Short Stories - Episode 1: Knocking The Blues Off Their Perch, a 10 season challenge.

2023-2024 Season: Unveiling some new signings

We have been busy in the last few days with a host of new signings being unveiled, and to be honest we needed it.

Please welcome the following newcomers to The Dub:

As mentioned in previous posts, we have acquired goalkeeper Kai Beck and winger John-Joe MacDonald. Beck, 19, has joined us on a short term contract from Downshire to where he will return on 30 January 2024. Kai played in the youth teams at both Crusaders and Glentoran, and has also made two appearances in the Championship (the level above us) for Dundela. The other pre-mentioned player is winger MacDonald who came through the Ards set up, and can play on either wing. That will be an asset in itself due to the amount of left wingers we are about to lose from the squad this window.

Another winger that has arrived is 17 year old Aaron Porter. Aaron, who is a natural right winger, chose us ahead of a number of other suitors and by all accounts is good enough to be a starter already judging by what people have said of him. His signing, and that of MacDonald, means we will be utilising Cian Stewart, our loanee from H&W Welders, as a striker for the remainder of his spell here.

Our left back problem spot seems to have some cover as free agent Mohammad Butt joins us. He will prove cover and competition for current positional incumbent, which is Zach Annett, although we are trying to secure a half season loan for a Premiership left back. However, that deal will only happen if his parent club agree to still pay his wages as we can't and he decides to come here. It will be a real audacious transfer if we can pull it off.

Our final confirmed signing in this segment is right midfielder Sam Morrow. Sam, 21, joins us on a free transfer from Dundela for whom he has made 14 appearances for this season: 13 of them were as a substitute. Sam started his career his career at Crusaders and appeared once in the top division for the North Belfast-based club.   

2023-2024 Season: Revenge is a dish best served COLD!

So we actually did build on the Cup triumph in our first game of 2024, and proved that we were actually not around to just turn up and become the latest team to succumb to Queens. In fact that last half hour was probably one of finest half hours all season, it was actually disappointing in a sense that we didn't actually come off the pitch with maximum points.

Well I thought we deserved it, so much it brought up the old Mastercard gag. Hot Dog - £2.50, Pint whilst watching the game - £4.20, The look of James Lavery's face when we equalised - Priceless…for everything else there's Mastercard!

Anyway, we're on our travels for the first time in 2024 as we play our first return fixture of the season. We're in the North Coast seaside town of Portstewart to take the Seahawks. This reeks of a bit of revenge on the horizon as the home side defeated us 4-3 on our own patch; just a month previous. If we want to climb up that table, which is what we are aiming to do so, then we have to start taking a heck of a lot of maximum points. Yet the bookmakers don't think our recent upsurge in form is going to make us favourites to take these points off a team below in the league table. They have Portstewart as even money favourites to complete the double over us, our best price is 5-2. It's 13-5 if you believe the game will end up in a draw.

Download

Seahaven, Portstewart

Attendance: 92 (3 away)

We made just the single change from the side that drew with Queens, and that came in central defence with Ben Mitchell fit enough to resume his partnership with Andrew Ferguson. He came in for Jack Graham who dropped down to the bench. The Seahawks made three changes to their last line up with Jesse Carson, Nicky Hudson and Seamus Duffy coming into the starting line up. They replaced John Watt, Joel Bradley and Mark Stewart in Johnny Law's starting eleven which also included his son Glenn who scored a hat-trick in the game at The Dub last month. There's added spice with former PSNI men Mark Johnston and Tony Tumelty in their squad, Johnston starts at left back and striker Tumelty is on the bench hoping to score against his old club side.

In bitterly cold conditions that saw some snow cleared off the pitch prior to kick off, and sleet come down with increasing regularity through the game, we knew that keeping the ball was the main thing to do today as subduing the impact of wingers Glenn Law and and Gerry Graham. Those two had tore us apart at The Dub, and we knew Craig Briers and Zach Annett would need to have big games. We made a fantastic start, and were ahead after just five minutes when Carson went through on Ernestas Verenka for a stonewall penalty. Ferguson stepped up and thumped home his seventh of the season, his sixth successful spot kick from seven taken this campaign. Just before the half hour, we added a second when a shot from distance by Cian Stewart took a massive deflection off Linfield loanee Kielan Reid and nestle into the bottom corner of the net. 

Whilst we were not converting every chance that came our way, Portstewart themselves were suffering with the partnership of Ferguson and Mitchell providing very hard barrier to bypass. They did halve the deficit with 14 minutes to go though when Matthew Holloway headed the ball into the path of Joshua Kee to blast home an unstoppable volley past Jonah Magill. We thought we had gotten a third three minutes later when Verenka's headed dross was met by a fine header from teenage winger Aaron Porter on debut but the youngster's effort was ruled out for an apparent push. A tad harsh we thought as it looked a good goal from our viewpoint. Yet we didn't look in danger at the other end, and despite four minutes added-on: held on to continue the recent good run of form.

Download

Ernestas Verenka was the recipient of the Man of the Match beers in what appears to be his penultimate appearance in our colours before his move to St. Mary's YC later this month. Seahawks skipper Holloway was deemed to be their best player.

Download

Hope you are all enjoying this challenge, and the format. If you have any suggestions on how I could make it better then please drop me a PM.

Love the Mastercard gag, always a classic. Good showing there against Portstewart too.

2023-2024 Season: The winning train keeps a-rolling….

I think it's safe to say that the Steel and Sons Cup win has certainly transformed the Club as a whole. Nobody gave us much hope of winning that, even our own Board, and especially on Moyola Park's own surface plus their respective league standing too. However, that win just meant lift off. It's funny bit that's how football works that way. We've drawn, and almost beaten, our biggest rivals in a grudge match which was fuelled personally be the remarks he said about me on the eve of the game. Now we've got a bit of confidence in ourselves, a bit of swagger if you like, there's general belief we can actually climb this table.

Who knows where this will take us, eh? Exactly.

We're back on home turf this week, before having a week off. Our opponents are struggling Limavady United, but don't let that get you thinking that we have the game done and dusted before it kicks off. As we have proven, sometimes the strugglers can get a result against you when you least it happening and the “C” word is something we need to guard against: complacency. Anyway, we've been seen as narrow favourites to take the points on offer with a best price of 6-4 whilst you can get 13-8 for a Limavady away win and 5-2 if you think that the teams will shake hands at the end on a draw.

