Town Under 15s bring the curtain down on a successful season

Banbridge Town Under 15 side. Back l-r; Phil Craig; coach, James Orr, Shea Winters, Cameron Sands, Aaron Devlin, Keelan Quigley, Michael Kelly, Neville Johnston; manager, Declan Winters; coach. Front l-r, Jamie Feeney, Henry Doogan, Charles Cully, Ben Johnston, Owen Vennard, Tom Mehaffey, William Doogan.

A win, a draw and a defeat was the outcome of these matches resulting in another decent season for this team that sees them again finish high up the table.

Last Saturday they entertained Dungannon at the Tech and not for the first time this season had ‘keeper Aaron Devlin to thank after he produced two outstanding saves late in the game to earn the locals a point.

Town went one up midway through the half with a spectacular James Orr free kick 30 yards out that sailed high and curled magnificently into the top corner.

Dungannon replied five minutes later but Town took the lead again when Cameron Sands scored from inside the area with a well drilled shot.

The visitors equalised late in the second half when they were awarded a penalty but in the last 10 minutes Devlin saved a point for Town when he stretched high to tip a goal bound effort over the bar and minutes later saved brilliantly down to right to push a pile driver around the post.

On Wednesday evening the team welcomed Newry City to Scarva Park and ran out easy winners with a 4-1 scoreline.

Town got a scare in the first minute when Newry were awarded a penalty but ‘keeper Devlin saved well to deny the visitors.

Town soon got into their rhythm and took the lead 15 minutes when Jamie Feeney scored with a sweet strike from the edge of the box and then Michael Kelly added one from close range after a Keelan Quigley effort was bundled by the ‘keeper.

Town got their third midway through the second half when Quigley lobbed the ‘keeper from 30 yards.

Newry got one back against the run of play but Town sealed the victory when a mix-up in the Newry defence led to an own goal.

Town’s last game of the season was at home to title chasing Armagh at Cheney Park on Saturday and the locals produced one of their best performances of the season.

They went one up after 20 minutes when the industrious Jamie Feeney chased down a lost cause and scored from close range after a mistake in the Armagh defence, but unfortunately for Town they conceded an equaliser after their own defensive mix-up five minutes before the end of the half.

In an end-to-end tight contest both teams played some attractive football but it was the visitors who took the lead when their striker scored after he was adjudged to have handled the ball.

Town went in search of an equaliser as Shea Winters almost found the corner of the net with a decent effort only for the ‘keeper to save.

Armagh sealed the victory and the title and congratulations must go to them.

Town’s Under-15s can be proud of their season, proving time and time again that they can easily compete with the teams at the top, and but for a few lapses in concentration in different matches they could of found themselves runners-up.

Manager Neville Johnston, coaches Phil Craig and Declan Winters would like to take this opportunity to thank all the squad for their hard work and commitment throughout the season.