Last Sunday, the Glentoran Legends returned to action for their now annual fundraiser at Ballynahinch.
Organised by the Ballynahinch Glentoran Supporters Club, the match raises funds for their nominated charity each season. This year, the chosen charity was Beyond the Battlefield.
The Legends faced a Ballynahinch United Over-40s side, but the weather was far from kind, with persistent rain falling throughout most of the game.
With several regulars missing, Legends player-manager Paul Leeman made a last-minute scramble to fill the squad. A few guests joined the side, including three teenagers who linked up with the “oul hands.” Goalkeeper Ben McClure, who had previously played under Leeman at Dungoyne, was joined by 15-year-old Noah Parker (son of Darren Parker, and already a few appearances into his Legends career) and 18-year-old Lewis Rainey (son of Davy Rainey). The family theme continued with Glenn Bowers (son of Barney Bowers), who had played for Glentoran Seconds under the guidance of George Bowden and Johnny Jamison.
The match itself could not have started better for the Legends. Early goals from Davy Rainey, Darren Parker, and Noah Parker saw them 3-0 up within the opening 20 minutes. Just before half-time, Marty Hunter added a fourth to give the Legends a commanding lead at the break.
In the second half, goals from Jason Hill and Lewis Rainey made it 6-0, with the Legends playing some excellent football despite the conditions. Pulling the strings in midfield was Barney Bowers, who rolled back the years with a superb performance.
With five minutes remaining, Paul Leeman made a young fan’s day by calling eight-year-old Ethan Stevenson — grandson of former Legends manager Philip Stevenson — off the bench. Within a minute, Ethan found himself through on goal, calmly controlling the ball before drilling it into the corner of the net to make it 7-0, sparking huge celebrations from the Legends.
Just on the final whistle, Ballynahinch grabbed a consolation to leave the score at 7-1.
All in all, it was a fine performance from the Legends, but the real winner was the chosen charity.
Speaking afterwards, Eric Graham from the Ballynahinch Glentoran Supporters Club said:
“As usual, we want to thank Paul, Philip, and all the Glentoran Legends for coming down yet again and helping us with our fundraising. They never let us down and always turn out. They really are a credit to Glentoran Football Club.
"Today we raised around £450 on the day, which was a little down on previous years due to the shocking weather keeping some of the crowd away. That said, we still have some money to come in and also have a signed shirt currently standing at £100, so we hope to have a good total to hand over to the charity.
"We also want to thank Marcus Kane and James Singleton, who attended today and helped with the ballot draw. It was much appreciated. All in all, it was a great day and we’ve raised some much-needed funds for a very worthy cause.”
For the record, the Legends line-up was:
Ben McClure, Alan Gracey, Jason Hill, Darren Parker, Mark Lennox, Paul Leeman, Barney Bowers, Noah Parker, Marty Hunter, Davy Rainey, Darren Fitzgerald.
Substitutes: Glenn Bowers, Lewis Rainey, Ethan Stevenson.