Football

2009/10 Season

The 2009/10 season began with a friendly away to local rivals Regent House. Over the years, this fixture has always been a close encounter, but on the day Bangor proved too strong and came away with a three nil victory. Goal scorers were ever present Stewart Morrison and Sam Howell with 2. Young Jason Mc Burney was also given his first team debut. After this result Todd Hughes decided he would leave football, a sad loss to the side.
The league campaign began with a trip to Ulidia Playing Fields to face Grovesnor. Last year’s result finished 3-3. Despite being beat 2 nil, the score told nothing of how the match unfolded, with the Grovesnor manager accepting that we were indeed robbed. Fifth former, David Andrews made a first league start and showed glimpses of the important player he would turn out to be throughout the season. This result was followed by a disappointing display against a strong RBAI outfit, with a 5-3 defeat at Ballykillaire, with two own goals and Mc Burney picking up his first of the season.
However, morale was lifted with revenge against RBAI in the Belfast Cup. The match was played away and was a tight game, with the away side coming out 3-2 winners. Bangor got off to a flying start with sublime volleys from both Matthew Wallace and Stewart Morrison, followed by a third from Sam Howell, who had an excellent game. A great result against a young, but powerful side.
The Northern Ireland Schools Cup was next for Bangor, who drew Lagan College away, and despite an awful playing surface came out 3-1 winners. Stuart Kirk made a season debut, due to cup rules not allowing 5th year players to play. The scorers were Bradley Morton with a penalty, Stewart Morrison and Anthony Mc Cormick.
A rearranged fixture in the Northern Ireland Cup saw Bangor play Holy Cross Strabane over the Halloween Holidays. The opening exchanges made it look like Bangor would have an easy day, but in the end pipped it with a 4-3 win setting up a last 16 clash with top school side, De La Salle, Belfast. Morrison, Howell, Campbell and Morton grabbed the goals on the day. Strong performances came from the central midfield partnership of Lowry and Morrison, who proved to be excellent throughout the season.
Despite the usual backline of Mc Grattan, Mc Cormick, Morton and Best very rarely changing, the management decided that Adam Caughey would make his debut for the team in the Belfast Cup. The last 16 draw saw Our Lady St Pats being the obstacle. St Pats proved to be a neat passing side, with many strong footballers on show. However, with a battling performance the game finished 3-3 at Billyneill Playing Fields and a replay was to be played. Goals on the day came from David Andrews, with two, who had a great game and Jason Mc Burney with the other. In the replay Bangor eased through with a 3-1 win, Mc Burney, Howell and finally Morrison put the game to bed. This meant the BGS boys advanced to the Quarter Finals of the Belfast Cup, opponents being Belfast High.
After useful cup runs the league had been forgotten, but it was back to the campaign on the 4th November, with two losses in two games, Bangor needed a win against Glastry from Newtownards. Weather conditions were far from ideal in Portavogie but Bangor proved their footballing strengths coming out 2-1 winners.
Bangor was then denied a place in the quarters of the Schools Cup after a 2-1 defeat to De La Salle. De La Salle controlled much of the first half, but with an equaliser from Morrison the game was taken to extra time where a free kick hit Morton’s leg and found the bottom corner. This was a battling performance that the players could be proud of against one of the best football schools in the country.
More fortune came in the Belfast Cup quarter finals however. Bangor travelled to Newtownabbey and came away 3-0 against a determined Belfast High team. After heavy rain for many days the pitch was waterlogged. This meant Bangor never really got going, but a ball from Best found Morrison who lobbed the keeper to get the decisive goal. Bangor scored two more through Mc Burney and Mc Grattan.
After many postponements, a league game followed against rivals Regent. Despite a poor performance, the players rallied and managed to comfortably win the game 1 nil. The goal came from Morrison again. Boys Model were the next team to travel to Bangor in the league. With a huge name in Northern Irish Schools Football, the 3-2 defeat had a huge amount of positives ahead of the semi final against De La Salle. A front post header from Conor Mc Grattan and a striker’s goal from Mc Burney made Model sweat, but it wasn’t to be for Bangor on the day.