either buy your tickets at the gate – entry is around the side via the St Vincent Street entrance to Seaview from 6:45pm – or you can purchase online via the Crusaders website. Tickets cost £6 for adults with concession priced at £4, so if you are a fan of either club or just a football follower in north Belfast looking for a local fix, it’s very reasonable pricing should you want to trek on down.
The link to the location on the Crues site where you can book your spot is enclosed in the embedded Tweet from Bangor’s social media account.
Meanwhile, it was an excellent weekend for the Reserves and in the Academy. The Under-20s faced a lengthy trip to Drumquin in the Junior Cup, but in their third round showdown, they brought solace back in the form of a 2-3 win away to Drumquin United that ensures their participation in round four.
Jake Anderson bagged a brace and Curtis Kenny also got in on the act to help Davy Downes’ Reserves edge this five-goal thriller.
And in the Academy, it was a flawless weekend. Every team participating took home all the spoils, with Isaac Caldwell steering the Under-18s to some brilliant form of late that continued with a 3-1 success over St James’ Swifts. The Under-15s defeated Woodvale 1-0, the Under-14s saw Oxford United Stars off 3-1, while the Under-13 NL and SBYL side respectively beat Ridgeway Rovers (3-0) and Carryduff Colts (6-5) to round off last week.
The Under-15s were victorious, and there was celebration to be hand for Under-15 player Ryan, who is now a two-time world champion in Taekwondo.
The club fully supports Ryan in his upcoming endeavours in the Netherlands, and wishes to warmly congratulate him on such a momentous achievement.
Elsewhere, the Girls Academy is in full swing, and continues to operate in fine form at Clandeboye Park every Tuesday. It again takes place from 6pm to 7pm, and is welcome to any girls born between 2011 and 2015.
You can find out more information or register your interest in the Academy by contacting girlsacademy@bangorfc.com. Bangor Ladies are also on the lookout for new players, coaches and volunteers to help out with the setup, and you can message the club’s Instagram or Facebook accounts where you can be signposted to the relevant authority.
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