Academy's winning start in Burney campaign

Bangor Grammar 0

THE atmosphere at Havelock Park on Saturday morning was one of expectation and anticipation as McCullough Cup holders Banbridge Academy, sponsored by The Belmont Hotel, opened their Ulster Bank Burney Cup campaign against Bangor Grammar.

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.

Bangor, who had made the journey to Banbridge last week only to find a frozen pitch, arrived this week in a quietly optimistic mood. In the group stages of the McCullough Cup they had posed a formidable obstacle to the host side, taking the lead three times before eventually losing out 5-3.

Their coach Dowie Holly, a former Ulster player, has a broad and detailed knowledge of the game and has a reputation for producing well organised and hard-working teams.

Straight from the hit-off Banbridge went on the offensive, Joshua Moffett just failing to control a long searching pass from Matthew Bell. The opening exchanges were tentative, Banbridge having most of the play but both sets of players took a while to settle and this was evident in a number of missed placed passes.

However, it didn’t take long for Banbridge to find their rhythm and a number of free-hits in and around the Bangor 25 saw captain Stephen Dowds stretch the Bangor rear-guard.

From one such opportunity, a quickly taken free from Owen Magee put Dowds through on goal and his rasping reverse-stick effort crashed against the frame of the goal with the visiting ‘keeper stranded.

With so much possession and with opposition settling into a defensive game-plan it was particularly important for the home side to open the scoring early in the game.

Recognising this, they duly responded 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.

Despite the early goal, there was no let-up for the Bangor defence as the Academy continued to push forward in numbers. Their first short corner followed and a low drag-flick from Dowds was well cleared off the line by Philip Hamill.

A short time later Banbridge introduced U15 players Ben Cosgrove and Rory Woods into the action and it wasn’t long before the former forced the visiting ‘keeper into a smart save.

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.

The second half started in a similar vain to the first, Banbridge on the attack and Bangor working hard to close down play in and around their circle. It wasn’t long before Banbridge created another opportunity, Bell’s pass finding a defender’s foot in the circle. The ensuing short corner saw Dowds again testing the ‘keeper but the big ‘keeper stood up well and made a smart save with his feet.

The home side kept pressing, hoping to extend their lead and when Magee set off on a trademark mazy run, beating three defenders before playing a deft pass into the circle. It look as though Moffett would get his second of the morning but he just failed to apply the finishing touch.

Minutes later Moffett again was unlucky when he deflected a Dowds cross only to see his effort turned round the post by the ‘keeper.

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.

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 cross-field 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.

After the game Bann coach Steven Dawson was satisfied with his team’s performance. “Our schedule has been so disrupted in recent weeks due to exams and the bad weather, and we are delighted to have finally got our Burney Cup campaign up and running,” he said.

“We will take a lot from this game, four good goals and solid individual performances. I’m pleased that we managed to keep a clean sheet as well. This game gives us a platform to build on and we will continue to improve as we go forward from here.”