30th Apr 04. BEACOM ..... by the Bollox!! You don't wanna miss this one folks, now it's our turn!! HERE
IRISH CUP FINAL ...... AGAIN! - Well here we go again eh? Dunno what to say I didn't this time last year, 12 Irish Cup Finals now in 21 years .... and won 11 of them - not bad at all that is it. What would you give for number 12. Forget all the hype though, once again it'll come down to who wants it most on the day ... just like last time! I don't think our lot will need reminding of that one do you, and I can assure you that this time they want it bad!
Keep your nerve lads, don't panic if things don't seem to be going our way early on, and I'm sure we'll come out on the right side of this one by 4.45 ... and anyway, I've got extra kegs in this week :-)
Ok folks, time for talkin over, war paint on, shirt, scarf, rosette, banner and hip-flask at the ready ... here we friggin go!
Remember FIVE buses are leaving the Ballymac tomorrow, all at 1.45pm. Party starts at 11.30am for a chance to grab a few balloons (no smart remarks), get in the mood and settle those proverbial 'bangors'. And you're ALL invited :-)
LE JEU AVANT & FTB
Oh, and by the way - it's first come first served tomorrow night for the post match disco, 3 quid a head. Be there from 7.30.
Match Betting, 90 minutes: Glentoran 5/4, Coleraine 19/10, and a draw 11/5. Outright: Glentoran 4/6, Coleraine 11/10.
Single bets accepted. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
My wee bird ... tells me the Glens could well be going short of around 8 or 9 grand a year for a wee while. Once again it would seem the people who matter most have gotten the old ' s*** on from a great height' treatment down at the Oval.
How to make friends and influence people eh? Volunteers for running next season's 'halfers' draw on a postcard please
29th Apr 04. Last chance ... to book your tickets for the Ballymac on Cup Final morning. Online bookings will finish today at 4.00pm, so if you haven't already done so get clicking at the link above ;-) 2 days and counting ....
28th Apr 04. N Ireland 1 Serbia & Montenegro 1 - Lawrie Sanchez was as good as his word tonight as he kept Andy Smith on the bench until just 12 minutes to go. Coyler had asked the Northern Ireland manager to consider resting Andy in the run up to this weekend's Irish Cup Final, and he duly obliged by bringing him on for goalscorer James Quinn near the end. And it almost paid dividends too! Andy harassed the Serbian's from the off, and when he chested the ball down to Steve Jones in the area with only minutes to go, the later was bundled over for what looked a certain penalty! Alas it wasn't to be, but Sanchez will be delighted to earn a 1-1 draw against a team ranked over 70 places above us in FIFA's world rankings.
27th Apr 04, 9.30pm. Loughgall up - It's off to Loughgall next season folks, they've just beaten Donegal Celtic 1-0 and are the new first division champions.
Back again :-) Ok folks back again. Sorry for the recent lack of updates, thought I'd take a wee trip off to Milan and the San Siro seein there was nothing exciting in Belfast last weekend :-) Inter v's Lazio to be precise, such a rarity gettin to see teams playing in blue to a packed friendly stadium, and not a bottle or golf ball thrown all day! BTW - had a yarn with yer man Vieri, says he's brassed off in Italy so I swapped him my Glens shirt and told him I'd give Coyler a bell this week!
Bye Bye Glenavon ... hello .. ? Co Armagh side Loughgall need just 2 points to secure their promotion to the Premier League. A home win over Donegal Celtic tonight would obviously be enough, but even failing that they'll get another chance at home to Lurgan Celtic on Thursday in their final game. The battle for the back to back play-off's with Cliftonville would then come down to either Ballyclare Comrades or Armagh City. Ballyclare hold that spot at the minute, but having played all their games it means a point for Armagh at Ballymoney on Saturday would see them go through instead.
23rd Apr 04. Reds going down? - Cliftonville are doomed for the dreaded play-offs after getting duffed 1-0 at home by lowly Glenavon last night. Unless they can beat the Crues at Seaview by about 7 tomorrow, and Larne lose at Ards by the same margin, the Reds will face either Loughgall, Armagh City, or Ballyclare Comrades in a two-legged decider to stay up.
