Match Report v Bangor – 7/10/25

Bangor v Lisburn Distillery (Tuesday 7th October 2025) – BetMcLean League Cup 1st Round

Lisburn Distillery journeyed to Clandeboye Park on Tuesday night to face Premiership outfit Bangor in the 1st round of the Bet McLean Cup, having seen off Banbridge Town in the Preliminary Round back in August.

The last time the Whites visited this ground was in the 2022/2023 season for a Premier Intermediate League game in what was then Distillery manager Barry Johnston’s first league game in charge, the outcome was not a memorable one for Whites fans as The Seasiders started their title winning campaign.

Stephen Hughes made a number of changes after defeat last time out against Willowbank; Ruadhan McKenna, Leon Lavery, Adam McCart and David Alfred all made way and were replaced in the starting side by Marcus Thompson, Jude O’Hara, Caleb Crawford and Benny Igiehon.

As was perhaps to be expected Lee Feeney’s side started the game on the front foot and Thompson had to save a header from a corner with five minutes on the clock after Fra Brennan had deflected Michael Morgan’s shot behind. The home side threatened the Distillery goal again in the 8th minute when Jack O’Mahoney found Ben Cushnie in the centre with a good cross from the right but the Bangor number 10 headed over the bar when he should have at least tested Thompson.

The Whites goalkeeper was again called to action four minutes later to deny O’Mahoney, spreading himself well after his defence waited for an offside flag that never came. Hughes’ sides luck ran out just before the 15th minute when Thompson got something on a cross into the six-yard box but the stopper could not completely bring the ball under control and this allowed Cushnie to nip in and convert the first goal of the game for Bangor before Kyle Anderson could fully clear the danger.

Distillery initially responded well to going a goal down and went on the attack almost immediately from kick off, with Igiehon doing well to get beyond the Bangor defence down the left channel but his cross into the opposition box was too close to goalkeeper Patrick Grogan. In the 25th minute, Liam Burns found the target with a free kick for Bangor from about 20 yards but Thompson did well to get across and turn the ball behind for a corner.

Just one minute later though Feeney’s side doubled their lead with experienced defender Kyle Owens converting from a set piece at the back post. The Premiership side effectively then put the game to bed with their second goal in as many minutes, this time Bangor captain, and former Distillery player, Lewis Harrison’s shot took a nick off a Whites defender and this proved enough to take the ball past Thompson and into the goal.

At this stage the game settled down but with five minutes remaining until he break Igiehon did have a rare shot on the Bangor goal, forcing Grogan to beat the ball away in what was the first time the former Coagh and Dungannon ‘keeper had really been tested. It was Bangor though who had the last noteworthy action of the half, Harrison scoring his second goal of the night shooting home following another corner.

Half Time: Bangor 4-0 Lisburn Distillery

With the game effectively over as a contest it would be fair to see that Bangor took their foot off the gas in the second half and this allowed Distillery to see some more of the ball but Grogan in goals for the home side remained untroubled.

It was Thompson who was tested first after the break when Burns got on the end of a cross from the right but his header was a comfortable save for the Distillery ‘keeper. Just past the hour mark Igiehon played a low pass through to Guillaume Keke but Grogan was quick off his line to snuff out the danger and then in the 66th minute Igiehon did well to break beyond the Bangor defence with the ball but the angle never really favoured the Distillery top scorer and he ended up shooting over.

Igiehon got his just rewards with just over 20 minutes remaining when he scored to reduce the deficit after a Keke header had been denied, this goal was the summer signing’s eighth for Distillery since signing in the summer and sees him exceed last season’s joint top goalscorers tally.

A few minutes after the Distillery goal Bangor sought to restore their four-goal cushion but Cushnie’s shot inside the box deflected off Anderson and into the arms of Thompson. Distillery finished the game strongly and Aaron Cochrane, Keke and substitutes Padraig McVicker and Ben Napier had opportunities to reduce the deficit further but were unsuccessful.

In the end it was an improved second half showing from Distillery but as was perhaps to be expected the Premiership outfit just proved to strong and we move on to the 1st round of the Intermediate Cup this weekend, which sees Distillery travelling to face Islandmagee.

Full Time: Bangor 0-4 Lisburn Distillery

Lisburn Distillery; Thompson, Lewis, Brennan, Lynch, Cochrane (C), Igiehon, Keke, Anderson, O’Hara, Storey, Crawford

Lisburn Distillery substitutions; McKenna, Lavery, McVicker (for Lynch 72 mins), A. Sharkey, Alfred, Torrens, Napier (for Anderson, 72 mins)