It was Crumlin Star who booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Intermediate Cup after they defeated Bangor on penalties last Saturday.
A hard-fought 90 minutes ended scoreless before the game sprung into life in extra time when Mark Cooling fired the Seasiders in front. A quick-fire brace in the dying minutes of the second period of extra time from substitute Miguel Chines looked to have sealed a remarkable comeback for the Star. That was until Ethan Boylan levelled the scores with the last kick of the 110 minutes but it was the Ardoyne men who had the final say, keeping their nerve in the penalty shootout to claim victory.
There was little to separate the two sides in the opening exchanges with Bangor’s Matthew Johnston coming closest to scoring when, out of nothing, he tried his luck from 35 yards only to see the ball cannon off the face of the crossbar with the visiting goalkeeper left helpless.
Ciaran Murphy forced Darren Gibbons into a comfortable save in the 29th minute before Barry McKervey had the ‘keeper stretched further to tip his low effort round the post moments later.
Aidan McNeill and Ben Roy both fired wide of the target at each end for their sides before the break but an even contest swung in Bangor’s favour early in the second half when Ethan Boylan and Ben Arthurs replaced Michael Halliday and Steven Hislop.
The more attacking approach from the Seasiders saw Roy squeeze the ball forward to Gerard McMullan in the 61st minute, but the Bangor winger delayed his shot allowing Niall Hawkins to make a last ditch tackle. The ball broke kindly for Roy, but his effort was clawed away by Shane Harrison.
Matthew Johnston met Mark Cooling’s corner in the 65th minute, but the defender’s header was cleared off the line as Bangor searched for the opener.
It seemed like Bangor’s luck might have been out when McMullan knocked the ball into the path of Ben Arthurs, only for Harrison to block the forward’s effort. The alert McMullan followed up but he saw his side footed shot bounce clear off the inside of the post before Cooling blazed the loose ball over the crossbar.
Bangor were in the ascendancy as the half wore on and Tommy Wray was unlucky to see his header cleared off the line following another Cooling delivery before Arthurs tested Harrison with a header of his own.
The home side were let off in the 90th minute when Aidan McNeill wastefully headed straight at Darren Gibbons following a Paul Prigent cross as the game headed to extra time.
When the impressive Johnston won possession in his own half early in extra time, he surged forward to release Ben Roy on the right wing. Roy’s low pass to Boylan was collected well by the substitute before he unselfishly teed up Cooling to slot into the bottom corner to give Bangor a deserved lead.
It seemed like Bangor were in complete control of proceedings but the visitors levelled the scores with only three minutes remaining in extra time. Barry McKervey’s low cross picked out McNeill and while his shot was blocked by Gareth Beattie, Miguel Chines was on hand to tap in the rebound.
The drama continued, when, in the last minute of extra time that man Chines raced through on goal following a misjudgement by Wray and slotted low into the bottom corner.
With barely any time to kick off, Johnston launched the ball forward where Wray rose highest to knock the ball into the path of Boylan to hammer home as the referee blew the final whistle to end a remarkable final few minutes.
Boylan put Bangor ahead with the first spot kick while Murphy levelled for Crumlin Star. Matthew Johnston then saw his penalty saved as Chines gave his side the advantage.
Jack Mallin found the bottom corner as did McNeill for the visitors. When Gerard McMullan saw his effort kept out by Shane Harrison, Barry McKervey made sure he sealed the win when he sent Darren Gibbons the wrong way to spark wild celebrations.
Bangor: Gibbons, Johnston, Beattie, Dickson, Wray, Hislop (53′ Arthurs), Wasson, Cooling, Halliday (53′ Boylan), Roy (99′ Mallin). Subs not used: Arthur, Atkinson
Scorers: Cooling (93′), Boylan (110′ +1)
Booked: Hislop, Johnston, Cooling, Boylan
Crumlin Star: Harrison, Prigent, McNeill, Hawkins, Burns, Lyons, Halfpenny (59′ McIlkenny), Trainor (88′ McPhillips), Doyle (77′ Chines), Murphy, McKervey.
Scorers: Chines (107′, 110′)
Booked: Trainor