Did you know ... this month sees the 40th anniversary of the time we stuffed the scum 8-1 at the swamp, and in the process knocked them off the top of the league table and ended their title challenge!! I KID YOU NOT :-) What a nice way that would be to warm-up for the Cup Final eh! Sadly though, that's all tomorrow's game means to us at the end of the day - a warm-up. Nice though as it would be to **** in festers proverbial nest, but to be brutally honest the priority has to be next weekend. Having said that, Coyler says he'll be putting out his best side tomorrow, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised. He still has to ruduce that squad down to 14, one way or another, and although I really can't see anyone in a green shirt breakin a leg with 15 minutes to go in this one, it is still a last chance to impress. Be nice to watch the scum sweat it out looking over their shoulder towards Lurgan though won't it - I wonder if it's still 0-0 at half past four will they still have the swingers. Maybe we'll get another look at those demons eh! ... they're comin to get ya Davy, ooooooooooohhh :-)
Crash helmets at the ready - watch out for those bottles Elliott. Le jeu avant tout & FTB. 8 days and countin ......
Ballymac's bus leaves Wilgar St at 2.15pm folks if you fancy coming along, with other buses at the link above.
Match Betting: Scum 6/5, Glentoran 11/5, and a draw 2/1. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers
22nd Apr 04. Have you got an hour? - Fear Us on all the latest goings-on ... HERE
21st Apr 04. BOOK NOW ONLINE FOR IRISH CUP FINAL DAY @ BALLYMAC GSC
We now have a facility set up right here on the site for anyone who wants to travel with BallymacGSC on Irish Cup Final day. Just like last year, you can now send in your name and the number of tickets you require, but this time they'll be there waiting for you at the door - pay on the day. With 5 buses already ordered we hope to be able to cater for everyone who arrives on the big day, but be safe, book your's online and be guaranteed.
20th Apr 04. Here we go again!! - Limavady United are threatening to scupper this seasons Irish Cup Final. I heard about this one a coupla weeks ago, but dismissed it as yet more sensationalist reporting from our local headline chasing scribes, but now it appears there may be something in it - hopefully to God not! Yet again though those clowns at Windsor Avenue are right at the heart of it. Here's the deal ... When Pat McCallister was sent off for Coleraine at Newry last month (when we had the handbags between Marty Quinn and McCreadie), he was subsequently suspended for a grand total of 15 games by the IFA. Problem is McCreadie then withdrew the allegation McAllister 'nutted' him, and the Coleraine midfielder lodged an appeal. The IFA in their wisdom then, pending an appeal date, allowed McCallister to play against Limavady in the Irish Cup semi-final, where he helped the Bannsiders to a 3-1 win. Well it now seems Limavady think the IFA have broken their own rules (never), by allowing McAllister to play that day, and are threatening legal action. Just another day in clowntown!!
20th Apr 04. Scum fined 500 quid ... lamentable! - Need anyone be surprised? The IFA have just fined the scum a miserly £500 for the discraceful goings-on at our recent Irish Cup quarter-final clash at the swamp! As has been rightly pointed out - The match in question had to be stopped on no less than 3 different occasions as golf balls and beer bottles literally rained down on Glentoran goalkeeper Elliott Morris's head, any of which had it struck it's target could have seriously injured or worse still killed the guy! Glentoran on the other hand fail to fill out a proper registration form, and are chucked out of the CIS League Cup, deducted 5 Premier League points, and fined FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS!!!
What's more to say!
A Quarter of a MILLION! - Everybody take a bow! BallymacGSC.com this morning recorded it's 250,000th visitor since opening way back in August 2000. In those 3½ short years we've been online to report on the Glens winning no less than 10 trophies: 1 League Title, 2 Irish Cups, 2 Gold Cups, 2 League Cups and 3 County Antrim Shields! Suffice to say the wee Cock n' Hens have never had a trophyless season while BallymacGSC have been online. We've been here through Haylock and Kilmartin, through Gary Smyth, through the Oval move. We took 7 buses to the swamp to watch the scum eat humble pie in the 2001 Irish Cup Final, been through Liverpool and Rangers, Norway, Denmark, Poland & Finland.
