Rangers Reserves knocked out of Junior Cup

Banbridge Rangers Reserves 2

BANBRIDGE Rangers Reserves travelled to take on St Mary's first team in the opening round of this year’s Irish Junior Cup.

The Junior Cup would always present Rangers Reserves with a tricky tie as most of the teams are all first team and the case proved to be with St Mary's riding high in Mid Ulster Division One.

The only saving grace was that some of Banbridge Rangers first team were able to get a game with six players missing the Irish Cup game last week through injury and suspension.

St Mary's proved to strong in the opening stages and were clinical going forward scoring three time in the opening 25 minutes with the best of the goals coming from their striker who dropped a shoulder before blasting into the top corner with his left foot from all of 20 yards.

Jonny Porter and Neil Wilson worked a few openings down the left hand side with Fulton and McVeigh trying to get into the game as Rangers began to assert their authority as the half drew to a close.

Banbridge Rangers Reserves got into the half and were forced to make a change with Neil Wilson going into nets for the second half and McVeigh being going off which saw the introduction of Trevor Tate and John McCahon on the left hand side.

Rangers’ changed formation of 4-5-1 reaped dividends straight away with St Mary's being reduced to long range efforts whilst lone striker Gareth Fulton started to see more of the ball.

Chris Loney scored 10 minutes into the half showing great technique to bring Rangers Reserves back into the cup tie and shortly after Fulton got on the scoresheet to reduce the arrears to only one goal.

St Mary's were clearly rocked at this stage and Fulton went close again from only a couple of yards out being thwarted by the keeper who stood his ground.

A surging run by Porter up the right flank on the counter attack gifted McCahon a chance at the back post with only ten minutes remaining with McCahon having to lay off for midfield runners but the pass was intercepted.

Like last week’s cup game Rangers threatened to take the game to extra time but fate was not to be with chances being spurned before the final whistle.

This Saturday Banbridge Rangers Reserves have further cup action travelling to Armagh to play Ardmore Rovers in the Mid Ulster shield whilst Banbridge Rangers play the first of their two consectutive encounters with Banbridge AFC this Saturday at Cheney Park.