BANGOR 0-1 LARNE  (PADDY POWER Co. ANTRIM SHIELD ROUND 1)

Clandeboye Park, Tuesday 11th August 2009
Match Report by Neil Watson 

An injury time goal from Davy Larmour was all that separated Bangor and Larne in this Paddy Power County Antrim Shield 1st Round encounter. Both sides had chances throughout, with Mark Magennis testing the woodwork, but in the end Larmour’s goal was enough to send his side into the next round of the competition.

Former Bangor player BJ McMenamin had the ball in the back of the net in the 15th minute, but his strike was ruled out by the linesman’s raised flag.

Another former Bangor player was in the thick of the action at the other end of the pitch. Goalkeeper Ryan Brown, making his return to Clandeboye Park after his summer move to Larne, sliced his clearance straight to the feet of Mark Magennis. The Bangor midfielder sidestepped his marker before curling a shot past the helpless Brown only for the woodwork to deny Magennis his first goal of the season.

Brown was again in action in the 31st minute as he used his legs to block out Andy Rosbotham’s low drive from 16 yards after good play from McIntyre and Morrow.

Andy McIntyre was next to stretch the Larne goalkeeper as his toe-poked effort from a Rosbotham pass forced Brown into a low save.

Half-time: 0 – 0

Larne midfielder Marc Brown came close to breaking the deadlock in the 57th minute, but his bending 25 yard freekick flew just wide of the target. Bangor managed to cope with a period of Larne pressure with Adam Dick and Liam Carland both missing headed opportunities in quick succession.

At the other end of the pitch, Rosbotham and McIntyre again combined with the bustling centre forward forcing a fine save from Brown low to his right to keep out a goal-bound header.

Gareth Maguire in the Bangor goal showed his mettle in the 71st minute when he produced a fantastic low to save to keep out a close range Davy Larmour effort after a goalmouth scramble. BJ McMenamin tested the Bangor ‘keeper in the 83rd minute, but again Maguire was equal to the task.

With only minutes left a fine move involving Hunter, McIntyre and Morrow gave Morrow the opportunity to shoot from 25 yards, but his effort fizzed over the crossbar.

Then, with extra time looming, Jim McMenamin got caught in possession wide on the touchline, allowing BJ McMenamin to centre the ball for Larmour to grab the win.

Full-time: 0 – 1

Bangor:
Maguire, Youle, J McMenamin, Whiteside, Whitford (’75 Mann), Hunter, Dunlop (’68 Upton), Magennis, Rosbotham, Morrow, McIntyre. Subs not used: Boyd, McCurdy.
Booked: Whiteside

Larne:
R Brown, Fulton, Marsh, Carland, Hagan, Dick, M Brown, Lagan, BJ McMenamin, McLaughlin (’75 White), Larmour. Subs not used: Thompson, McQuoid, Moore, Neeson.
Scorer: Larmour (90+3)
Booked: Lagan, M Brown

Referee: Mr S Creaney