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance: 113 (7 away)

A couple of changes made by both sides from their last games. Our changes saw Mark McCullagh come back into the starting eleven in the place of Craig Briers who was still feeling a bit of discomfort that forced him off against Queens less than a fortnight ago. The other change was on the right when exciting winger Aaron Porter was given a full home debut to showcase his talents ahead of Sean Hill; I just wanted to see how he (Porter) would cope with the starting environment and not because Hill's lack of form when really he's been outstanding. Backup keeper Allister McVeigh was back in training but not fit enough to feature as were new signings Owen Madine and Sam Morrow despite the fans' excitement to see them play. Limavady also made two changes: Tiarnan Boorman and Padharic Farren in for Oisin Hillen and Aidan Henry respectively. Former Coleraine player Ian Parkhill is absent with a long term hip injury.

Some folk hadn't taken the places when we opened the scoring after just 23 seconds, yes 23 seconds! Jonathan Doyle's shot was blocked in front of goal and Limavady hooked it clear or so they thought. Louis Blackstock won the midfield battle, headed it into the path of Ernestas Verenka who took a touch before shooting from outside the box and see it settle off the underside of the bar and in behind Richard Purcell. Some way to sign off on your farewell appearance, eh? The visitors did level in the 12th minute however when a deflected low cross off Mitchell, landed at the feet of Joe McCready who tucked it away from close range indeed.

Both sides were creating opportunities but neither was seemingly able to break the deadlock until the 71st minute when we made it 2-1. It came from a long ball forward from Mitchell that was brought down by Doyle; and the top scorer took two further touches whilst shrugging off challenges and then steer it across Purcell into the far corner of the net. That broke Limavady's proverbial back and we scored again ten minutes from the end to seal the points, thereby extending our unbeaten run to six in all competitions. Some crisp passing allowed Doyle to thread the ball through to skipper Johnny Wilson who slid the ball low past the advancing Purcell for 3-1 and game over. Another job well done for the boys!

Download

Striker Jonathan Doyle with a goal and assist took away the Man of the Match beers but there were many other solid performers on the day such as the departing Verenka as well as the midfield engine room of Blackstock and skipper Wilson. Striker Alex Pomeroy was declared Limavady's best performer.

Download

2023-2024 Season: A break from the grind

We have had a much needed two week break between the Limavady United home win and our next fixture which is away to Armagh City on the last Saturday in January. After this fixture, there will be just 10 regular season matches to play out with the Champions going to into the Championship automatically and the second into a play-off over two legs with the 11th placed side from the Championship: winners stay up/get promoted depending how it turns out.

At the moment, we lie 8th with 20 points and 12 points off second placed Queens. It'll be tough to get into that second place for sure as you can see…

Download

There is been more activity on and off the pitch as we try to continue to rebuild on such meagre finances.

Off the pitch, we have two new members of staff. Please welcome to The Dub Martin McCarthy and Russell McCabe.. Martin, 28, is fresh out of completing his physiotherapy degree and we are pleased to appoint him as our Head Physio as it was badly needed, Outside of The Dub, Martin runs his own physiotherapy practice in his native Ahoghill, County Antrim. The second new face is an extension to our scouting network, 37 year old Banbridge-born Russell McCabe. Russ joins Jeff King working under Chief Scout Sammy Kerr.

On-pitch matters now..

In this period, we received notifications that both Louis Blackstock and skipper Johnny Wilson had been approached to move on. Blackstock had been identified by Coagh United of our division and Wilson by Championship side Newington. Thankfully for us, our first choice central midfielders have decided to stay put which is a massive boost in itself. Ernestas Verenka has however completed his move to St. Mary's YC (Portadown).

Coming into the club are central defender Joshua Logan and goalkeeper Aaron Macfarlane. Logan, 22, joins us from Braid United and this is his second spell with us having made five appearances for us between 2020 and 2023. He will provide good depth in the back line, and challenge Ben Mitchell, Jack Graham and Ben Gordon  alongside the experienced Andrew Ferguson. Macfarlane, 21, is also in his second spell with us: having appeared ten times for us in the 2021-22 season. A product of the Carrick Rangers and Larne youth systems, Aaron has also appeared for Ballyclare Comrades and most latterly: Mossley Young Men.

We are constantly looking for others, with two definite incomings on 31 January 2024 and talks ongoing with another. The squad are informed that we are planning to sign as much youth as we can to make the new stars of the future feature here at The Dub as they had a concern on things were changing so rapidly. Probably not used to it.

Finally, we have just one player in the treatment room. That player is Ben Gordon who fractured his upper left arm in training at the start of the month and is still around three weeks away from returning to training

2023-2024 Season: Staying Unbeaten

We have had a rather good month it has to be said, We've been unbeaten in six matches overall since losing 4-3 at home to Portstewart on the second weekend of December. I think a lot is down to a change in formation, we dropped the 4-3-3 which was clearly wasn't working out and gone to a bog standard 4-4-2 but still playing with wingers. It's how football is known to be played, and I'm convinced that it will be the way forward for us going forwards.

Don't try and fix something that isn't broken as the analogy goes.

We make the trtp to Armagh City this afternoon in a bid to stay unbeaten throughout the month. The meeting at The Dub saw us come back twice to shake hands on a 2-2 draw with top scorer Jonathan Doyle at the double for us. Armagh are just behind us in the league standings, and a win today could see us rise a place to 7th providing Banbridge lose at home to Moyola Park. The bookies think that our recent good form will count for nothing today and have the Eagles even money favourites to pick up their fifth home win of the season. We're 12-5 to take the three points ourselves, with a draw priced at 13-5.

Download

Holm Park, Armagh

Attendance:103 (6 away)

We made a total of four changes from the side that won at home to Limavady a fortnight ago. Incoming were striker Jake Moore as well as right-back and vice-captain Craig Briers plus there are debuts for new signings Owen Madine and Sam Morrow. They replaced teenage winger Aaron Porter, Mark McCullagh, Louis Blackstock and Ernestas Verenka. There could be additional debutants in central defender Joshua Logan and John-Joe MacDonald should either be called for duty from the substitutes bench. The home side make a couple of changes themselves as Shea Conway, on loan from Dungannon Swifts. and Marc McConnell come in for Dermot McCaffrey and player-manager Shea Campbell.

