The Premiership Cup final between Glentoran BU and Mid Ulster takes place at Solitude on Mon 26. The Coca Cola Women’s Cup final between Glentoran Belfast United and Crusaders Strikers will be held at Solitude next Friday 30th.
Meanwhile one team that ended its season on a rapturous note was Glentoran BU Reserves. Not to be outdone by their senior counterparts they retained the Reserve League Cup with a quality show against Crusaders Strikers Reserves. Although there was a two-goal gap between them at the finish, it wasn’t until deep into the second half that the Glens were able to consolidate their placing as favourites, easing their tension with a couple of crippling goals.
The Strikers certainly didn’t shrink from the challenge, displaying lasting stamina to ensure that the favourites were totally occupied to the final whistle. At the break the Glens were clinging onto an uncertain 1-0 lead before biting in the second half to emerge eventual winners.
Reserve sides are condemned to live in the shadows of their senior teams and tend to be overlooked by all except their club colleagues and mentors. Back-up players who hope to get the nod from the manager to line out for the senior team. If they don’t they will remain as ‘bit-part’ players but no less enthusiastic, their euphoria in winning just as passionate; their enjoyment as high as those placed above them and all deserving of the highest praise.
And so it is with the ladies of the Glens whose power-packed league performances saw them whiz to the division title, leaving the others flapping helplessly in their wake. With the League trophy safely stored they entered the divisional cup showdown with Crusaders Strikers Reserves at the Danny Blanchflower Stadium determined to hold onto the piece of silverware they have made their own for the past three years and to do the double for the fourth time.
Their mission was successful but not before courageous Crues made them sweat until midway through the second half before bowing to two punishing goals from Lisa Downey and Ashleigh Murray that made the final score 3-1, Maggie O’Hanlon having scored in the first half and Player of the Match Kim McMullan reeling in a goal for the Strikers.
At the end of the match, League vice-chairman, Andy Hall, presented the Cup to the Glens captain and the Player of the Match award to Crusaders Kim McMullan.
The Division Four Cup final took place at Lakeview Park, Loughgall, and unfortunately was one of those hugely embarrassing one-sided contests that no-one wanted. Division champs Newry City added the Cup to their League trophy with a massive 16-1 demolishing of a tender Craigavon team that must be congratulated for their spirit and will to compete against overwhelming odds. Their only moment of cheer came when Julie Robins buried the ball in the net.
The match turned into a personal duel between Newry’s twin terriers Moya Feehan and Aimee Mackin who scored five apiece. Further goals from Aoife Lennon, Judith Reid, Nicola Clements and Amy McAllister competed a brilliant season for the South Down club who will undoubtedly be a force again in Division Three next summer.
League chair, Elaine Junk, presented the Cup to the Newry captain and the Player of the Match award to Newry’s Moya Feehan.
The Division Three Cup was won by Lisburn who easily overcome PSNI 5-0 in the final at the Danny Blanchflower Stadium to complete a great season for Haydn Davis’ young side.
After earning promotion with victory over Moyola Park in the play-off, it’s a marvellous double achievement by the teenage Blues. It will be interesting to see how they compete in the higher grade next summer. Only in the making for a couple of short seasons this flourishing club, obviously building for the future, will have a lot to offer the ladies league in the forthcoming years. They had things very much their own way in the final as a plucky police team battled hard to make a contest of it. Sophie Falloon won the Player of the Match award.
An overworked police side held the score to 1-0 at the break, but the seams came apart in the second as Lisburn pressed ferociously to make their dominance pay and they finally did it with four hammer goals that added the Cup to their piece of League silverware.
Report -: Sammy Martin
