After a jubilant Seaview night the Tuesday before, Bangor’s focus swiftly turned from that semi-final success over Ballymacash Rangers in the Steel and Sons Cup to a trip to the Limavady Showgrounds, where a fifth round place in the Irish Cup was on the line. Limavady United posed a stern test with a reward to savour for the victor, a spot in the competition’s last-32, and the Seasiders kept switched on to prevail and earn that prize.
Northwest trips are always the ones pointed out by players and supporters alike as the most ideal matches to gain the spoils from, given the extensive journeys to and from the venues. When the stakes are such that elimination beckons for the loser, this visit must feel particularly sweet as a brilliant week was topped off.
Emotions were riding high after the Yellows defeated the Cash to book their place in the Steel decider on Christmas Eve.
The second Jamie Glover’s 20-yard curler on 76 minutes bustled the back of the net, the crowd rose, arms flailing and fists clenched to punch the air with joy. Resistance was held for the final quarter-hour and a slender 1-0 win was secured when all cards were on the table beforehand.
Yet with the culture manager Lee Feeney has refined, this is still a squad who does not get too high in victory or too low in defeat.
When the full time whistle sounded in north Belfast, while the players took their chance to lap up a rapturous cheer from those who had traversed to back them, there was nevertheless a beady eye cast to the visit to the Rathmore Road venue in four days’ time.
Such is the mentality of the group. The best way to mark one win is to follow it up with another.
The league outing at the Showgrounds three months ago was played in damp, drizzly weather. This occasion was no different as the grass surface, which has a slight gradient from one end to the other, had been well-oiled by earlier rainfall.
But while the conditions were unchanged, for Feeney to name the exact same team twice in a row is a rarity, and this was no different.
From mid-week, the Clandeboye chief opted to make three alterations. Dylan O’Kane filled the midfield void of Karl Devine – who was absent from the team on the day of his engagement party – while Michael Halliday replaced the cup-tied Adam Neale up top and David Hume entered in place of Ryley D’Sena in defence having came on for him at half time at Seaview.
Limavady, in their first match since confirming former Coleraine assistant Paul Owens’ return to the dugout, unsurprisingly deployed as strong a team as they possibly could to counter Seasider threats. This included chief goal dangers Ryan Doherty and Alex Pomeroy.
Referee Gary Thompson got play going at precisely 1:30pm, and as Bangor set the ball rolling, they didn’t delay in setting their stall.
| Premier Intermediate | 26/11/22 | ||
| Armagh City | 2 | 4 | Queen’s University |
Barely 60 seconds had passed by the time the visitors had created their first clear-cut chance.
A nice piece of link-up play between Halliday and Glover set the latter off, and Tuesday night’s goal hero used his speed to rush down the left before fashioning a low cross into the area. Scott McArthur connected and let fly from inside the box, but the outstretched leg of a covering Lims defender agonisingly denied the 23-year-old from breaking the deadlock.
The former Stirling University attacker targeted the bottom left and looked to have got his shot on target, but it was turned around for a corner. If that was close, John Boyle must have been a quite literal hair’s breadth off from the subsequent flag-kick – O’Kane’s left-sided delivery found the former Newry City stalwart by the back-stick, only for the centre back to see his prodded attempt desperately hoofed off the line.
On 16 minutes, 36-year-old Boyle was within inches again. When Halliday saw his lobbed effort tipped over the bar by Roesiders shot-stopper Paul Wells, O’Kane again supplied the ball and ‘Boyler’ was kept out once more. The 17-minute mark saw the Warrenpoint man’s third shot of the game somehow deflected into the grateful arms of Wells when it felt like the ball could have pinged around anywhere, like a pinball inside the area.
It is not for the want of trying that a defender rated highly by Premiership viewers when Darren Mullen’s City were in the top-tier in 2018/19 is still awaiting his first goal in yellow and blue.
Inside the 24th minute, a right-footed curler from 20 yards by McArthur was parried by Wells, but the frustration would not last.
On 25 minutes, a first goal that had been coming arrived. Reece Neale incisively switched the play from left to right, finding an open Seanna Foster by the far touchline. Despite the ball being just behind the Cliftonville loanee, he swivelled onto his left foot and served a swooping inswinging cross into the area. And for having his back to goal, Halliday’s connection was so shrewd that the ball just looped over Wells and into the net.
It is Halliday’s third goal of the season – adding to the brace he got at Albert Foundry in the Intermediate Cup first round six weeks ago – and the second time that he has turned a Foster cross into an assist for the right wing-back. He’ll be 44 next year but on just his second start of the season, his renowned aerial potency remains as strong as ever.
But there was controversy 10 minutes later. The hosts were awarded what seemed a soft penalty kick when Pomeroy went down in a duel with Hume.
There appeared to be minimal contact from the Ballygowan defender, yet not only did the referee signal a spot-kick but he booked the 30-year-old too. A cross had been set from the left which went over the head of both players, but as the striker went to ground, that proved enough.