Another decent start was rewarded in the 18th minute when we took a deserved lead from the spot. As they challenged for a high ball, Doyle was clattered into by visiting centre half Ben Mullen. Penalty. Up stepped our regular penalty taker Andrew Ferguson to send the keeper the wrong way with a fiercely struck effort into the keeper's opposing top corner. No keeper would have saved that one. However, the lead lasted just four minutes when the Eagles levelled up matters on the pitch. It came from a set-piece when skipper Stefan Lavery's flag kick was headed into the roof of the net at the near post by Mullen, atoning for his penalty concession.

Both sides pushed for the goal that give them the advantage, with Armagh getting the better of the chances it has to be said. Thus most said it came as no surprised at all when the home side went 2-1 ahead with just 13 minutes left on the clock. Left-back Shea Geraghty swung in a cross and Lavery got in between Ferguson and Zach Annett to steer his header past Jonah Magill. Could we muster up an equaliser to maintain the unbeaten run, or were we about to taste defeat for first time in seven matches? Yes, we could. With five minutes to go, McCaffrey slid in Cian Stewart to give us a second penalty of the day. Once more Ferguson stepped up, and once more he sent the keeper the wrong way but this time with a low finish right in the corner to gain us a point and extend our league run to six unbeaten.

Download

Two-goal penalty hero Andrew Ferguson was rewarded with the Man of the Match beers whilst Geragthy was seen to be the home side's best performer on the day.

Download

2023-2024 Season: Three more through the door as the window slams shut…

We concluded our transfer dealings with the arrival of three more players to the squad, whilst missing out on an audacious loan signing from a Premiership team. Arriving at The Dub on deadline day were the following personnel:

Ryan Dalzell: Ryan is a 20 year old goalkeeper who joins us from Valley Rangers on a free transfer. The goalkeeping prospect was on the books of Glentoran and Ards without breaking into the first team at either. He joined Valley Rangers in January 2021, and made 26 appearances for Kilkeel-based side before making the switch here. He is a very highly-rated prospect indeed.

Louis McKeown: Another 20 year old prospect who has been acquired from Belfast Celtic. Louis started off his career at Warrenpoint Town but failed to make an appearance for The Point. He subsequently joined Newry City where he made four appearances in the Championship before signing for Dollingstown in 2022. His time with the Dollybirds last season saw him appear 21 times before a move to the Celts this summer.

Alexandre Machado: A Portuguese national now trying to break into the Northern Irish leagues. Alexandre, 24, is a pacy winger who has joined us on a free transfer from Championship side Institute. He has made 11 appearances for the 'Stute this season and should be an excellent acquisition for us after the departures of Nicholas Turkington, Ernestas Verenka and Raul Zabrauteanu. 

Now for the one that got away…

Download

We made an audacious loan swoop to sign Crusaders' left-back Rory McKeown (above) for the remainder of the season, The experienced 30 year old who has played in the Scottish Premier League with Kilmarnock earlier in his career, has opted to join Eastern Suburbs in the New Zealand leagues and turned down overtures from ourselves, former club Wellington Olympic, Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United. He would have been an absolutely stellar signing if we had managed to prise him away from Seaview.

2023-2024 Season: Taking on the leaders down on their own patch

The transfer window has been slammed shut on us for 2023-24 and we're, as a whole, very happy with our activity. Over the two windows, we have brought in 19 new players with 9 leaving for pastures new. The finances are that bit more healthy, probably on the back of our Steel and Sons Cup Final win and that's the highlight of the season so far for sure. Now we are making a late charge for an unlikely promotion to the Championship.

Imagine the scenes we would have if we did this improbable double?

We begin February with an away trip to Dollingstown. The Dollybirds were our opening day opponents and left The Dub with a 3-2 win in a game that turned in their favour after Raul Zabrauteanu (now of Knockbreda) was dismissed for a late challenge on Stephen Flanagan in the 56th minute with us 2-1 ahead. We haven't forgotten. With our hosts riding high at the top of the table, they are 8-13 favourites to complete a double over us despite our excellent run of recent form. It's 11-4 if you reckon we will get a draw out of the Dollybirds, whilst you can get 4-1 for us to surprise the leaders and come away with three unexpected away points on the board,

Download

Planters Park, Dollingstown

Attendance: 90 (8 away)

We faced one of our toughest tasks yet when travelling to Dollingstown. Granted the comeback against our biggest rivals in Queens was something but there was just something in the air that meant we were determined to set the record right against the Dollybirds on their own patch. The team showed three changes from the one that drew at Armagh City a week previous. In came Mark McCullagh for another stint at right-back and debuts for new signings Louis McKeown in central defence and Portuguese winger Alexandre Machado on the left wing. They replaced Craig Briers, Ben Mitchell and Jake Moore. Briers and Mitchell were like for like changes, but Machado's inclusion saw Sam Morrow switch to wide right and Cian Stewart restored up front with top scorer Jonathan Doyle. Both Briers and Mitchell were on the bench alongside another new signing in goalkeeper Ryan Dalzell who was backing up regular number one Jonah Magill.

Dollingstown also made three changes from their last league game, a 3-1 midweek loss to Championship side Newington in the Intermediate Cup. In came Adam Davidson, Bradley Ingram and winger Ruairi Fitzpatrick who is on loan from Dergview. They replaced Dungannon Swifts loanee Oran O'Kane, Stuart Davidson (no relation to Adam) and teenage striker Jack McFeely: the very same jack McFeely that we tried to sign before he opted to sign for today's opponents. On the bench was experienced striker Gary Liggett who had been playing in the top division as recently as January 2018. Could we spring a surprise?

The game had very few chances of note with both sides being pretty wasteful in front of goal, our hosts more than us which wasn't pleasing the home support at all if anything. We were certainly matching them and always fancied that if fate was going to deem us a spot of revenge on the Dollybirds then it would be either a moment of brilliance or a defensive mistake to benefit us. As it was, the latter rang true with just 12 minutes left to play. Substitute Sean Hill sent the highly impressive Machado down the left, and the winger whipped in a cross which Adam Davidson and Tiernan Parker got into a right old tangle with to allow Doyle to collect the loose ball and steer a shot into the gaping goal. It was Jonathan's 15th goal of the season, 11 in the league. Try as the Dollybirds, they couldn't break us down with Andrew Ferguson absolutely imperious in defence. A huge, huge win on the road and the unbeaten run continues!

