BETMcLEAN CUP
BANGOR 0
CLIFTONVILLE 1
Corrigan 90’
IT TOOK a last-gasp goal from Ryan Corrigan on Tuesday night to separate Bangor and Cliftonville, as the Premiership side edged into the quarter finals of the BetMcLean Cup.
Corrigan’s 90th minute strike finally broke the resolve of Bangor who had defended superbly against the Irish Cup holders as Jim Magilton’s men avoided a cup upset at Clandeboye Park.
With a packed schedule and Lee Feeney admitting that priorities lie elsewhere this season, the Bangor boss made eight changes from the side that defeated Ballyclare Comrades last Friday night including a debut for 21 year-old goalkeeper Ben Fry.
While Fry was pleased to see the assistant referee’s flag rule out Joe Gormley’s 14th-minute curling effort for offside, it was his counterpart in the Cliftonville goal that made an excellent block to stop Bangor taking the lead.
Lewis Ridd, one of three changes to the Cliftonville side which saw off Crusaders last weekend, got down to his right to keep out Sonny Redford’s shot across goal after Tom Mathieson had released the teenage striker.
Then, with 17 minutes on the clock, Ridd had to be alert to Max Davidson’s cross to prevent it from sailing into the top corner with the backpedalling ’keeper getting just enough on the ball to push it over the bar.
Cliftonville enjoyed plenty of possession but struggled to get beyond a determined Bangor defence led by captain on the night Callum Byers. And it was Byers who brilliantly headed clear Taylor Steven’s inswinging cross as Joe Gormley waited to pounce.
On the stroke of half-time a clever Cliftonville corner routine saw Rory Hale go close with a vicious strike across goal but his effort skimmed the face crossbar from a narrow angle as Bangor survived.
Bangor still posed their own threat and Kyle Owens’ looping header after 58 minutes was well held by Ridd as Cliftonville defended Tiarnan Mulvenna’s corner.
Lee Feeney sent strikers Ben Arthurs and Matthew Ferguson into action during the second half and it was Ferguson who almost broke the deadlock after 75 minutes. The visitors struggled to deal with a cross into their box and Ferguson acrobatically got his shot away from 12 yards but his effort was straight at a relieved Ridd.
Rory Hale fired into the side netting while substitute Jack Berry added impetus to the Reds’ attacks from wide as they turned the screw in search of a winner.
And that winner arrived in the final minute when substitute Corrigan collected Hale’s precise pass before coolly stepping inside one Bangor challenge and steering the ball past the helpless Fry.
It was hard luck for the Seasiders, and a free kick deep into injury time which saw Ridd hold onto Ben Arthurs’ header proved to be the final opportunity as Bangor’s battling display came to an end.
Bangor: Fry, Beverland, Owens, Byers, Bradley (‘55 C McGuinness), Reid (‘83 Hughes), Mulvenna, Davidson (‘68 Garrett), Mathieson, Cushnie (‘55 Arthurs), Redford (‘68 Ferguson). Subs not used: Taylor, McKee.
Cliftonville: Ridd, Pepper (‘80 Piesold), Newberry, Pettifer (‘59 Donnelly), Kearney, Hale, Curran (‘59 Corrigan), Conlan, Gormley (‘68 Markey), Glynn, Steven (‘68 Berry). Subs not used: Odumosu, Addis.