The list goes on ... and who knows, we may even have stepped on a few toes along the way! (hehehe) If the next 3½ years are half as eventful as the last, then rest assured I fully intend to be on here typing it up - no matter who it pisses off!
Thanks to the lot of you for your support, here's to the half-million mark before too long ... Keep 'er lit :-)
And roll on May the 1st.
Castlereagh Quiz - I'll just like to say what a wonderful experience we had at the Castlereagh GSC quiz last night .....
... well that's what I'd like to say! Unfortunately though ........ Ally McBeal my arse!
Glens drop back to 5th - Coleraine defeated Newry 4-3 last night to leapfrog the Glens again into 4th place. Table
18th Apr 04. Glentoran 4 Omagh Town 0 - Some absolutely deeeeee - liteful goals there yesterday. Hopefully there's some left in the tank for Saturday week. BTW - anybody sees Jimmy Brown ask him is he buyin a friggin drink!
16th Apr 04. Omagh Town game - Quick re-match of the Irish Cup semi-final, and a chance for the Glens to move 4th in the table with just 1 game left. As to who'll play? Well don't be surprised to see Mark Glendinning make a return, his 4-match suspension I think is up this week, and Coyler will want him back playing football asap, and challenging for a place on Irish Cup Final day. Tim McCann will probably be back too after missing the game in Lurgan midweek. Not sure how big Gary Smyth's coming on though, Gary has had to sit out the last 2, after he and namesake Andy both took a bit of a knock against Institute 10 days ago, although Andy came off the bench against Glenavon Tuesday night. I think we'll see all three subs, whoever they may be, make an appearance at some stage tomorrow no matter what the score. It's only two weeks to Cup Final day and it's gonna be vital that everyone is match fit and raring to go. Hard to believe it's the last day of the season at the Oval isn't it :-( 15 days and counting .........
Match Betting: Glentoran 2/5, Omagh Town 7/1, and a draw 11/4. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
15th Apr 04. Irish Cup Final Tickets ... will go on sale this Saturday. £10 and £5 tickets for both upper and lower decks of the North Stand can be bought at the Oval. Adult tickets only can also be purchased at Dawson's Newsagency on the Belmont Road, Westbourne GSC, and at Frances Street Maxol Service Station in Newtownards.
Glens for London - Some of you may be surprised to hear the Glens have agreed to play a friendly with Wimbledon at Milton Keynes this summer... not me. Rumours have been rife for ages that this one was coming off, and an even stronger rumour is that it's all part of a deal to take Andy Smith to the Dons in the close season. Whatever the reason, I expect there'll be a helluva lot of interest in following the Glens to the capital, and a great opportunity for more than a few exiled Glenmen I know to get their 'fix' of the wee Cock n' Hens. Start gettin the beers in lads ;-)
The match has been earmarked for Saturday July 24th ...... List of names for Monday :-)
13th Apr 04. Glenavon 1 Glentoran 2 - Colin Nixon & Darren Armour. Results and Table pages now updated.
Glenavon game - And then there were 3! A quick trip back to Lurgan and through the motions unfortunately. What a season Glenavon have had though, just 13 points so far from 26 games and technically already relegated! I say technically, because low and behold I hear they could still have a lifeline, via some new ruling next season governing ground criteria in the Premier division! Laughable I know, but then again I'm sure you'd much rather be setting off to Mourneview Park on a cold Tuesday night mid January, than some of the places that currently pass for stadia here.
So how do you get motivated for this one? All about fitness and Cup Final places that's how, and barring injuries in the next 2½ weeks, I'm afraid somebody's gonna be disappointed. There's no better place to stake your claim than Lurgan though, flat surface and plenty of room, I'll be very surprised if there's not goals tonight. 18 days and counting ......