Download

For his outstanding debut, just a few days after signing, Machado got the Man of the Match beers….and yes we made sure it was Sagres! Harry Norton, a teenage full back on loan to the Dollybirds from Glenavon, was deemed to be their best performer on the day.

Download

Two weeks off now, time to recharge the battered souls ahead of Moyola Park's visit to The Dub. Somehow one thinks they will be out to get their own back after the Cup Final loss. We're unbeaten in seven and are in seventh spot; the gap to second is 11 points - surely we cannot do the unthinkable?

Let's hope for a big win to keep the promotion challenge going

Match report uploaded now mate. As you can see, another massive result for us.

Here's to Machado

Download

2023-2024 Season: Late equaliser but the run extends to eight and counting…

With a fortnight between the last game and the next, it was a good idea to recharge the batteries before we go again. Just nine games remain before the season reaches it's conclusion and the board are faced with a decision on my future. I'm on an initial one-year contract and if I have achieved certain objectives then there's a blooming good chance that they will extend it.

But football's a fickle old business isn't it?

Our next game in February is against Moyola Park, the team that we beat in such dramatic circumstances to win the Steel and Sons Cup Final on Christmas Day in Coleraine. However, we will have to do it without the penalty saving hero that is Allister McVeigh. Allister, if you recall, helped turn the tide of the Final our way, but has played second fiddle to Jonah Magill for the majority of the season. Whilst he declined a move away earlier in the season, he has exercised a move away and has joined Millisle-based Abbey Villa who play two divisions below us. We wish Allister all the best, and thank him for his service to PSNI in his time here. 

As for the Moyola game, our seven-game unbeaten run has not convinced the bookies to make us favourites even on our home pitch. Moyola are 5-4 favourites to exact revenge, with 15-8 for us for us to rack up another win. You can get 5-2 if you fancy a draw.

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance: 127 (6 away)

We do something that we haven't done all season for Moyola's trip to The Dub, that is to name an unchanged side as in the starting eleven. There is a positional change though as Sam Morrow and Alexandre Machado swap wings, Sam - wide left and Alex, as he wants to be known as, playing wide-right. Even the substitutes were unchanged. Moyola made just the single change from their last game, Samuel McIlveen replacing Jake McNeill in central midfield as Kenny Shiels went with his 4-2-3-1 formation. The Moyola front four today saw one change from the four that played in the Final, Coleraine loanee Lee Harkin playing wide on the right in place of Peter Duffin.

A bright start saw us create the first of the opportunities but it was the visitors who went the closest in the 20th minute when the dangerous Caiolan Brennan struck the foot of the post from the edge of the box with Jonah Magill well beaten as the shot fizzed past him. Eight minutes later, we took the lead when Morrow's curling cross to the far post was met by a powerful header from Machado to cap his home debut with his first goal for the Club. Moyola almost equalised immediately when Harkin dispossessed Morrow in midfield, strode forwards but drilled his effort inches wide. They went close again three minutes before half time, former Celtic youth player Bashir Mahmoud centred for skipper Mark Kelly to head over the top.

Early in the second half, Moyola equalised with a very debatable penalty kick when Louis McKeown was adjudged to have baulked Harkin in the area. Much to our surprise, referee Michael McKenna pointed to the spot. Up stepped full-back Richard Vauls, who had a penalty saved in the Final, and he sent Jonah Magill the wrong way from twelve yards. We regained the lead in the 67th minute when Machado fizzed in a low right wing cross into the six yard box and Cian Stewart ended his goal drought by forcing in from close range. Once more Moyola almost equalised straight away, a long range free-kick from McIlveen skimmed the bar and just over. Then just as we thought we had done enough for the win, the visitors made it 2-2 in the second of four minutes added-on when substitute McNeill found Duffin who poked home from around the penalty spot. A bit gut wrenching not to win, but our unbeaten run now stretches to eight.

Download

For the second successive match, Alexandre Machado picked up the Man of the Match beers so more Sagres to go into his fridge. Peter Duffin was seen to be Motola's best performer on the day.

Download

That boy Machado is proving to be a key player

Season 2023-2024: Tobemore become the latest scalp as the unbeaten run goes on and on…

Just eight games remain in our first season in charge of PSNI, and it's been a real rollercoaster of emotions for sure. We started off pretty well, suffered a down turn but since defeating Coagh United in mid-December and binning off 4-3-3 in favour of a conventional 4-4-2: we have been unstoppable to say the least. However with one automatic promotion spot and maybe another via a play-off: we are treating each game as if it is as important as the last one. Dare we start to dream even more?

Winning is a habit that you want to have, and we certainly have that at the moment.

We sign off February with a game on home turf against rock-bottom Tobemore United. This is actually our fourth game against them this season as we played them in pre-season as well as the earlier encounters at Fortwilliam Park in the Intermediate Cup and the reverse league one. We have won two of those three with the Intermediate Cup win being Tobemore's sole success. In a strange quirk, we are actually being seen as favourites to deepen Tobemore's relegation fears today. United are five points away from the safety line whilst we are unbeaten in eight league games but nine if you include the Cup Final. The bookies have priced us as being 5-6 to record another win with the visitors 11-4 to shatter our unbeaten run. It's 13-5 if you think that they will hold us to a draw.

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance: 89 (5 away)

For the third game running, the team picked itself as we decided to keep faith with the same starting eleven and the same seven substitutes. This meant that Portuguese winger Alexandre Machado was again starring out wide on the right. Since arriving on window deadline day, the free transfer signing from Institute has a goal and an assist in his first two appearances for us and is already starting to prove an excellent piece of business for us. Tobemore make a couple of changes for this match with former Cliftonville midfielder Michael Tolan and Gareth McFadden come into the starting line up. They replace Shane Mulgrew and Eoin Gillan who drop to the substitute bench. Tobemore are captained by striker Gary Keane who is in his eighth season with them: the former Ballymoney United and Ringsend Swifts man has 14 goals this season with 11 in the league which is almost half of the basement dwellers total league goals tally.

They also have a new face for us to lock horns with in the dugout. Graeme McKenzie was dismissed two days before Christmas, another echo back to Derek Dooley and Sheffield Wednesday in 1973, and his permanent replacement is a fellow managerial rookie in Aaron Service. The former Moyola Park coach has signed a deal at Fortwilliam Park until the summer of 2025, and was appointed on New Year's Eve: ending an eight year sabbatical from the beautiful game.

We opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Machado fizzed in a low cross from the right and it was swept home by Cian Stewart for the loan signing's 10th goal of the season. Despite looking comfortable, we were still guarding ourselves against complacency and were given a bit of a warning when Daniel McIhatton drove an effort over the top but I'm sure that Jonah Magill tracked it all the way. A second goal a minute before the break gave us some breathing space. It came about when Machado picked out skipper Johnny Wilson and his goal bound shot rebounded to the feet of Stewart who doubled his tally for the afternoon with a simple finish.

Just after the hour, Owen Madine almost scored his first for the club with a long range free-kick that skimmed the top of the crossbar with Kieran Murphy frantically backpedalling in vain. Yet the five away fans thought they had something to cheer over in the 65th minute when McIlhatton played skipper Keane who showed a striker's finish to beat Magill; but a flag from the referee's assistant against him quickly quelled the away celebrations and keep the score at 2-0. In the closing stages, Madine again fired narrowly over, as we eased to victory without really playing at our best. This latest win takes us up to an astonishing sixth place!

Download

Despite scoring both goals, Stewart was not given the Man of the Match beers as that honour went to Jonah Magill for his second league clean sheet of the season. Left winger Iain McCashin, just turned 17, was deemed to be Tobemore's best on the day.

Download

2023-2024 Season: It's a perfect ten!

March arrived with us still riding the proverbial crest of a winning wave. However, we are still guarding ourselves against the “C” word; complacency and know that we are there to be shot at. That's the problem when you are on a sequence like we are, you paint a target on your back for others to shoot you down and ruin all you have achieved so far.

To be unbeaten in the new calendar year is nothing short of amazong.

That first game in March sees us head down to Rathfriland for a third encounter with them this season. Our last meeting them was way back in October when we were still playing 4-3-3. The squad on duty that day is vastly different to what we have now, We have found that winning mentality and at the moment feel like nobody can stop us. Ten points and five places separate the sides with us still trying to achieve the improbable: that play-off position and a shot at promotion against the 11th placed side in the Championship. It would be amazing if we can achieve it, wouldn't it? Despite the contrasting form, they have lost their last four League and Cup games which ultimately cost Ally Wilson his job, the bookies have Rathfriland as 6-4 favourites to win this game. We're 13-8 to make it ten league games unbeaten with 5-2 the best you can get for a draw.

Download

Iveagh Park, Rathfriland

Attendance: 85 (4 away)

In a remarkable coincidence, both sides were unchanged from their last games. For us, this meant we were playing with the same players for the fourth game in succession. However, we need to keep a very close eye on teenage striker Tomas Galvin. The 19 year old, on loan from Dungannon Swifts, has hit a creditable 13 goals this season in what has been a hit and miss campaign for the home. They are captained by Andy Kilmartin who is still turning out and playing in the centre of midfield at the age of 41. They have made full use of the loan market with six of their starting eleven, on loan from either the Championship or the Premiership. Compare that to us who have been able to acquire one single loan signing all season such is our financial state off-pitch. 

With the rain falling, we made a great start after just seven minutes with the opening goal of what proved to be a terrific game. A deep swinging cross from Zach Annett saw Alexandre Machado attack it with a thumping header past Ronan Burns for 0-1. It was the Portuguese winger's second goal for us to go with his two assists in just five games since his deadline day signing.  However the home side were in no mood to roll over and equalised midway when two of their loan signings combined; 17 year old Linfield loanee crossing for his fellow 17 year old Daniel Shiel (acquired from Glenavon) to head across Jonah Magill and in off the post. That gave Rathfriland fresh belief and they took the lead a minute before the half whistle when experienced left-back Ross Black curled home a sumptuous free kick from 30 yards out top bins, giving Magill no chance whatsoever. In fact, no keeper would have saved that one.

After a few choice words at the interval, just like Sir Alex Ferguson's hairdryer, the lads came out for the second half with purpose to keep that unbeaten run still going. Rathfriland must have thought they were going to experience our wrath and that we would be looking to exercise our playing muscle on them. They were given a warning shot just three minutes into that second half when skipper Johnny Wilson smacked a shot against the bar with Burns beaten all ends up. We made a double change in the 65th minute with Mark McCullagh and Sam Morrow coming off for Craig Briers and John-Joe MacDonald and within two minutes we had gone from 2-1 behind to 3-2 up. 

First of all, and moments after the substitution, we made it 2-2 with a stupendous strike of our own when Annett (playing his best ever game for us) picked out Owen Madine who unleashed an absolute howitzer past Burns from just outside the D. What a way to score your first goal for the Club, and safe to say he had been getting closer and closer before finally hitting the target. Then a couple of minutes later, we were in front when Machado's inswinging corner was half cleared to Jonathan Doyle who played a one-two with the impressive Annett before touching it into the path of MacDonald who swivelled and crashed home an incredible top bins finish into the far corner; Burns again with no chance of saving. We saw it home after that, and it's now ten league games without defeat. Incredible.

Download

In a game that saw many outstanding performances from our boys, substitute John-Joe MacDonald took home his first ever Man of the Match beers home with him. Central defender Dean Corrigan, on loan from Ballinamallard United, was declared as Rathfriland's best performer.

Download

We now have a fortnight off before our next game which is the first of two massive matches, one home and one away, against Distillery and Queens respectively. Win those and then we could really be in the mix for an unexpected promotion challenge. The incentive carrot is dangling…..

2023-2024 Season: All good things come to an end

We had two weeks between the Rathfriland game and our next match which was a crunch home match against Lisburn Distillery. It was a definitely one of those that you could call a six-pointer of sorts. We went into it on the back of a ten game unbeaten run in the league that has seen us rise from 11th when we lost 3-4 at home to Portstewart at The Dub and to the heady heights of 6th and with an outside change of getting into that promotion play-off berth which is currently held by our close rivals Queens University Belfast.

Would it be nice to gate-crash it all, eh?

Anyway that two weeks break allowed for achy bodies to rest and recuperate, and for the manager to have a few days away in Dubai: conveniently allowing him to switch off from all footballing business-related issues. I came back just in time to see the quarter-finals of the Irish FA Cup take place where Queens and Banbridge Town were still flying the flag for the Intermediate League, with the other six sides being Premiership sides such as heavyweights Linfield, Glentoran, Coleraine and Crusaders. With our next game away from home being the local derby against Queens, I was in attendance at The Dub to see them take on Portadown and they acquitted themselves pretty well too to come from 2-0 down to force extra time and subsequently penalties which the Ports won 5-4 on spot kicks. Elsewhere, Banbridge got humped 4-1 by Ballymena United, Coleraine beat Glentoran 3-0 and Crusaders beat Linfield again 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time.

