It was no small hurdle Bangor had to jump over on Saturday, but all three points were safely shipped back to North Down with a three-goal haul away to Armagh City in the Premier Intermediate League. Not a fixture without trial, it was a welcome return to winning ways and a show of nerve in a game that always promised to ebb and flow, with the visitors in clinical mood to convert either side of half time and take home maximum spoils.
The first of a consecutive streak of 15 league matches that the fans have waited months for, it went exactly how manager Lee Feeney would have wanted it to begin. After an encouraging effort in the Irish Cup home reverse to Premiership Crusaders, the players would have been eager to prove that display was just the tip of the iceberg – and with crunch duels to come, they have reacquainted themselves with that fine taste of victory.
With the previous Friday in mind, it was small wonder Kilkeel supremo Feeney saw fit to not excessively tinker.
Only a couple of changes were made from the Crues tussle. In defence, David Hume, introduced just before the halfway stage eight days prior, took the place of Ryley D’Sena who dropped to the substitutes’ bench, while the cup-tied Adam Neale returned to the start for Jamie Glover who was also named in reserve.
Listed as a doubt before kick-off by the boss, veteran centre back John Boyle – who Ballygowan man Hume replaced against the Hatchetmen on 43 minutes – featured in the line-up alongside Hume and Ryan Arthur, while Scott McArthur played in the centre behind the preferred strike-pair of Neale and Ben Arthurs.
Meanwhile, the hosts’ selection comprised a vast array of their attacking big-hitters, including creative wide player Marc McConnell, the tidy James Convie in midfield, direct winger Ruairi Duffy and on-loan captain Conor Mullen up top.
Shea Campbell – who, indeed, had named himself among the Eagles substitutes – assembled his side to be front-footed from the first whistle, with the blue and black-striped outfit pursuing a first league win in nine outings.
On a cloudy but dry day in the Cathedral City, experienced referee Keith Kennedy led both teams out onto Holm Park’s artificial surface.
The ball was set rolling by McArthur promptly at 2pm. It would be back in the centre circle within the next minute.
The first attack yielded the first goal. After Armagh failed to adequately clear their lines when an Arthurs flick-on header was knocked back, Reece Neale lashed a volley so venomous that teenage shot-stopper Conner Byrne barely had time to set himself, the left wing-back’s first-time drive finding the top left corner for the earliest of early leads.
Timed at a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 14 seconds, it was rather easily the Seasiders’ speediest goal of the season. 19-year-old Byrne tried his best to get a hand to the Ballynahinch star’s piledriver but was fruitless to stop the younger Neale sibling striking his sixth goal this term.
Reece had repeated the feat of the first meeting of these two clubs back on the 8th October, in which he also hit the target. Yet while it threatened to be an early tone-setter, it was not really so in reality.
After Adam Neale saw his first goal-bound attempt of the day tipped over by Byrne on four minutes, some James Taylor heroics were all that kept the lead intact when Duffy broke through into a one-on-one.
With eight minutes played and Duffy having received in the defensive blind spot, a golden chance for the home team to equalise was thwarted by the 38-year-old, who closed the angle and made a stop he had no right to make to narrowly preserve the Seagulls’ advantage.
12 minutes had gone when the troublesome Mullen – who had Taylor’s beating when he netted in Annagh United’s BetMcLean Cup victory at Clandeboye Park in September – marginally missed the mark having got his head to McConnell’s corner, while the ex-Glenavon shot-stopper authoritatively pushed out Jack Clarke’s low cross when an Eagles attacker appeared to be the favourite to connect with 17 played.
Lone line-leader Mullen’s looping distance try was tipped over by Taylor on 24 minutes, with the subsequent corner cleared by Boyle in the build-up to Bangor’s best chance since that blitz opener. From a right-sided free kick, Reece Neale’s whipped ball found Ryan Arthur by the back post, but for almost spilling the Carrickfergus centre back’s aerial attempt straight into Adam Neale’s path, Byrne would hold with a two-handed grip.
