Bangor 2nds 0 v 1 Antrim 2nds

SECONDS FALTER

It was an agonising afternoon last Saturday for the seconds at Ballykillare as they were defeated by one goal to nil by Antrim seconds in a scrappy affair.  The home side started the brighter and actually had the ball in the net less than two minutes from the start when Mulholland glanced home a Stranaghan pass, but umpire McKee had already blown up for an infringement just prior to Mulhollands effort.  The resultant free came to nothing, and that really was the story of Bangors play throughout.  Lacking a cutting edge in front of goal was the order of the day, as the seconds despite having their fair share of possession and winning the penalty corner count, the ball would just not find its way past the Antrim custodian.

With the contest goalless at half time, the home skipper warned in his interval pep talk of the danger of the visitors in their forays forward the longer the game stayed at 0-0.  Indeed as the half wore on the Bangor play became more disjointed as possession was so often squandered and touch was time and time again found wanting.  It was the script therefore that from a Bangor attack when possession was again lost on the Antrim 25, the visitors went up the field and duly scored just 15 minutes from time.  A despairing slip by defender Phil McCausland allowed the Antrim forward that extra second in time and his opportunist reverse stick effort flew past an agonising Thompson.  Antrim were reduced to 10 men for the last 8 minutes or so but the home side were still not fluid in movement and only half chances were created for an equaliser which never came.

Player of the match for the seconds was Keith Mulholland.  Thanks to Brian McKee for umpiring.

Team:  Thompson, Irwin, Gowdy, McCausland P, Toogood, McCausland A, Coughlin, Mulholland, Dunn, McNaught, Stranaghan, Cox.