We suffered no injuries in that two week break which meant that we had the luxury of playing an unchanged side for the game against Distillery. Despite the unbeaten run, the bookies once more saw us as outsiders to take the points on offer. Distillery were made 5-4 favourites to win the game and puncture our unbeaten run to an eventual end whilst you could get 15-8  for us to make it 11 league games unbeaten. A draw is available at the odds of 5-2 should you believe the two sides are going to shake hands on a share of the spoils.

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance:184 (71 away)

The two sides are in their third meeting this season and each side has won one. Distillery won the first encounter 3-2 in Lisburn when after an early Jonathan Doyle, they hit three in four first half minutes to deflate us and lead 3-1 at the break. Andy Ferguson, aka penalty king, made it a one goal game but they held on for the win. Meeting number two was the semi-final of the Steel and Sons Cup at The Dub where Cian Stewart scored the only goal of the tie to send us to the Final, and we all know happened there don't we?  We make two changes for the game with Craig Briers and John-Joe MacDonald coming in for Mark McCullagh and San Morrow who drop to the bench. Distillery make a single change at left back where rumoured summer transfer target Ethan Warnock comes in for Bradley Lyttle. They are captained by the experienced Joe Tully who has bagged 40 goals this season in all competitions.

The visitors took the lead in the seventh minute when Shane Cooper headed Ellis Brown's cross against the bar but the rebound landed favourably for Jack Berry to poach in the rebound. It look us just seven minutes to equalise when MacDonald, making his full debut, laid the ball back to Zach Annett who cut across the edge of the box before curling a beautiful strike beyond Craig Robinson for his maiden PSNI goal and build on his excellent showing last time out against Rathfriland. Our cheers turned to hushed silence seconds later when Gerard Storey's low long range shot skipped off the wet surface in the incessant rain that was falling and into the bottom corner of Jonah Magill's net. 

They made it 1-3 in the 22nd minute when centre half Adam McCart curled in a free kick from outside the box in the opposite bottom corner with Magill given no chance whatsoever. But the lads showed their resolve to make it a one goal game again four minutes later when Owen Madine's left wing corner was met by a thumper of a header from Andrew Ferguson to make 2-3 with the veteran central defender bagging his 10th of the season. Madine limped off with what looked a bad ankle injury incurred by a Storey challenge as we tried to push for a leveller for 3-3 but the match was sealed and put to bed 11 minutes from the end when Berry's free kick was headed home by Cooper. 

So the incredible run ends today, and maybe our hopes of promotion. But we will go again, Queens best watch out as we're determined to upset their plans as well as get some bragging rights next Saturday.

Download

Distillery's Ellis Brown took the Man of the Match beers back with him to Lisburn with Annett, firmly established as our first choice left back, being dubbed as our best performer on the day.

Download

Keep the faith

We will, Kinda knew the run would come to an end eventually….but hey ho!

2023-2024 Season: Derby day despair as disallowed goal costs us

Imagine the scene after the game against Distillery seven days previous, it felt like someone had squeezed all the air out of the balloon. We had seen our 11 game unbeaten run, 10 in the league alone, go up in the smoke. However, that's not a dig at Distillery at all though as they were just that much better than us on the day and we just have to suck up and go once more.

That said, who wants a first season promotion anyway?

Our next game sees us face our biggest and technically, closest rivals. Yet knowing that bragging rights are on the line against the Students, I felt a little bit let down by the reactions from the Board and our supporters: both are expecting us to slide to a second successive loss. Quite surprisingly really. I wouldn't mind personally to take all three and deflate their promotion balloon and maybe re-flicker the promotion flame of our own. Realistically, a defeat against Queens will mean that flame will be extinguished for 2023-2024 and we will just have to try and finish as high as possible afterwards. It seems like the bookies are sharing the same sentiment as the Board and the supporters as they have Queens as 11-10 favourites to win with us, the “away” side (we share the same stadium and pitch in case you've been fast asleep), best priced at 9-4. If you reckon the derby will end a draw though, well you can get 5-2 for that option.

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance: 290 (135 away)

We have made a couple of changes for the derby, one of them enforced. The enforced change comes in central midfield as Owen Madine picked up a badly twisted ankle in that loss to Distillery and will be out for three weeks. We could have plied him with a cortisone injection if we wanted but he would be out for five weeks, basically the remainder of the season and risking further damage, so we went with the safe option and Louis Blackstock is given a recall to replace him. The other change is at right-back where Mark McCullagh replaces Craig Briers. McCullagh is our most creative player this season in terms of providing assists so I'm hoping he provides one or two more against Queens. No pressure like. Queens are unchanged from their last match, and have another prolific striker for us to deal with in shape of Zach Ferson who has 29 goals in 34 games this season.

The first encounter, played on Ne'er Day, ended in a 2-2 draw with us coming back from a 2-0 deficit and gain a point thanks to Sean Hill's late equaliser and even nearly win when the same player drove inches wide in time added-on. I'd settle for that again.

Queens opened the scoring after just nine minutes play. A slickly worked corner was passed around our rearguard and the ball was simply passed into the far corner by Students skipper Ben Mulgrew. Mulgrew almost added a second straight after the restart, his long range drive clipping the crossbar with Jonah Magill nowhere near it. Little had been seen of us but half time just four minutes away, we fashioned an unlikely equaliser. John-Joe MacDonald lofting the ball forward for top scorer Jonathan Doyle to bring the ball down with one touch and then volleying into the top corner with his next. A truly remarkable finish for the front man who now has 16 goals for the season, 12 of which have come in the league.

We thought we had gone in front in the 56th minute when McCullagh's ball forward was nodded back by Cain Stewart to skipper Johnny Wilson to send an unstoppable volley beyond Andrew Gawne. However, our celebrations were cut short indeed when a flag from the referee's assistant against Stewart for offside and videos post-game backed it up perfectly as the right call, not that I needed convincing as even I could see the offside was clear as daylight. 

That let off seemed to awaken Queens to re-assume control of the game and you just knew they'd bag the winner sometime in the game. It came with just 14 minutes left to play, substitute Mikey Withers with the left wing cross and Lorcan McIlory (no relation to Rory) headed home. We had no response so it's back to back losses as we go into that final month of the season with just pride and a decent finishing position as our targets.