Taylor came up trumps once more to routinely smother Scott McCann’s low strike on 40 minutes, but there was some controversy three minutes out from the interval when Armagh felt they should have had a penalty.
The composed Convie – recruited temporarily from top-tier Dungannon Swifts last month where he is well-regarded by manager Dean Shiels – sent a low shot across the goal-face, with the ball appearing to strike Boyle’s hand as he slid in to block. While it would, in truth, have been a harsh call – the Warrenpoint defender had his back to the attacking midfielder 16 years his junior – there was a big sigh of relief when Kennedy and linesman Bryan Magill agreed that a corner be awarded rather than a spot-kick.
When Kennedy, who was due to officiate Bangor’s clash with PSNI at The Dub before that game was postponed following a pitch inspection, blew for half time after two additional minutes, it probably came at a good time for the visitors.
Armagh’s position of 11th in the table is hardly reflective of the quality in their frontline, which had been a thorn in the side.
With a slender advantage to hold and adversaries battling hard to restore a level pegging, the second stanza was sure to provide some food for thought.
Professionalism and collectiveness were as much at the fore, though, as Feeney’s Seasiders sought to put it to bed.
Reece Neale converted at double-quick notice in the first half – and was almost at it again post the pause. Laid off by McArthur with less than 120 seconds of the half under way, the 24-year-old was not quite to do it this time when his left-footed effort was deflected behind.
With clear-cut chances few and far between to start the half, Bangor used this dry spell in the game to slowly strengthen their grip on things, and foraged forward from different directions as they waited for their moment to pounce.
On 65 minutes, a second goal the Yellows tempted eventually came to fruition.
“Settled it with the second and then we were able to just play our game”
Adam Neale
It was a swift back-to-front move that saw a lofted supply from deep hurled forward into Arthurs’ path. The Peninsula favourite was alert to spot Reece Neale’s run as he surged beyond, and the former Linfield Swifts and Carrick Rangers ace only needed one look to cut the ball back into the box. Despite a slight bobble, such things do little to faze predators like – in this case, the unmarked – Adam Neale, and the 29-year-old fired into the roof of the net from 10 yards out to extend the visitors’ cushion.
His 17th goal in just his 16th appearance for Bangor, both brothers had scored in the same game for the fourth time. One of that quartet, incidentally, was that aforementioned 5-0 drubbing of the same opposition, when the Neales chipped in three goals in a 13-minute second-half salvo versus Campbell’s troops.
Former Dungannon youngster Byrne was again powerless to stop it, and five minutes later he was once more to be put at the mercy.
A mazy dribble by the mercurial Karl Devine was inevitably to draw in a tangle of legs to try and stop him. One eventually did, but not cleanly, and Kennedy pointed to the spot with not a sliver of hesitation – nor to much protestation.
Arthurs took responsibility having scored his first two penalties of the season, making no mistake when he left the Armagh shot-stopper clutching at air and slotting as far into the right-hand side netting as he could. The margin now three, the points surely wrapped up.
It was also goal number 19 for the 24-year-old Kircubbin focal point this term; a mere six out from a century of strikes since joining the club just shy of five years ago and equalling his whole-season tally last time before Valentine’s Day, even factoring in a six-week injury absence.
Another spot-kick appeal was waved away on 72 minutes when Glover went down under a challenge, but there was little to complain about regarding the management of the final portion of the match.
A speculative shot by Lewis Harrison – with the Seasiders skipper yet to score this season – sailed well over with nine minutes to play, while substitute Tom Mathieson’s cut-back was narrowly out of reach of Adam Neale with 83 gone.
Former Ballyclare Comrades man Mathieson almost put a serious exclamation point on the duel. After former 40-goal Rathfriland sharp-shooter Neale set Glover behind, the 21-year-old cut inside and curled an inviting cross for the Bangor native who had ghosted into the box; Mathieson arched back and got good contact for a stunning overhead kick at the first ask, yet hands were on heads all across the ground as the ball edged just the wrong side of the right post. Byrne, meanwhile, blew a sigh of relief.
