BANGOR SWIFTS 5



IN the end, it was just one match too many for 18th Newtownabbey Old Boys, for, after reeling off 11 straight wins to go joint top with long term leaders Bangor Swifts, they were very much second best in this Division 2B championship play off, before a sizeable attendance at Patton Park, home of East Belfast.

The five nil scoreline, too, doesn’t flatter Bangor Swifts – it could, and should have been more – and, while 18th were on normal lines, the Seasiders had an undoubted ace in their pack in man of the match Matty Neill, who looked a class apart – and a quick glance at the Lisburn Distillery website confirms that he has spent most of the season turning out for Distillery Seconds.

However, it would be wrong to suggest Bangor were a ‘one man band’ as they were sharper and pacier all over the park – even up front where 45 year old one time Carrick Ranger Paddy Barr was running around like someone half his age.

What a time, too, for 18th Newtownabbey to churn up their first league ‘blank’ of the season. While 38 goal sharpshooter Mark Wilkinson has rightly been stealing most of the headlines this season, he has the perfect foil in the more physical presence of Dale Fenner – and it certainly didn’t help the Monkstown side’s cause when, with no strike options on the bench either, Fenner hobbled off injured after only 15 minutes, though they were probably fortunate they weren’t already two down by that stage.

Two minutes earlier, midfield reaper and binder Ryan Beattie was yellow carded after an off the ball tussle with Bangor skipper Paul Donnelly.