Ballymac's bus will be leaving Wilgar Street at 6.45pm for the 7.45pm kick-off, with some other buses at the link above.
Match Betting: Glenavon 5/1, Glentoran 8/15, and a draw 5/2. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers
12th Apr 04. A little light relief on Easter Monday ..... from Fear-Us? Yeah right!!!! HERE
11th Apr 04. Glentoran 3 Ards 0 - Wee buns, 3 nil at half time it was, and the Glens were outta sight! Tommy McCallion hit two screamers either side of yet another Michael Halliday goal, but the 'Doc' will know this was the day he really should'a had a bag full! Super display from the wee Cock n' Hens, but highlight of the day for me was watching Fester on the box on BBC sport at tea time, he of the big fat gub trying to put a gloss on the scum drawing blanks at Institute! It could all come down to the last day now ...... when WE can cost them the league by beating them at the swamp! Yip folks, looks like the big choke's well and truly on the way. My mamma said there'd be days like this :-)
9th Apr 04. Cup Final Buses - ANY club or organisation running a bus/buses to the Irish Cup Final, whether you are a regular advertiser on here or not, send your departure information in to me and I'll post it online.
Ards game - Not a lot at stake here folks ..... or is there? If I remember correctly we owe this lot one from way back in December last year, a 2-1 defeat down at Clandyboye it was - the day that wee shit Mucker broke Scotty's leg!
I remember that day - we were awful. We were just coming off the back of 3 defeats and a draw back then, as the shock really began to set in from being kicked out of the League Cup over the Gary Smyth affair. Ex Glenmen Mucker and Marty Hunter done the damage that day I think, so if nothing else tomorrow we should really be out to put one over on them.
See yez all upstairs in the club. 22 days and counting .........
Match Betting: Glentoran 4/7, Ards 9/2, and a draw 5/2. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
Cup Final Tickets - As expected, tickets for this years Irish Cup Final will cost £10 and £5. How many I don't know, but last year we were given 5,500. We do know though that 600 of them will be concessions. They'll go on sale after Easter
8th Apr 04. I hear the IFA's £8 million windfall ... is to be divvied up at Windsor Avenue next week. As a prelude to what we can expect from the organisation's new state-of-the-art, more modern streamlined professional outfit, Irish League clubs will be asked to bring a brightly coloured hold-all, and reverse their motors into the car park at 5 minute intervals!!
7th Apr 04. The Eagles have landed - Iain Dowie's Crystal Palace side I hear are the first mainland club to agree a pre-season friendly with the Glens, the game has been pencilled in for Saturday 17th July. The Nationwide first division side are currently just 7 points adrift of a play-off place, and with a bit of luck could be coming to the Oval a Premiership team.
Glens goalie signs on - Elliott Morris has just extended his contract at the Oval by a further 3 years. The Northern Ireland Under-21 International, signed by Roy Coyle from West Bromwich Albion almost 2 years ago, will now be net-minder for the Glens until at least 2007. Great news, the best keeper in the country, and a nice lad into the bargain!
In the money! - The IFA last night finally agreed to the conditions set down by the government in order to release the £8 million rescue package for football here. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) had of course demanded a new body be set up to run football in the province, presently split between the CLAMPETTS at the IFA & the IFL. Under the proposals, football in Northern Ireland will now be run by a new 17-person board with two external members. The post of Chief Executive to oversee the running of football here will now be advertised. I'll have some of that - Stick my name down!
Photo's ....... of last Saturday's Irish Cup Semi-Final win over Omagh Town HERE
Castlereagh GSC quiz draw ... HERE
6th Apr 04. Glentoran 1 Institute 0 - Michael Halliday yet again! Results and League Table pages now updated.
FINAL UPDATE - FIVE buses have already been booked to leave Ballymac clubrooms on the big day, most likely more to follow, all leaving Wilgar Street around 1.45pm. Disco will start about 11.30am, there'll be free balloons, face-painting, and drink promo's all morning for the big boys :-) Should we win the Irish Cup the celebrations will continue right through to the wee small hours! Package prices for morning disco & bus to follow, you may be able to pre-book online.