This high note was the final chance. After three minutes of injury time, Kennedy whistled for the end of play.
Bangor boost their points tally to an impressive 34 out of a possible 39, with yet another shut-out and 11 wins from 13 matches in the third-flight. A crunch Friday night showdown against league leaders Ballymacash Rangers now appears very finely poised indeed, given just three points now separate the sides as the ‘Cash drew 1-1 at Limavady United simultaneously.
Having now once more rediscovered the winning trail, confidence is high for what promises to be a spectacular occasion under floodlights for the first of three successive PIL home matches.
| Premier Intermediate | 11/2/23 | ||
| Armagh City | 0 | 3 | Bangor |
| Limavady United | 1 | 1 | Ballymacash Rangers |
| Lisburn Distillery | 2 | 0 | Dollingstown |
| Moyola Park | 0 | 2 | Queen’s University |
| Portstewart | 0 | 2 | Banbridge Town |
| PSNI | 2 | 2 | Tobermore United |
Adam Neale, who became the first Seasider to enter double-digits for league goals this term, was pleased to add to the kitty.
“Good work, another win, three more points on the board,” he commenced. “We’ve just got to keep ticking over and results will come, glad I was able to get on the scoresheet again.
“Settled it with the second and then we were able to just play our game.”
His younger sibling’s wonder strike was quite the curtain-raiser to Saturday’s entertainment, and must count as one of Reece’s best goals since first pulling on the yellow and blue shirt 18 months ago.
“Yeah, good hit, volley… he must be pushing third (on the top goalscorer’s list) now!” commented Adam.
“You know, that’s a good thing as well, when you’ve the other lads chipping in. We’d a lot of players who got looks at goal today and everyone’s contributing, you need goals from all around the team and it helps you out.”
Excited for the visit of the promoted west Lisburn club in a few days’ time, the Intermediate Cup and Amateur League-winning striker – who first opened his goal purse at The Bluebell against the same opponents back at the tail end of September – added: “Yeah, big game, we try to beat them and then we can push on and think about the split.”
“You know, that’s a good thing as well, when you’ve the other lads chipping in”
Adam Neale
Right wing-back Seanna Foster, kitted back out in his familiar bright orange boots having swapped them for a blue pair last week, further quipped on his desire to improve on his one goal this season: “I need to start taking more shots myself rather than trying to set everyone else up!”
The focus has turned to a high-stakes joust worthy of a Friday night billing, where Bangor will aim to claw level at the top of the tree as much as Ballymacash want to extend their advantage to six points.
But the Yellows roll with the punches, and their Holm Park endeavour was an apt case in point.
Meanwhile, Bangor Reserves were in action on Friday night when they travelled to Valley Leisure Centre to take on Newington’s equivalents.
“All in all, the lads are going in the right direction and competing in every game they play”
Davy Downes
Despite the Clandeboye club taking the lead thanks to a long-distance stunner by talented midfielder Curtis Kenny, the ’Ton levelled after a well-executed counter in the second half and could count on an excellent goalkeeping display to preserve a point as the game finished 1-1.
The first draw the second string have enjoyed all season, it means the Seasiders remain in 3rd-place in Section B of the Championship/PIL Development League and five points behind division leaders Ballymacash with two matches in hand.
“A fantastic game of football and a great advert for the league, but two points dropped,” Under-20s chief Davy Downes summarised at the close of play. “The Newington keeper was unreal, he saved everything and his handling was top drawer, he never dropped a thing.
“All in all, the lads are going in the right direction and competing in every game they play, you can’t fault them for that.
“(And) considering we had five missing tonight, it was a great result.”
Meanwhile, across the rest of the weekend’s Academy action, Isaac Caldwell’s Under-18s played out a goalless draw with Glentoran, the Under-17s lost 1-2 to St Oliver Plunkett, while there were also handsome wins for the Under-13 NL and Under-14 sides over Ballymoney United and Celtic Boys respectively.
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