The floodlight 3G surface glimmered immaculately on a cold Friday night in the middle of Portadown. Brownstown Park was filled with anxious supporters from across the province, nervously waiting for the unmistakable sound of the referees whistle to kick off the boys NIB FA Cup semi-final against an opponent they knew very little about.
To the left the boys in yellow and royal blue from Dungannon took to their formation, with the ball at their feet in the centre circle, ready to go when given the command. To the right, the unnerved boys all in black looked ready for war, standing proud in their new kit with the cockn hens badge on the chest and their names on their backs they stood poised like sprinters waiting for the gun.
With a deep gulp of the freezing night air the referee exhaled with all his might to signal the start of a night the boys will never forget. With a roar of support from the side-lines 22 boys sprung into action.
Initial exchanges showed that Dungannon could play and were ready for the fight but the boys started hungrier and quickly closed down the Youth lads to win back possession. A few delightful early pass and move displays from the Glens began to ease the nerves being felt around the 2001 faithful who turned out in force as they usually do.
That growing sense of ease turned to sudden panic when a long ball over the top put the Dungannon forward through hustling and bustling with Captain Kurtis McGookin along the way, an outstretched boot got the shot away and with the relentless Paul McLaughlin having made up so much ground to close the danger down he found himself an inch outside the box when he got a hand to the ball to deflect it wide. Not knowing the reality of the situation the Glentoran line reacted euphorically to what they thought was a great save but when the dust settled and the line watched on as the referee reached for his pocket whilst motioning for Paul to come to him that dreadful feeling of panic returned just as quickly as the realisation of what had just of happened began to sink in. The crowd drew breath and held it in for what seemed an eternity before the sickening sight of that fluorescent blood red card was held high for everyone to see, surely not, no way, is he serious was the cries around the support. It surely is, yes way and I am serious was the look the referee emitted as he out stretched his finger and pointed young Mr McLaughlin towards the bench.
What now was the general feeling amongst the crowd. Ethan Carry! Ethan Carry!! was the distinct call from Mr Lowry, after a few seconds a bemused Ethan Carry stuck his head out of the dug out and said Wa!! Your in nets was the reply from the manager, Who me, yes you hurry up. With a quick look round at his Dad Ethan had that classic rabbit in the head lights look, but a quick thumbs up from his senior and off he went struggling with the borrowed top and the goal keeper gloves on the way. Unfortunately for top goal scorer, Ryan Tweedie he was made the casualty to bring on the sub which was hard on the kid who has 40 plus goals this season.
With a baptism of fire the stand in keepers first duty was to line his wall up for the pending free kick along the 18 yard line. McGookin, Crookshanks, Gallagher and Sloan stood firm and the young lad from Dungannon blasted his effort high and wide.
Dungannon took full advantage of their extra man and immediately put the East Belfast clubs rear guard under some heavy pressure, they looked to have opened the scoring with a scorching shot destined for the inside of the right hand post only to find the last minute fingertip of young Ethan Carry to keep the score level. Dungannon worked hard and after some resilient defending they finally found a way through when a punt into the box caused a goal mouth scramble with the ball bouncing helplessly over the defence and the keeper and even with an acrobatic effort of a clearance from Captain McGookin it unfortunately ended finding its way home across the line, sending the Dungannon line into immense celebration.
A man down and a goal behind there was very little of the traveling Glentoran support expecting anything else than what should surely be an exit of the NIBFA. The kids could have taken it on the chin, felt sorry for themselves and went through the motions to their inevitable exit. Anyone who knows those kids knows that was never going to happen and 5 minutes later the boys worked some eye catching moves to release David Sloan up the left hand side, skipping past defenders for fun he finally won a corner. From that corner which Matty Swann floated beautifully to the back post, Ben Walker unleashed what can only be described as a thunder bolt from his right boot to rocket the ball 100 mph plus into the roof off the net almost lifting the posts out of the ground in the process. 1-1 game on. Dungannon attacked with numbers and came close to a second only to find Ethan Carry down low to snuff out the danger. A quick change and Matty Irvine made way for young Barry Baggley to be dragged into the battle. With 10 men the Glens still pushed and played football from the back short and neat, Bell to Swann, Swann to Gallagher, a dink here and a through ball there and up popped Ben Walker AGAIN to bang in another one and somehow put the Glens in front for the first time in the game. Dungannon were having none of it and immediately got into a great shooting position which they made no mistake with to again level things at 2 apiece.
