It's lucky thirteenfor Tumilty's Bann

Banbridge 13

HAVELOCK Park is known to Banbridge residents for its relaxing walks along the banks of the River Bann but last Saturday there was few more pleasant strolls than the outing Banbridge had against Antrim in the Kirk Cup Group B Clash.

The locals totally outclassed their Senior One opponents with thirteen unanswered strikes, a result which can only add fuel to the current questioning of Ulster’s premier cup format.

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Coach Mark Tumilty welcomed back Colin Dowds back into the squad after injury with Ciaran Kelly dropping out from the Harlequins match team sheet.

Banbridge started the game at a very high tempo and had Antrim quickly scrambling to defend their circle. The pressure was rewarded in the sixth minute when Ross McCandless dispatched his first corner of the game.

Bann continued to lay siege on the Antrim goal as goalkeeper Gareth Lennox was a mere spectator and didn’t have a single touch in the entire game.

Bann missed a couple of chances before Dane Ward swivelled and thumped in number two in the 10th minute.

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They were pouring forward with Ross McCandless and Stephen Forbes controlling all the play and in the 14th minute it was three when a Drew Carlisle crash ball was deflected home neatly by Colin Dowds.

Bruce McCandless then added number four following a slick move from Kelly, Reay and Scott McCandless. Ross McCandless crashed number five with only 21 minutes gone.

Antrim to their credit did attempt to go forward but were caught with a counter attack for number six as schoolboy Hugh McShane reversed home following a very quick break.

Dermy Reay ended the half in sparkling form; he displayed some fantastic skills to weave past several defenders to set up Dane Ward for number seven and then produced two neat finishes to leave the score 9-0 at half time.

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Bann again started the second period very well and quickly made it double figures as a Ross McCandless cross was expertly deflected home by Academy schoolboy Niall Kelly.

Moments later Ross McCandless cannoned a corner off the post before Stephen Dowds made no mistake with his corner effort and Bann’s 11th.

At this stage Bann did become a little eager to score and this led to poor decision making in front of goal, however with 15 minutes left Dane Ward finally completed his hat trick with a neat near post finish from a Scott McCandless cross.

Bann continued to open massive gaps in the demoralised Antrim defence but some over-elaborate finishing and some fine goalkeeping kept the score line to 12.

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Bann, however, were not to be denied and Bruce McCandless finished proceedings with a touch of class, the Irish International scored with seconds left with a reverse stick effort that rocketed into the top corner from the edge of the circle for his second of the afternoon.

Banbridge now face fellow premier league team North Down at Havelock (hit off 2.30pm) in the group B decider with the winners claiming a semi-final spot.

Bann: Lennox, R McCandless, St Forbes, P Brown, S McCandless, B McCandless, D Carlisle, S Forbes, D Reay, D Ward, S Dowds. Subs: C Dowds, O Magee, N Kelly, H McShane, M Bell.

Banbridge Seconds 4

Banbridge Thirds 0

In a very competitive and highly skilled opening game of the new season the Seconds eventually got the upper-hand over a spirited thirds.

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Two goals in each half with Doug Anderson, Colin McKnight, Philip Doyle and Tarak Chouari all opening their accounts for the season.

Other scores: Banbridge Fourths 2 Antrim Seconds 2; Banbridge Sixths 4 South Antrim Fifths 2.

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