Pomeroy himself stepped up and sent James Taylor the wrong way from the first penalty in regulation time the Seasiders have conceded this campaign. The score was pegged back level – but Bangor did not suffer from any after-effects.
On 39 minutes, Ryan Arthur got the sense of how Boyle had been feeling. The visitors won most of the aerial duels from set-pieces and O’Kane’s service was consistently high-quality, but on this occasion the no-nonsense defender’s powerful header was blocked by Wells’ strong left boot and quick reflexes.
The initiative had been seized by the Seasiders, but come the half time whistle, the score remained on even terms.
Feeney opted to make a double substitution during the interval, as both Foster – who had been yellow-carded shortly before the half’s end – and Lewis Harrison, who’d looked to have pulled up slightly, had their places taken by Gareth Beattie and Aaron Harris in two like-for-like changes.
Indeed, the supporters watching on from the side also took great enjoyment from watching substitute goalkeeper Marc Orbinson score a 20-yard rabona past a helpless Ross Craig in nets.
And on the commencement of the second period, there was little change in what direction the game was headed in.
51 minutes had been played by the time the next opportunity arose. Neale – now wearing the armband after skipper Harrison had been taken off as a precaution – supplied a sublime low ball in from the left, Halliday had got ahead of his man but propped his first-time shot over the bar.
Limavady signalled their intent just past the hour when, with what was probably their closest open-play chance up to that point – they hadn’t hitherto really tested Taylor – Dean Brown struck the side netting with a drive from the right.
However, on 68 minutes, if Hume felt like he had to atone for the spot-kick, he did that and then some on Bangor’s next foray forward.
A throw-in from the right touchline by Neale was whipped in and ensued a bit of head tennis in the 18-yard box. Arthur was first to connect, weighting his flick-on into Halliday before the east Belfast icon sent in Hume to do the rest.
He delicately guided his header over Wells and into the net for his second goal this season and the Seasiders’ second of the game. If Feeney was calling for goals to be spread around the side, especially in the absence of the senior Neale brother (10 goals) and injured top scorer Ben Arthurs (11 goals), he was getting his wish in this encounter.
Arthur, who declared after his brace on the opening matchday of the third-tier season against Lisburn Distillery that he was aiming for 10 to 15 goals this term, was trying his best to put his third in all competitions on the board. On 71 minutes, a stunning one-handed save by Wells prevented the ex-Ballyclare Comrades man from making it three in the Yellows’ favour from another excellent O’Kane corner delivery.
Up the other way, the hosts tried to even it back up. Firstly, Pomeroy skied over from just outside the six-yard box (72’), before Lims captain Hugh Carlin put a low attempt into the welcoming arms of Taylor (77’) that would leave hands on heads from those in blue shirts.
It is hard to think of a game where Bangor have had such a large proportion of shots taken by defenders, and Arthur came close again with an aerial attempt that was again diverted wide by Wells on 84 minutes. Substitute Craig – who had replaced Glover late on in Feeney’s third and final change – found his subsequent shot 60 seconds later easily gobbled up by the impressive Lims keeper.
In the end, though, the most important thing as the game wound down was that the home score remained at just the one.
The defence held firm – a resolute all-round endeavour from all of Boyle, Arthur and Hume, while Taylor handled all that he needed to – and as Thompson signalled the match’s end, no further goals arrived. The away score read two and the rest explains itself.
Bangor win again. A ninth in 10. Another convincing performance that caps off one of the most satisfying weeks of the campaign.
This time a week ago, we were wondering how the side would react after a defeat on penalty kicks to Strabane Athletic brought the club’s Intermediate Cup crusade to an early end.
As a new week begins, we have an emphatic answer. The attitude Feeney has been keen to emphasise is no figment of the imagination – it is a unit who approach each test with as much respect as they do authority. Just one defeat in 19 matches (excluding penalty shoot-outs) certainly emphasises the reward of such steel.
“It was quite tough, it’s always a battle up here isn’t it?”
David Hume
Scorer of the second goal David Hume shed light in the post-match behind this outlook and how it has been of benefit.
“Obviously a good win (on Tuesday night),” he said, “but Lee was drilling it into us, it’s straight onto the next one, you can see confidence is high in the camp.
“It was quite tough, it’s always a battle up here isn’t it? First half, second half – it’s scrappy, they’re (Limavady) always up at you.
“It was a great crowd on Tuesday night, great backing. It’s been a great week.”
Hume was pleased to mark on the scoresheet, equalling his tally for the entirety of last season before the end of November.
“I said one would do me,” he recanted in jest from a brief conversation after the game in which he netted his first, a 5-0 rout of Armagh City at the start of October, “now two will do me!”
“I got two last season, I’m on two already now… it feels good to get in on the act.”
He added on the Seasiders’ fifth round draw prospects: “Yeah, naturally the first thing you’re thinking of is you want a big team, but sometimes if you get a smaller team you can go on a run that builds momentum even further.