The Glens not happy with going in at the break tied, pushed for another and David Sloan latched onto a square ball to hammer the ball past the helpless Youth stopper. Remarkably the boys down to 10 went in at the break 3-2 up. The second half began to tell on the boys and as the tiredness crept in Dungannon got stronger and only a fine triple save in quick succession from the stand in keeper kept the Glens in their slender lead. With 10 minutes on the clock the hope was growing that the boys could pull off this remarkable feat but with a lovely floating cross and an unmarked danger man front post a free header again levelled the game to send the Dungannon crowd into that all too familiar roar of celebration leaving the Glentoran lads stunned and feeling sick at letting the lead go with the finish line in site.
Full time came and went, extra time too with scares for both teams in the process but with that high pitch squeal coming from the referees whistle everybody was tense with the realisation that the dreaded penalties were to quickly follow. With a few words of encouragement the two keepers headed off to the left hand goal were the night’s action would finish in dramatic fashion.
First penalty the Dungannon Keeper, who could kick a ball harder and further than most adults, calmly stuck his effort passed the Glens number, well number 4, into the bottom right corner, 1-0 DY. Next up Sean Gallagher unleashed a pin point scorcher to level the game at 1-1. Dungannon again placed another fine effort passed the stand in keeper to go into the lead again 2-1. With a cool swagger and an air of confidence Bradley McAfee curled a smasher effortlessly into the top left giving the young Dungannon lad in between the sticks no chance, bang 2-2. Again Dungannon showed they were well up for it by placing their 3rd passed young Carry to make it 3-2. Next up was young Ben Buchannan Rolleston who in training a few days before was the best on the night out of all the kids at putting his ball in the net. A touch of nerves and a shy young lad chipped his effort fractionally to high and watched in horror as his shot went agonisingly inches over the bar. Just as everyone was thinking the worst Dungannon skied their next penalty to give the Glens a chance. No problem to the pocket rocket Matty Irvine who stepped up and finished in style to keep the game alive at 3-3. The game tied it was back to Dungannon and all eyes were on influential central midfielder and club captain Fergal to try and put themselves back in front. A strong run up and he opened himself up to meet the ball with the instep of his right foot sending it flying to the keepers left, it looked destined to find nothing but net, but with cat like reflexes and a massive spring to his left Ethan Carry chose and dove right and plucked the ball from the air to a chorus of relieved cheers that rung out along the side of the pitch.
Final Penalty and up stepped young Barry Baggley who took a look up a few steps forward and sent the ball high to the keepers left and with a gasp of fear it looked like the Young keeper had got a hand to it, which he did, but the resulting deflection ended up in the roof of the net sparking a pitch invasion of euphoric Glentoran fans engulfing the kids in celebration. What an achievement, the fight the the hunger the ability, the heart carried those boys right through to the Northern Ireland Boys FA Cup Final and no less than they deserved.
What a night and as words fail me to portray the intensity of the atmosphere that night it comes down to one of those situations where you just had to be there to understand the effort that boys had put in.
As the boys head for the Ballymena show grounds on May day they can rest with knowledge that whatever happens they should be very proud of what they have achieved. If the kids show half of the fight against Ridgeway in the final that they did against Dungannon then they are going to give themselves a great chance to come home with the Silverware that they deserve.
Well done lads, immensely proud of every one of yous
COYG
Report by Ryan Ward
