Patched-up YCOB beaten by leaders

Ardglass Colts 5

YCOB went into this match with a weakened team as five players who started in the previous week’s victory were unavailable for this tie against the league leaders.

It was a second-half collapse that left them beaten after going in 2-2 at the break. Both sides created chances in the early stages with only last ditch defending keeping the game scoreless. With a quarter of an hour gone the Old Boys committed men forward for a set piece and Ardglass broke quickly leaving a Bann defender to make a tackle which was adjudged to be a foul before the referee produced a straight red card. As if that wasn’t bad enough for YCOB, Ardglass scored from the resulting free-kick.

Banbridge’s work rate kept them in the game and they soon equalised from a well struck Ruairi Quinn free kick. Shortly after, Craig McInnes was injured while making a brave tackle and had to be replaced by Paul Murphy. YCOB kept pressing and a measured through-ball from Cathal Matthews picked out substitute Murphy who fired home giving the home side the lead. Ten minutes before half-time, Ardglass equalised and the scores remained level to the break.

Bann missed three good chances to score after half-time and this failure to capitalise was subsequently punished. The away side made their extra man count with ever increasing pressure on the Bann goal. An unnecessary poor tackle in the box led to a clear penalty which was smartly taken to give the visitors the lead. With Bann visibly tiring in midfield the away side saw more of the ball and scored a further two goals in the last 20 minutes to leave the final score 2-5. Bann’s MOTM was Ruairi McGrath.

BANBRIDGE YCOB: Bradman, McGrath, McInnes (Murphy 20),Kennedy, Bignell, Matthews, Crossan, Wilson, Quinn, McDowell (Cunningham 75), Noble