Download

Students captain Ben Mulgrew got the nod for the Man of the Match beers whilst Doyle was seen to be our best performer on a day we want to forget, and quickly too.

Download

2023-2024 Season: The final month of the season…

March ended with Moyola Park playing their outstanding game at home to Rathfriland Rangers. The lowly placed visitors surprised the Park by leaving Coleraine with a 1-0 away win.

So we start April, everyone has four league games to play and these are the standings:

Download

The highest we can possibly finish, and it means winning all four games and results benefitting us elsewhere is 4th. On the flip side, the lowest we we can finish is 10th. I'd like to finish 6th if you ask me….and our next game is against Banbridge Town - the team directly above us! Destiny is in our own hands.

2023-2024 Season: If you don't take your chances you will lose….

So we're into the final month of season one at PSNI in the Intermediate League, aka the third tier of Northern Irish football. And safe to say, it has definitely been a challenge and a half. Never have I had to deal with a squad that could have its heart ripped out of it so easily, so to go into the final month and still harbouring a hope of a top half finish is quite remarkable.

Well, the Board wanted that so I'm on course to deliver.

They obviously think I'm a doing a pretty alright job, as they have decided to go ahead with a possible new contract on the table. Nothing has been outlined yet, but it's got to be realistically on the same terms as this initial one as a bare minimum if not slightly improved upon considering I've brought silverware in the shape of the Steel and Sons Cup already in the short time I've been here. Hopefully, if we finish well then we might be able to attract some newcomers and get rid of some of the unwanted ones. Keeping hold of top scorer Jonathan Doyle is one of my main plans. Anyway, we start April by playing one of three home games to finish the season off. 

Our opponent on the first Saturday in April is Banbridge Town, whom we have not had much luck against this season and the bookies certainly think we're going to go down to a third successive loss. They have made Town 7-5 favourites to leave The Dub with all three points, we're 9-5 ourselves and a draw can be found at 5-2. I don't like teams doing the double over us, Distillery are the only ones to do so at the moment. Let's put the record straight, eh?

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance: 78 (1 away)

So we made a sole change for Banbridge's trip to The Dub, that came on the left wing as Sam Morrow was recalled in the place of John-Joe MacDonald. However, there was a nice inclusion on the bench as Owen Madine was back in the first team picture after recovering from his ankle injury sustained against Distillery. Whilst Owen is far from fully fit, it's nice to have him back for the final run-in. Depending how it goes, we will probably utilise his services for the half hour. Banbridge made two changes from their last outing as goalkeeper Niall Brady returns in goal and former Queens striker John Deeney is given his Town debut alongside Nigerian striker Ebuka Kwelele. Kwelele, 21, has been a bit of a pain for us this season as he was involved in a debatable red card incident that saw Ben Mitchell sent off earlier in the season which the Lads still maintain he was play-acting and conning the referee. He has 28 goals this season, so is another striker who knows where the net is.

This is the third encounter between the sides this season, with Town having won both so far. They sent us out of the Irish Cup 2-1 with the departed Ernestas Verenka on target, and that came a week after edging us 3-2 in the league match which saw that afore-mentioned red card incident. Goalscorers for us in the league were Jonathan Doyle and a penalty from Andrew Ferguson. Ferguson goes into this game on a disciplinary tightrope of sorts, one more booking will see the veteran central defender pick up an automatic one-match suspension for five accumulated cautions.

The first real effort in anger came midway through the first half when Deeney fired inches wide from the edge of the area with Jonah Magill scrambling across his goal line. Perhaps a warning shot across the bows. However, we should have taken the lead a few minutes later when Morrow's left wing cross was met by a free header from Alexandre Machado but the Portuguese winger sent it over the bar instead. Two minutes after that opportunity, we took a 34th minute when skipper Johnny Wilson threaded the ball inside the full back and Machado finished well. But it didn't last long as Banbridge scored twice in the final five minutes of the half to go with a deserved 2-1 half time lead. First of all in the 40th minute, Kwelele's effort was parried by Magill and we didn't react to the loose ball thereby allowing Deeney to score on his debut with a simple finish. Then as the half time whistle was about to sound, Joshua Quinn's deep cross was met by a downward header from teenage winger Scott Gormley for 1-2. Half time speech well and truly ruined.

Gormley would be a nightmare all afternoon for us, and he gave Zach Annett an absolute roasting but the stern words at half time seemed to have an immediate effect as we restored parity just 53 seconds after the restart which had seen Banbridge do a triple substitution. A superbly weighted pass from Doyle saw strike partner Cain Stewart outstrip Andrew Martin and lashed an unstoppable effort into the roof of the net. Buoyed by the this, and on top, Doyle then saw Brady produce a brilliant save to stop his curling effort going in for 3-2. Yet talk about being deflated, we were when Martin lashed in a direct free-kick from fully 30 plus yards midway through the second, Magill given no chance whatsoever. 

Nineteen minutes from time, Banbridge made it 2-4 when Conor Curran's cross was converted at the far post by a Gormley half volley aided by the post; poor Annett thought the cross had been over-hit and was in no man's land as the 16 year old doubled his tally for the afternoon. Stewart thought he'd poked in his second with a minute to go after Machado had headed against the bar from a Craig Briers cross but he had been adjudged offside in the build up. Another of those what might have been days….

Download

Tormentor-in-chief Gormley was given the Man of the Match award but since he's just 16, we couldn't hand him beer over so he had to make do with a case of Pepsi Max instead. Skipper Johnny Wilson was seen to be our best player on the day.

Download

In the 63rd minute, Ferguson was cautioned by referee Gareth O'Donnell for a trip on Deeney. As a result he will now miss next week's away trip to Coagh United.

And finally, the first Irish Cup semi-final was played at the National Stadium this afternoon and it was a great day for Crusaders and their supporters as they saw off Ballymena United 5-1 helped by a brace from striker Aaron Prendergast. Left back Jarlath O'Rourke had given the North Belfast side an early lead which was cancelled out on the stroke of half time by Brendan Barr but Crues ran away with it in the second half…The second semi-final between Coleraine and Portadown will be played in the week and again at the National Stadium.

