HOW WILL THE STORY FINISH?
THE under-nine team of Banbridge Town Juniors will this Saturday bid to write a memorable last chapter in what has been the success story of their first season in the George Best Castlereagh Youth League.
The locals take on Lisburn Youth in the final of the Mayor's Cup, to be played at Dundela's Wilgar Park ground in east Belfast (10.30 kick-off).
And victory in the final would complete a great debut season for the boys who will finish in either fourth or fifth place in the highly competitive 18-team league.
For their part Lisburn have been in the hunt for the league title, although their hopes suffered a setback when they lost in a recent league game at Crystal Park. A second half strike by Callum Adamson was all that separated the sides in the cup final dress rehearsal.
However, Lisburn will have taken confidence from the meeting of the sides earlier in the season at Lough Moss, when Banbridge fell to a 4-2 defeat despite taking a two-goal lead.
So one league win apiece shows just how tight the final could be, although no matter what the outcome let's hope the boys from both clubs thoroughly enjoy their big day.
Banbridge, under the guidance of coaches Sean Devlin and Stevie Thompson, have enjoyed a roller coaster ride to the final and no more so than in their first game in the competition at home to Bloomfield.
confidence
Bloomfield went into the game full of confidence and boosting an unbeaten league record. And they looked well on their way to the last eight when goals either side of the half-time break took them into a 2-0 lead.
However, this Banbridge team is not short on character and commitment and they produced a brilliant fightback with two goals from Aaron Thompson and a Joel Copes penalty turning the tie on its head.
Bloomfield looked to have taken the match to extra-time when they levelled at 3-3, but Scott Thompson had other ideas and his great strike from long range gave Banbridge a last gasp 4-3 win.
The quarter-final at home to Lisburn Distillery was equally dramatic and it took extra-time to separate the sides.
Aaron Thompson gave the locals the lead, but goals in either half saw the advantage swing to Distillery.
Aaron Thompson levelled late on for Banbridge and went on to complete his hat-trick deep into the second period of extra-time to win it 3-2 for the locals.
In the semi-finals Banbridge were up against Ards Youth, the game played at the Billy Neill Centre in Dundonald.
comfortable
In the end Banbridge were relatively comfortable winners with an early goal from Ross Fitzpatrick and late strikes by Daniel Devlin and Aaron Thompson securing a 3-0 victory.
Lisburn Youth made their way to the final with victories over Shorts, Ridgeway Rovers and then Larne Academy in a semi-final which went all the way to penalties.
And who's to say that Saturday's final won't be every bit as close.
The full article contains 522 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
-
Last Updated:
06 May 2008 9:52 AM
-
Source:
n/a
-
Location:
Banbridge