“We’ve a run of league fixtures now (in December) and then it’s the final, those are obviously our objectives and a cup run can help.”
Stay tuned for the Irish Cup fifth round draw as Bangor learn their next foe, which takes place next Tuesday 6th December.
| Irish Cup | Fourth Round (26/11/22) | ||
| Ballymacash Rangers | 3 | 5 | Banbridge Town |
| Ballymoney United | 2 | 0 | Finaghy |
| Bourneview Mill | 1 | 6 | Moyola Park |
| Crewe United | 1 | 3 | St Mary’s Y.C. |
| Crumlin United | 2 | 0 | Greenisland |
| Tandragee Rovers | 3 | 1 | Oxford Sunnyside |
| Windmill Stars | 2 | 3 | Dollingstown |
While the Seasiders are back in league action, with a successive streak of three Premier Intermediate League matches preceding that all-important Steel final, positivity is rich in the air right now.
Queen’s University at The Dub is the Yellows’ next outing. A tough exam that will need to be passed next Saturday afternoon (2pm kick-off) but one which the club enters confidently hoping to master.
Meanwhile, Bangor Reserves were in league action on Friday night when they faced Ballymacash Rangers at The Bluebell.
It was a top-of-the-table clash that ended in heartbreak for the Seasiders, as a last-minute Cash winner split the sides in west Lisburn and sent the Under-20s home without any share of the spoils. While the exciting Charley Craig delivered another Yellows goal, Davy Downes’ men fall to their second defeat in league play, and remain on 15 points from a possible 21 so far.
Isaac Caldwell’s Under-18s would also be left disappointed. On Saturday, they welcomed Crusaders’ equivalents to Clandeboye Park in the third round of the Harry Cavan Cup, but ultimately the Crues managed to show the class and quality of what is a high-level Academy system in north Belfast and prevailed 0-4.
Elsewhere, the Under-17s were defeated by Dundela by the odd goal in five, although there were wins for the Under-13 NL and SBYL sides over St Oliver Plunkett (2-0) and Ridgeway Rovers (2-1) respectively while the Under-14s beat Portstewart 5-0 and the Under-15s saw off Moyola Park by a 3-2 scoreline.
Finally, just tonight, the dates have been confirmed for two re-scheduled Bangor fixtures in the new year.
The match at Clandeboye Park against Moyola, initially scheduled for Tuesday 20th December, has been moved back to Saturday 14th January due to the proximity of the former date to the Steel and Sons Cup final. Also, the away fixture against PSNI will be played the following Saturday, the 21st January.
There will be further announcements in due course regarding the league dates with Tobermore United at Fortwilliam Park – backlogged due to the Irish Cup fourth round bout against Belfast Celtic being pushed back a week – and Ballymacash Rangers at Clandeboye Park, which was due to be played on the same day as the Irish Cup fifth round will be.
Featured image from Gary Carson.
- It’s unfair to put blame at feet of Linfield and Cliftonville for Irish Cup Final crowd disorder
A penny for the thoughts of Linfield and Cliftonville this week. This year’s Irish Cup Final was a spectacular in every sense. Nearly 15,000 packed inside Windsor Park for the biggest-attended domestic fixture in Northern Ireland this century and an occasion to… Read more: It’s unfair to put blame at feet of Linfield and Cliftonville for Irish Cup Final crowd disorder - Irish League chiefs must improve provisions in place to attract younger fans and families
Let’s get a basic fact of life out of the way first – no one likes a price hike. No one likes a price hike in the same way that no one likes paying taxes, bills, debts, insurance and other such necessary… Read more: Irish League chiefs must improve provisions in place to attract younger fans and families - How the Irish FA’s new ‘Conference Layer’ for intermediate football can be big hit or own goal
Changes to the intermediate football sphere in Northern Ireland have long been touted and, going by the Irish FA’s latest update on the topic, closer than ever to coming to fruition. From the 2026-27 campaign, a new ‘Conference Layer’ will be in… Read more: How the Irish FA’s new ‘Conference Layer’ for intermediate football can be big hit or own goal - Steven McCullough’s crucial goal in relegation play-off seals him as a Ballymena United great
There’s been a change in priorities for Ballymena United during recent years – albeit not necessarily the type supporters would’ve perhaps wanted. In 2019, the Braidmen were the second best team in the Irish League. Runners-up behind Linfield that year, and just… Read more: Steven McCullough’s crucial goal in relegation play-off seals him as a Ballymena United great - Ending Cliftonville’s Irish Cup drought proves Jim can fix it… now he must target league glory
Finally, it’s Cliftonville’s year in the Irish Cup. An agonising waiting game ends at last and a drought that lasted 45 painful years is over in one burst of champagne rain. Since 1979, the Reds have contrived to fail in various ways… Read more: Ending Cliftonville’s Irish Cup drought proves Jim can fix it… now he must target league glory
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
Football Chatters 
Leave a comment