For the third time this season Bangor lost out in a penalty shootout as they fell at the quarter-final hurdle of the Crawford Cup.
Saturday’s match was packed with action as the Seasiders and Cookstown Youth shared six goals in normal time. Despite the visitors being reduced to nine men because of injury for the start of extra time, Bangor could find no way through and the resilient Cookstown Youth side held their nerve to emerge victorious after penalties.
With a congested fixture list on the horizon, Hugh Sinclair made seven changes to his starting team and within the first minute Bangor found themselves on the back foot. A long throw was badly misjudged by Darren Gibbons leaving Paul Stewart with a free header into an unguarded goal.
Bangor responded and leveled the scores in the 10th minute. Jack Mallin was upended by Jonathan McKenna just inside the penalty area giving Michael Halliday the chance to grab his 18th goal of the season, sending the spot kick into the bottom corner.
Cookstown Youth caused difficulties for a reshuffled Bangor defense and when Paul Stewart was left all on his own, it was Gibbons who came to his side’s rescue with a brilliant save to deny Stewart from 16 yards.
The Seasiders began to seize control of the match as the half wore on with Jordan Lucas blazing high over the bar when well placed, while Jack Wasson saw his 20-yard curler clip the crossbar.
The pressure paid off though in the 39th minute as Bangor took the lead. Jordan Lucas’ low cross found Gerard McMullan but his shot was well saved by Luke Donaghy. Matty Burrows was quickest to respond as he clipped the ball back into the danger area were McMullan was on hand to head home.
Darren Gibbons was in action again just before the break as he bravely blocked Mark Megarry’s close range effort as Bangor’s defensive frailties were exposed, while just five minutes after the restart the visitors equalized. Barrie Kelly’s deep cross found Stewart unmarked at the back post as he squeezed his header into the back of the net.
Hugh Sinclair responded with a double substitution, introducing Ben Roy and Scott McArthur on the hour mark. Ten minutes later and Bangor were back in front. Roy timed his run well on the right wing and Matty Burrows diverted his low cross home for his third goal in two games.
Disaster struck for Bangor with seven minutes remaining when an under-hit back pass from McArthur allowed Steven Arrell to round the exposed Gibbons and slot into the empty net.
With time running out and the visitors reduced to nine men in injury time after a nasty clash of heads between Philip Caulfield and Johnathan McKenna, Bangor pressed for an equalizer with Halliday heading just wide before seeing his shot blocked on the line with the last kick of normal time.
Bangor looked for a winner in extra time but could find no way through a packed defense. Halliday and Adam Keane scored both sides’ opening penalties while Ben Roy gave Bangor the lead as Daniel McKinless blazed over.
Gerard McMullan’s weak effort was blocked by Donaghy while Gibbons saved from Jack Wilson. But for Bangor Matty Burrows fired over the bar and Arrell found the back of the net. Both Gareth Beattie and Mark Megarry scored the fifth penalties while in sudden death Tommy Wray saw his effort saved and James Leslie sent Cookstown Youth into the semi-final.
Bangor: Gibbons, Arthur, Dickson, Edgar (60′ Roy), Wray, Wasson, Lucas (80′ Beattie), Mallin (6’0 McArthur), Halliday, Burrows, McMullan. Subs not used: Arthurs, White
Scorers: Halliday (pen 10′), McMullan (39′), Burrows (70′)
Booked: Wasson
Cookstown Youth: Donaghy, Watson (68′ Turkington), Leslie, Caulfield, Wilson, Keane, Stewart (74′ McKinless), McKenna, Megarry, Brown, Kelly (55′ Arrell). Subs not used: Bell, McElhatton
Scorers: Stewart (1′, 50′), Arrell (83′)
