Bann book Garvey showdown in Kirk cup semi’s
Bann completed the Kirk Cup group stages with an exciting 4:3 win over Annadale at Havelock. The victory means a semi final showdown with Lisnagarvey next Sunday at Havelock park with Annadale playing group B winners Cookstown at the same venue.
Bann coach Mark Tumilty went into the game with the same squad as last week with Dermy Reay still injured and Peter Brown just missing out.
Annadale went into the game knowing a draw would secure them top spot and they started the brighter forcing a few errors in the Bann rear guard; however Lennox goal was rarely threatened. Bann finally started to thread a few passes together and it was the right flank combination of Bruce McCandless, Matthew Bell and Stevie Dowds that produced a few crosses and narrow misses. As the half wore on the game started to take shape with Bann controlling the majority of possession and Annadale relying on counter attack. Bann finally made their mark when Ross McCandless converted their first short corner following a following attack that had the dale defence scrambling.
Half time Bann: 1 Dale: 0
The second half immediately began with Stevie Dowds threading his way through the dale defence and almost doubling the lead. However the young Irish international didn’t have to long to wait as he collect a pull back from Bruce McCandless following a brilliant flowing move from back to front.
It was all Bann at this stage and Ross McCandless made it 3 shortly after with a bullet drag flick. Bann continue their assautlt on Johnny Moores goal and with 15 minutes remaining the goal of the game arrived as Josh Moffet tapped in after a 60 yard burst by Dane Ward and Bruce McCandless.
At this stage everyone round Havelock was predicting a rout as Bann were looking very sharp but to Annadale’s credit they kept battling and they eventually got a lifeline when Peter Caruth scored a penalty stroke after Frazer mills had been taken down.
Bann finished the game extremely sloppy in possession and were gifting Dale the ball in advanced areas and this allowed the visitors to grab another two consolations from short corner variations but alas Bann held on for a deserved victory
Coach Mark Tumilty was delighted with the performance his team produced for 55 minutes but felt that the energy sapping training sessions during the week had contributed to the disappointing way they’d lost composure in the closing minutes.
Team: Lennox, St Forbes, R McCandless, P Brown, M Bell, R Beattie, D Carlisle, B McCandless, S Dowds, O Magee, D Ward. Subs S McCandless, Sc Forbes, H McShane, S Caruth, J Moffet.
Bann Man of Match: Phillip Brown
Banbridge: 4 Annadale: 3