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Another Legenderry day

Tue, 18/06/2019 - 20:38

Last Saturday saw the Glentoran Legends make the long trek up to the Maiden City as they travelled to face the Derry City Legends in their annual charity game, at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Although it was ten years since the games had started between the side this was the first time at the new look Brandywell. The Glentoran Legends side would be with some star names on the day with Jim Cleary , Tim Mc Cann , Justin Mc Bride , Andy Mathieson , John Devine and Johnny Jamison unable to make it for other commitments , however the travelling squad still had four guys who had played over 500 games for Glentoran such as Colin Nixon , Paul Leeman , Raymond Morrison and Barney Bowers and also joining us in Derry would be Shaun Holmes and making his Legends debut , Kevin Keegan.

After assembling at the Park Avenue Hotel, the Glentoran Legends set off by coach for the journey, stopping off on the way for a pre-match meal in the Oak Leaf Restaurant outside Maghera. It’s a traditional stop off and one made possible by the continued generosity and support of the Legends sponsors, the Glentoran Supporters Committee (1923) and one that is fully appreciated by the Legends.

Once fed and watered we arrived at the Brandywell a little later than scheduled due to traffic, but after a round of warm handshakes with the Derry Legends, the Legends retreated into the new dressing rooms to changing for the game. Vastly different from the old changing rooms with the communal showers!!

Before kick off both sides observed a minute's silence in memory (top photograph) of Glens Legend Ron Manley and in respect to the late Sam Caskey, father of Billy Caskey.

The match itself started well for the Glentoran Legends with David Rainey latching unto a loose ball to slam home the ball for the opener. Unfortunately, for the Glens the lead didn’t last too long as Derry started to get back into the game thanks mainly to the prompting of a familiar face, Liam Coyle, who surprisingly started despite his knee being heavily strapped. Derry went into a 2-1 lead when with five minutes to the break, Paul Leeman was upended in the Derry box. Penalty!   Up stepped Davy Rainey to blast the ball home to make it 2-2 and we hoped that we could hold out to the break, but Derry mounted one last attack and won a free- kick on the edge of the box, with Liam Coyle going down in instalments!! The resulting free- kick was partly blocked but the ball only fell to the feet of another familiar face, Tommy Mc Callion who slotted it home to make it 3-2 at the break.

   

With a large squad travelling, there were a few changes at the break on both sides and again the Glens looked the team that were looking the better as chance after chance went abegging, the best falling to Colin Nixon who seemed to get the ball stuck under his feet with the goal at his mercy. Unfortunately, the ball was cleared and a Felix Healey through ball dissected the Glens defence only for Harry McCourt to slot home for 4-2. Try as they might the Glens Legends kept going to get back into the game and were very unlucky not to get a penalty when Colin Nixon fell under a challenge as he made his way into the box. Referee Herbie Barr thought otherwise.

Soon after it was 5-2 as a similar goal to their fourth ended the scoring just before the final whistle.

Although disappointed with the result, the Glens Legends can be rightly proud of their performance but at the end of the day the true winner would be the boys of the Oxford Bulls Special Needs Football team who were the chosen charity for the day.

Glentoran Legends side –

Tony Miskelly, Brodie Leeman, Mark Glendinning, Tommy Leeman, Colin Nixon, Darren Parker, Kevin Keegan, Paul Leeman, Shaun Holmes, Jason Hill, Davy Rainey

Subs Barney Bowers, Johnny Jameson, Gary Hillis, Raymond Morrison, Alan Gracey, Gordon Priestly, Glen McCartney, Paul Graham

After the match both sides retreated to Badgers bar in the City Centre, owned by Derry City director, Hugh McDaid where we were royally treated yet again with food for both sides before the now famous Competitive Karaoke began.  The next couple of hours was the stuff of Legends as the songs and camaraderie had the walls bouncing.

During a brief break in proceeding some speeches were made and Martin Mullan, Derry City Director and Manager of the Derry Legends, presented the Glentoran Legends with gift to mark the ten years of football and friendship between the sides.

The Glentoran Legends in turn made some presentations of their own with three signed shirts being auctioned and raising over £500 before Legends skipper for the day handed over almost £200 from a dressing room collection amongst the Glens side.  One more presentation followed when Paul Leeman very generously donated a bag of balls for the Oxford Bulls to use in their matches. A fantastic gesture by a true gentleman of the game. 

In total over £1000 was raised on the day, which was warmly received by the Oxford Bulls organiser and team manager, Kevin Morrison, who brought along his young son, Adam who plays for the Bulls. A very humbling moment, that brought home to everyone just why we do what we do, and the good that can be done by just playing a game of football. Long may it continue.

Article by Philip Stevenson, Manager of Glentoran Legends