Ballymacash Rangers "looking forward to the occasion" ahead of top of the table clash with Bangor

The NIFL Premier Intermediate League is a notoriously competitive league with many tough opponents.

The Ulster Star talks to Ballymacash Rangers Manager Lee Forsythe and Chairman Neil Woolsey ahead of Saturday’s hotly-anticipated 1pm kick-off against Bangor.

“The one thing I would say is this is a far more important game for Bangor than it is for us,” explains Lee, when asked will this make for a tasty top of the table clash, even this early in the season, at the Bluebell this Saturday.

“Where Bangor are as a football club and the weight of expectation on their players and staff after missing out on promotion last season would be very challenging for all.”

"Bangor are an original huge Irish League club and I remember going to watch them win the Irish Cup against Ards in 1993.

"Where we are as a club at the beginnings of our journey compared to Bangor is night and day. We have a team whom the majority were playing mid ulster league football last season and Bangor are loaning professional players from Cliftonville, so there’s a vast difference currently between both clubs.

“We are just delighted to be in the same company as clubs such as Bangor and we are looking forward to the occasion on Saturday,” Lee adds.

Saturday’s epic match promises to be a great one for any new fans to get themselves down to the Bluebell, as it promises to be a great game given the toe-to-toe start Ballymacash Rangers and Bangor have had, especially given the narrow defeat Bangor had in the Co. Antrim shield against Cliftonville recently, which will no doubt see the team raring to go.

What can a fan of Ballymacash Rangers expect during a match-day experience, we ask.

“Three things you’ll get on a matchday at The Bluebell - great football, great pints, and great craic,” enthuses Neil Woolsey, Chairman.

“We try to keep everything affordable for everyone at the club, especially these times now when times are hard for many people.

"That’s why we decided to set our Admission to £5 Adults and £3 Concession in a league were other clubs charge £8 at the gate.

"Lisburn is long overdue a Lisburn team in the Irish League, and we want to make it attractive for local people to take a dander to The Bluebell on a Saturday and see a great league that will only get better with the ambitions of ourselves and NIFL.”

Ballymacash Rangers Football Club is an intermediate-level football club who play in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club is based in Lisburn and play their home games at The Bluebell Stadium. The diverse club also has a senior Reserve side, senior Swifts side, senior Womens side and a Youth Academy.