Wallace hold their nerve in dramatic cup final victory

Wallace sealed only the second double in the school’s history by adding to their McCullough Cup victory but they couldn’t have lifted the Burney Cup in any more dramatic fashion.

They were on course for a heart-breaking defeat to 13 times champions Banbridge Academy, 3-2 behind even as the clock ticked down to zero. It really was last chance saloon as they had a short corner to send the match into extra-time.

Sean Murray was the man of the moment as he lined up a flick at goal. Time seemed to stand still as the short-corner was taken but all of a sudden Comber Road erupted into life as the ball flew into the Banbridge goal.

It was an action-pakced final right from the off as the game was only 45 seconds old when Wallace opened the scoring. Man of the match Jack Wilson cut through the Banbridge midfield and set up vice-captain Daniel Nelson to lift a superb finish over Banbridge stopper Jack Glass.

However, it certainly wouldn’t be quite so easy for the Lisburn boys after that as Banbridge roared back into action and netted a quickfire double to reverse the scores and take a 2-1 lead.

First, it was the turn of their vice captain Clarke Neville who beat Fraser Rodgers with a superb drag-flick from one of very few short corners the Academy earned throughout the game.

Minutes later, the oustanding Johnny McKee gave the Banbridge side the lead when he ghosted past Wallace players and smashed a finish past the helpless Rodgers.

After the break, Wallace immediately set about hauling themselves back into the game as Nelson burst through the Banbridge team right from the pass-back and forced a great save from Glass.

It was one of many stunning stops the inspired Banbridge keeper would go on to make. However, he was powerless to stop Jack Wilson’s leveller when he lifted a superb finish over the advancing keeper to make it 2-2.

Banbridge, however, broke back up the pitch and soon regained their advantage. Again it came via great work from that man Johnny McKee, who tricked his way past his marker wide on the left and delivered a telling cross that Aaron Reid converted at the back post.

That looked like it might just be enough to see Banbridge to their fifth successive Burney Cup title but Wallace sent the match into extra-time thanks to Murray’s late, late equaliser.

In extra-time, there were chances at either end as Andrew O’Hare forced another stunning save from Glass before Banbridge saw an effort deflected just past the post.

That paved the way for Wallace to seal the win on penalty strokes as Jack Wilson, Sean Murray as Ross Kelly all held their nerve. Fraser Rodgers saved two and that cleared the stage for Andrew O’Hare to convert the winning stroke to bring the Sinton’s At The Bridge Burney Cup back to Wallace High School.