NIWFA Division 3
Ballynahinch Olympic 3
Banbridge Town 1
Ballynahinch Olympic continued their fine form last week with a commanding 3-1 victory over Banbridge Town, further cementing their place at the top of the NIWFA Division 3 table.
Despite a frustrating start and a surprise setback just before half-time, Olympic’s quality, resilience, and relentless attacking play shone through in the end at Langley Road.
Right from the first whistle, it was clear that Olympic meant business. They dominated the opening 40 minutes, pinning Banbridge deep into their own half and creating chance after chance. The pace and energy of the Olympic frontline had the Banbridge defence scrambling, but a combination of poor finishing, inspired goalkeeping, and bad luck kept the game goalless.
Cora came closest to breaking the deadlock with a powerful strike that rattled the underside of the crossbar before bouncing away to safety. The Banbridge goalkeeper was called into action multiple times, pulling off a string of top-quality saves to frustrate the home side. As the half progressed, it felt like only a matter of time before the pressure would pay off.
However, football can be cruel – and in the 41st minute, the visitors snatched a shock lead completely against the run of play. A hopeful ball into the Olympic box wasn’t dealt with, and after a couple of heavy collisions, the ball fell kindly to the Banbridge forward, who calmly slotted it into an empty net. It was a stunning blow to the league leaders, who found themselves trailing for the first time this season.
Read the full report in the current issue of the Mourne Observer.
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