Bann lose grip on Kirk Cup after Garvey defeat

Sunday 2nd October

Banbridge went into the semi final of the Kirk Cup against Lisnagarvey on the back of a 9.0 win against Belfast Harlequins the previous day to continue their good start to the season. The local side started the game well with Stephen Dowds and Dane Ward finding space in the opponents half to take the game to the Comber Road side.

However Garvey weathered this storm and soon became more involved in the match going forward creating chances of their own. Banbridge were reduced to 10 men when Peter Brown was shown a yellow card for a stick tackle on a Garvey midfielder, a harsh decision on the young forward. Lisnagarvey used their numerical advantage to great effect, breaking down the right before finding Thompson at the back post of an easy tap in.

There was still time before the half time whistle for Scott Forbes to pick out Scott Caruth arriving into the circle but his pass to Owen Magee was picked off by the last defender.

Half time Banbridge 0 Lisnagarvey 1

The second half continued with Lisnagarvey continuing to create chances but found goal keeper Gareth Lennox in good form. Banbridge tried to get back into the game and earned themselves their first short corner of the game, with Ross McCandless’s drag flick being saved by the Garvey keeper.

Lisnagarvey thought they had won a penalty stroke only for the umpires to conclude that Stephen Forbes had taken the ball off the line with his stick, rather than his body. Soon after Banbridge also had Scott Forbes to thank for taking a drag flick off the line from a Lisnagarvey short corner. Bruce McCandless nearly had Banbridge on level terms but failed to reach the ball after Dane Ward had fired the ball across goal hoping for the tiniest of touches to turn the ball in.

With 10 minutes remaining Banbridge conceded a penalty stroke and the resulting flick was dispatched into the bottom left hand corner to give Lisnagarvey a two goal advantage.

Full time Banbridge 0 Lisnagarvey 2

The Havelock side will have to learn from their mistakes over the next week in preparation for the IHL match away to Cookstown on the 15th October.