2023-2024 Season: Slide gets arrested…

The mood in the dressing room after the Banbridge Town home defeat was one of anguish. We knew full well that we had blown a serious chance to possibly get a top five finish with that defeat, and although the Board still seem happy that we are achieving our objectives, in my mind then we are falling short when the crunch comes around. If we are to progress as I want, then we need to get out of the Intermediate League and into the Championship as soon as possible to give us the best hope of reaching the promised land.

There's nothing wrong with being a bit of an optimist is there?

We have a shot at redeeming ourselves in our next fixture as we host relegation threatened Coagh United at The Dub. Coagh are in serious bother as they are just four points clear of Tobemore United who currently occupy that relegation spot. They are going to be fighting for their wee lives it has to be said, and nothing would give them pleasure in inflicting a fourth straight defeat on us and boosting their hopes of avoiding the drop. Both the Board and our supporters think we are going, and so do the bookies for once in a wee lifetime. We're odds-on favourites at 10-11 to get back to winning ways this afternoon in our penultimate home match of the season. If you fancy an upset or a draw then you can get 13-5 for either.

Download

The Dub, Belfast

Attendance: 92 (7 away)

We had to make changes for this game, you can't stick with a side that has lost its last three can you. So we opted to make three changes to the starting line up, one of which was enforced on us though. That enforced change saw Ben Mitchell replace Andrew Ferguson in the centre of defence as “Fergie” serves his one match suspension. There's a change in central midfield and also on the wing too. Central midfield sees Owen Madine back alongside skipper Johnny Wilson in place of Louis Blackstock whilst Alexandre Machado moves into the left wing spot vacated by Sam Morrow, teenager Aaron Porter is given a start in the right wing slot. Both Blackstock and Morrow are on the bench. We could have changed more believe me. Coagh are unchanged from their last match however. The corresponding game at Hagan Park was the first game without 4-3-3 so hopefully 4-4-2 will see us back to winning ways, we won 2-1 then with first half goals from “Fergie” and Sean Hill.

An optimising beginning saw us almost take the lead inside six minutes but Madine's shot from distance was just a fraction over Will Hassan's crossbar. It was a warning that Coagh didn't heed as three minutes later, we were indeed in front. Emmanuel Omrore fouled Jonathan Doyle just outside the penalty area, near the right hand corner of it: Madine sized it up and showed great technique to curl the ball as well as up and over the wall to find the roof of the net with Hassan left absolutely helpless. An incredible strike from an incredible player. He created the second five minutes from half time with a perfectly judged pass over the Coagh defence for Doyle to crash home his 17th of the season from just inside the penalty area.

We almost had a third and another special from Madine in the early stages of the second half. It was another free kick from distance which the central midfielder curled goalwards but skimmed the bar and went just over rather dipping underneath it. After that the game became bitty and fluid football became a rarity but Coagh never had us in any bother, meaning that we could see the back of that wretched run and deepen their fears over the drop. Now where's this supposed new contract that the Board were promising me? Surely that three-game run of losses hasn't changed their minds? Over to you Mr Chairman….

Download

Madine's stellar performance where he scored a worldie of a free kick and assisted on the other, saw him take the Man of the Match beers home with him. As for Coagh, their best performer was Omrore but I bet he's still regretting the concession of the dead ball situation which was punished oh so ruthlessly…

Download

Midweek had seen Coleraine win the other Irish Cup semi-final against Portadown. The Bannsiders were 3-0 in the first 12 minutes thanks to goals from Matthew Shevlin, Rodney Brown and Jamie Glackin. “Ports” staged a recovery in the second half and reduced the arrears to just one goal through Ryan Mayse and a Paul McElroy penalty. However, in the remaining 17 minutes plus time added-on, Coleraine held on to book their Final berth against Crusaders at the National Stadium on Saturday 11 May 2024.

2023-2024 Season: Signed, sealed and delivered.

Post-game Coagh, I was surprised to see the Chairman walking towards me with a bit of a smile on his face. What was he smiling for? Was it showing a sigh of relief that he was happy that we had arrested (apologies for the pun) the losing streak or was it something else? I grasped my pint of Guinness tightly, and then he spoke:

“Mark, congratulations on that win today. Could have won by more, couldn't we?”

“Yes Mr Chairman, it was a pretty routine win. Just happy myself to get the losing streak monkey off our collective backs.”

“No need for formalities as I said from the day I appointed you, it's Ken not Mr Chairman.”

“Sorry, Ken.”

“Do you however remember our little chat a couple of weeks ago though?”

“Erm, I think so Ken.”

“Well I have news for you, I have been busy drawing up that new contract. Hadn't forgotten you see.”

“Ah okay.”

“Should be presented to you by the middle of the week. Hope you can accept the terms.”

“We'll certainly study it over Ken.”

“Good man. Call into my office when you have done so, door's always open. Now let me buy you a fresh pint.”

“Thank you.”

Well all that worrying over nothing, eh? A new contract in the offing but what terms was Ken going to issue was the question in my mind as he handed me a fresh pint of the black stuff in the bar. The least I was hoping for was the same as this deal, a pay cut would not be acceptable in any circumstances. So on Tuesday afternoon, whilst continuing my prep for Saturday's game at Ballymacash Rangers, the new contract offer arrived in my e-mails. Ken was offering the same terms with the same expectations as this season so as far as he was concerned, it was business as usual. However, I was hoping secretly it would be a 2 year deal in the hope we can kick onto the next level. I closed down my laptop and made the short journey to Ken's office, just down the corridor.

“Mark, you got the e-mail contract then?” Ken greeted me with.. 

“Yeah, seems unchanged from what I'm on now.”

“That's right. And?”

“Well Ken, I was hoping we could be a bit more ambitious. Say a two year deal on these terms?”

“Can't do, all about budgets. Those above me won't allow it. But you understand, right”

“Sure. But you know how good it is, this would be a real statement if we can…”

“No wriggle room, so sorry Mark.”

“Ah okay.”

So that was that, I signed the contract anyway much to Ken's delight but we now to assemble a squad capable of going the next stage forwards. If I want to be out of this damn forsaken Intermediate League then we had to do in the next two seasons in my eyes. And that means keeping holding of players such as Doyle, Madine etc. whilst adding a new 20 goal plus striker to the ranks. We've got the formation, just need to have the prolific strike force to help us finish off teams. A scorer like Joe Tully of Distillery or Zach Ferson of Queens…

But with a new contract in the bag, time to re-focus on Ballymacash and silence them on Saturday in the penultimate game of season one.

Download