Match Report v Banbridge Town – 13/12/25

Lisburn Distillery v Banbridge Town (Playr-Fit Teamwear Premier Intermediate League) – Saturday 13th December 2025

Lisburn Distillery welcomed Banbridge Town to New Grosvenor for the second time this season, this time for the first league meeting between the sides of the 2025/2026 campaign, for our final home competitive game of 2025 as things stand.

It has been a season to forget for Robert Rock’s side so far, no wins in all competitions and they sit rock bottom of the Premier Intermediate League (PIL) with a 12-point deduction picked up earlier in the season making it look like that is unlikely to change anytime soon. Nevertheless, the Mid-Ulster side made the Whites work for the win when the two sides met in the League Cup back in August, leading 2-0 at the break and Distillery only won it through a Gerard Storey goal with the last kick of the game.

There were a number of changes to the Distillery side following the previous week’s win against Rathfriland; Benny Igiehon dropped out due to suspension and Aaron Boyd started having served his recent suspension. Ben Fitzsimmons, Caleb Crawford and Ryan Sharkey also dropped out of the matchday squad; the latter two due to injuries in the warmup, and incoming were Padraig McVicker, Leon Lavery and Gerard Storey.

Banbridge got the game underway but Distillery soon won the ball back and went on the attack almost from the off but Boyd’s low shot was blocked by the visiting ‘keeper, Sean Atano. This would not be the first time Atano would frustrate the Whites but he almost had an embarrassing moment in the 3rd minute of the game when a diagonal ball from Lewis was delivered into the Banbridge box from the halfway line. The Town stopper let the ball bounce inside the box perhaps expecting it to then go over the bar for a goal kick but there was nowhere near enough height on the bounce and the visiting ‘keeper ended up having to palm the ball over for a corner to stop the ball from crossing the line for a goal.

Guillaume Keke was the next to be denied by Atano in the 7th minute of the game and Alfred joined him and Boyd on that list four minutes later. It had certainly been a bright start to the game for Lee Forsythe’s men but already there was a feeling that the longer it remained goalless the more the visitors may grow in confidence.

It looked surely like the opener was coming in the 27th minute when McVicker found Alfred at the back post with a great cross but Atano pulled off a good reflex save from close range to turn the Distillery forward’s shot behind for a corner and deny the Whites again.

The visiting goalie was involved again four minutes later but had less trouble saving a tame Boyd effort from the edge of the box and prior to this the Whites were sent a warning shot when Banbridge countered after a Distillery attack had broken down further up the pitch but Marcus Thompson saved Favour Kwelele’s effort from a tight angle.

Distillery finished the half strongly and Atano denied Keke after he attempted to nod a corner over the line and Alfred was off target with his header from a McVicker cross. McVicker should have had the Whites ahead himself when Boyd found him in space but the winger opted to pass instead of take the shot on himself and the danger was cleared. Down the other end, there was another let off for Distillery when Senyo Clarke tried his luck from the edge of the box but failed to generate enough power to beat Thompson.

It was the end of a half that the Whites had dominated but some wasteful finishing and good goalkeeping meant that the sides went in level at the break and it would be fair to say that the visiting manager may have been the happier of the two.

Half Time: Lisburn Distillery 0-0 Banbridge Town

The second half started in much the same way as the first had went, with most of the game being played in the visitors half. Keke and Boyd had early sightings of goal but the former headed wide from a Storey corner, while the latter miscued his volleyed effort.

Distillery finally broke the deadlock in the 57th minute when Keke won the ball back about 15 yards into the Banbridge half and released McVicker on the left, he then crossed towards Alfred in the middle. The former Ards player managed to get a crucial touch to the ball just ahead of Atano, who had come off his line, the big striker then followed in and bundled home his first league goal in Distillery colours. It was a goal that perhaps summed the game up but it was one that the Distillery players and supporters were happy to celebrate all the same.

Alfred should have made it 2-0 just less than 10 minutes after putting the Whites ahead but he headed wide from a Boyd cross and this would be his last action of the game as before play resumed he was replaced by last week’s match winner, Mark McKee.

There was little else to note for much the rest of the game, as was to perhaps be expected the Whites dropped a little deeper as the game wore on in an attempt to defend the one goal lead and while this afforded Banbridge more possession they seldom troubled Thompson in goals. If anything it looked more like Forsythe’s men might add to their lead as we headed into injury time and Boyd and Keke went close but were unable to make it 2-0.

Deep into added time the visitors did win a corner and Atano was given the nod to go ahead and join in the attack but there was to be no fairy-tale ending for Rock’s side as the Whites saw the game out to pick up two wins in a row and a first clean sheet in the league this season.

Next up is a trip to Dergview on Saturday in the PIL for what will be our final competitive game of the calendar year.

Full Time: Lisburn Distillery 1-0 Banbridge Town

Lisburn Distillery; Thompson (GK), Lewis, Lavery, McComb, Keke, Boyd, A. Sharkey, McVicker, Storey, O’Hara, Alfred

Lisburn Distillery substitutions; Kingham (GK), Lynch, McKee (for Alfred, 64 mins), Torrens, Napier (for McVicker, 83 mins)