Academy's route to the final

THE Academy's Burney Cup run began on February 6 at Havelock Park when Bangor Grammar were the visitors.

An electric atmosphere greeted both sides as they took to the astroturf, mixed with expectation and anticipation. The game was being played after being postponed the weekend previous due to a frozen pitch at the Lurgan Road ground.

The home side were without Niall Kelly and Peter Brown, both missing due to injury and that meant U15 talisman Rory Woods and Ulster U16 goalkeeper Michael Anderson took their places in the squad.

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With 10 minutes gone an overhead from Matthew Bell found Joshua Moffett and the Ulster U16 captain collected the ball on the reverse side just outside the circle before steadying himself and unleashing a low drive across the ‘keeper and into the bottom corner.

Five minutes before half-time Banbridge doubled their lead. A quickly taken line-ball by Moffett found Ciaran Kelly just on the edge of the Bangor circle. His reverse stick shot was blocked by a last-ditch tackle but the ball broke kindly for the advancing Owen Magee to slot the ball over the advancing ‘keeper and into the net.

Bann’s third came from a free-hit on the edge of the Bangor circle. Dowds found Ciaran Kelly and when his run was thwarted, Robin Smyrl collected the ball wide right before beating two defenders and finding the unmarked Hugh McShane just outside the flick spot.

McShane is renowned for his cool head under pressure and he lived up to his reputation as he controlled the pass before stretching to sweep the ball past the advancing keeper and into the goal.

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As the game entered the final stages Bann completed the scoring with the goal of the game. After a rare Bangor attack, Phillip Brown collected a loose ball off Andrew Mooney’s pads and dribbled the ball out of the danger area and across the 25. His terrific crossfield pass found Hugh McShane and he was able to make ground unimpeded down the right flank.

McShane slipped a pass to Rory Woods, the young forward having taken up a position just inside the circle. Woods then turned, driving across goal before unleashing a reverse-stick shot that rattled in off the under-side of the crossbar – a finish many more experienced players would have been proud of.

A vocal and enthusiastic crowd assembled at Havelock to savour what would turn out to be an epic Ulster Bank Burney Cup clash at its quarter final stage as the Academy took on Wallace High.

As half time was arriving a poor piece of defence on skipper and Ireland A player Peter McDonald allowed the athletic midfielder the chance he was hoping for on the reverse side and he made no mistake with a perfectly taken shot low to Mooney’s left.

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The Academy started the second period tentatively and efforts from McShane and both Ciaran and Niall Kelly found the rearguard of Arneill and Murphy in fine form.

The key for the Academy was patience and as the game picked up in tempo they were able to dominate for a ten minute spell with Owen Magee finishing superbly to level the game at 1-1 with his well struck drive on the open side.

Again some neat passages of play helped the platform begin to properly emerge and runs from Dowds and McShane won further penalty corners. The slip to Brown was well saved and Dowds could only hold his head as his drag pounded the crossbar to give the Academy a well worked lead. It would therefore be extra time of two 10 minute periods.

The Academy started brightly and won another set play, this time Dowds made no mistake with his slap finish edging the score 3-2 to the Banbridge side.

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But some teams do not lie down and Wallace showed great skill and character in every department and after a rash challenge reduced them to ten men they themselves forced the passage of play earning their sixth penalty corner, Hunter scoring well on the reverse side to level matters.

The game looked like it was over but with the umpires signalling two minutes remaining the pacey McDonald once again found no real challenge as he skipped through to set up Murphy for a fantastic fouth goal - surely that was that?

Big moments mean pressure and some crack, the faces of all Lisburn spectators said it all as once again Dowds showed his prowess dragging home his third goal to end the game 4-4 and keep the seniors hopes of reaching the semi final still intact.

The replay, played a fantastic level, saw the Academy take a seventh minute lead through Ciaran Kelly after the initial drag flick from Dowds hit off the post, but moments later a well-taken Hunter drag flick levelled the score at 1-1.

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The restart started sharply and a superb reverse stick stunner from Owen Magee made it 2-1 and the travelling side began to dominate large parts of play.

Nevertheless the quality run from McDonnell set up Murphy for a sweet deflected second on the stroke of half time to square the cup tie at 2-2.

The second half saw yellow for Niall Kelly. Hugh McShane earned a short corner in the 58th minute. Philip Doyle was on hand to sweep home superbly to the delight of the travelling parents and staff from Banbridge.

With six minutes remaining the ball dropped to Owen Magee once more and his match ball was duly tucked away on the trademark reverse.