South Antrim 0 v 5 Bangor 2nds
The seconds reached the semi finals of the McClement's Cup thanks to a resounding 5-0 victory last Saturday afternoon away to South Antrim firsts at Laurelhill Sports Zone in Lisburn.
The seconds were in front after just four minutes of the contest when Stranaghan was on hand to score from close in. The game had been quite open from the outset, with the home side forcing four short corners within the opening 15 minutes, but Thompson was not tested in the Bangor goal.
The advantage was soon doubled when from a flowing move Irwin found Toogood advancing on the left. His pass found McNaught in a high position, and when he pulled back to Stranaghan the skipper controlled on his reverse, swivelled and slotted into the bottom right corner of the goal.
By this stage Cox had replaced the injured Kerrigan at right back, and the youngster soon made it 3-0 when he despatched a dipping shot past the home goalkeeper after some more excellent build up play throughout the Bangor side. The home team were becoming more and more disheartened as, whilst having as much as the play, were lacking in any real goalscoring opportunities.
The seconds meanwhile were creating, and converting their chances with some free flowing moves, and when McNaught made it 4-0 before the interval surely the semi final place had been all but booked.
The second half was different in that the visitors were quite content to protect their lead and let the home side make the running as such, bearing in mind that they were the ones that had to chase the game. With Kerrigan unable to resume, the team manager, Alex Ward, had to come out of retirement for the last 25 minutes to enable the seconds to remain with 11 players on the pitch.
Much of the promptings were made by the home side, as expected, in the second half, but they could find no way past the Bangor rearguard. Thompson, Gowdy, Cox, McCausland and Toogood, when called upon, were comfortable in thwarting any opportunities.
The seconds did create other opportunities also, many on the break, but it was only in the last minute that the final goal went in. A long ball out of defence found Ward, and showing his marker a clean pair of heels, he slipped the ball to Stranaghan on the edge of the circle. As the goalie advanced, Stranaghan fired it past him into the empty net to claim a fine hat-trick.
An excellent team performance by the seconds, the reward a home tie against the cup favourites, Lisnagarvey seconds on Saturday week. Player of the match was Gareth Stranaghan, whilst the team wishes Richard Kerrigan a speedy recovery from the hand injury he suffered in the early part of Saturday's game.