Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LEE IS STEEL HURTING
Bangor’s Feeney wants a Christmas morning cup win... 27 years on from losing final as a kid with Linfield Swifts
BANGOR boss Lee Feeney admits it is his burning ambition to reach the Steel and Sons Cup final some 27 years after he played in the Christmas showpiece.
Feeney was part of the Linfield Swifts side that lost 1-0 to Bangor Reserves in the festive decider back in 1994.
The Seasiders remain on course this season after seeing off East Belfast on Saturday in a nail-biting penalty shootout at Clandeboye Park.
The game finished 1-1 before Bangor earned a 4-2 shootout win to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition where they will meet either Crewe United, Crusaders Reserves or St James’ Swifts.
“One of my personal targets at the start of the season was to get promotion and win the Steel and Sons Cup,” Feeney told Match on Tuesday.
“If we get promoted then we won’t be in the Steel and Sons, because we will be in senior football.
“I think a lot of our players are driving towards that as well. They really want to be part of it.
“I remember playing in the Steel and Sons final when I was 15 against Bangor Reserves, and they beat us that day. The final was on Christmas Eve that year because Christmas Day was on a Sunday.
“I don’t think I have been in the Steel and Sons final since.”
Feeney joked: “We now have one of three teams in the quarters – who do you go and scout there?
“We will wait and see and prepare for whoever we meet.
“We have a lot of big games coming up, and that’s what you want. We have Moyola in the league this weekend which is another big one.”
Bangor found themselves behind to Dean Annett’s goal on Saturday before Ben Arthurs found an equaliser in the 68th minute.
The game went to extra-time and then penalties with Gareth Beattie, Michael Halliday, Reece Neale and Arthurs on target for the Seasiders.
Goalkeeper Matthew Anderson was another hero, making two saves in the shootout.
Feeney hailed the impact of veteran striker Halliday who came off the bench to help Bangor earn their win.
“I brought on Michael and Jackie Uprithcard and that gave us a spark. Michael has been doing that all season for us,” Feeney said.
“He is always complaining why he never starts, but the plans were for him to come on and use his experience, knowledge and intelligence around the pitch and he helped get us back in the game.”
Feeney added: “Michael is 42 now, but he has the hunger of a 15-yearold.
“He stays behind and does sprints. We had a tough preseason after coming back from lockdown, and pre-season seemed to go on forever. We were doing all these tough runs and I remember saying to Michael he didn’t have to do them all. But he never backs down. He is a top, top man and he is so headstrong, it is unbelievable.
“And I am sure he will play for another three or four years. I am sure of it. And at a decent level.
“He was the perfect player to bring on. Our problem on Saturday was putting the ball in the back of the net. We had situations where our final passing wasn’t as good, our build-up play wasn’t as good. And we let goalscoring opportunities pass us by.
“Then you bring Michael on and the intensity goes up, we go from back to front quicker. We can use Michael’s aerial qualities. He brings a spark into the team, and he talks to the young players.”
Bangor return to Premier Intermediate League action this weekend when they host Moyola Park.
The Seasiders have won all three of their league games so far this season, but Feeney isn’t getting carried away.
“We are pleased with how things have gone so far, but we know how quickly things can change,” he said.
“The league is our bread and butter, and that’s where all our resources are going.
“The club is ambitious and we are a big club, but there are other big clubs in this league.
“We will reassess things at Christmas, and then maybe Easter again. But promotion is a big target this season.”
One of my personal targets at the start of the season was to get promotion and win the Steel & Sons Cup.