REPLAY? - Any replay of the Cup Final WILL be held at the swamp on Saturday 8th May, NOT midweek as rumoured.
Latest Irish Cup Betting: 90 minutes - Glentoran 6/4, Coleraine 7/4, a draw 2/1. Outright: Glentoran 8/11, Coleraine 1/1.
All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
Institute game - Back to the League again tonight ..... awe, do we have to :-) So, 4 games left after this one, and best we can hope for, however unlikely, is to finish in 3rd place. Personally I don't think we will, so for me, maintaining momentum over what are now all but meaningless matches will be Coyler's challenge leading up to next month's Cup Final. Ironically the situation is all too similar to that of this stage last season. Think about it. Ok, the League Title was already won back then, but we still had 5 meaningless games to play out before the Irish Cup Final - we even played the guts of our second eleven in a couple of them!! Ultimately I believe that was our biggest mistake, I wonder will Coyler do the same thing again this time around? Somehow I doubt it. I think he'll play whoever's available from now on in, and expect Locky to get a quick recall, probably tonight off the bench if he's even half fit! The situation is new for Coleraine though, they are now in exactly the same position as ourselves. This time last season they had to keep focused on the League, knowing 3rd place would guarantee them a European spot even if they lost the Cup. That's what gave them the edge. Not so this time, their only avenue into Europe is the Irish Cup, it'll be interesting to see how Marty Quinn & co approach these last 5 league games won't it. 25 days and counting .... Anyway, Institute wasn't it?
Match Betting: Glentoran 4/7, Institute 9/2, and a draw 5/2. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers
By the way - Portadown beat Larne 3-1 last night to keep it interesting at the top.
5th Apr 04. Happy Birthday to ME :-) Still a fresh lookin 27 eh ;-) You can all buy me a drink tomorrow night.
Just on that Institute game tomorrow - there's gonna be some crowd at that one isn't there, with Arsenal and Chelsea's Champions League Quarter-Final live on the box! Surely Wednesday night would have been a much better option :-(
4th Apr 04. Glentoran 4 Omagh Town 1
Right - my first thought's ......... thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. thank you ....
second thoughts .... where's that wig, where's that wig, where's that wig, where's that wig, where's that wig ;-)
Match Report has now been moved HERE Oh happy days - Roll on May 1st :-)
3rd Apr 04. Dunno bout you ... but there was a helluva lot of rain fell on my house last night, and I hear there's more on the way. I haven't heard yet, but keep your ear to the ground in case there's a pitch inspection at Mourneview.
2nd Apr 04. Omagh Town game - Irish Cup Semi-Final - Not to put too fine a point on it folks..... but if we lose this one, we can all start planning our holiday's early! Hard to believe it was just 5 short months ago we looked like we were well set to go one better than last season, and win the heap. We were looking forward to meeting Larne in the Semi-Final of the League Cup, having just duffed Institute 6-1 in the quarters, and won all 6 of our group games conceding a solitary goal. Then ..... well we all know what happened then. Suffice to say a major dollop of brown stuff hit the birly whirly thing ....... some say the smell will never go away. Anyway, it all boils down to this - beat Omagh tomorrow, or the season is over!
If it's ok with all of you I don't think I'll tempt fate this time. No history lesson, no stats, no pre-match analysis ... as it says up above - no bull. This season more than any other I can remember, we need to win that cup, and I'm not about to scud it.
Just one thought. We went to Lurgan at this stage of the competition last season - not even a year ago, and came away with our heads absolutely swimming after witnessing one of the most clinical displays from a Glentoran side I've ever seen. It would be a bit much I suppose to expect another one of those classics. Just get us to the Final lads. And anyways ....
I've already had my holiday's!!! Le jeu avant tout.
Ballymac's bus leaves Wilgar St. at 1.45 folks, if you're there we'll squeeze you in. Other club buses at the link above.
Semi-Final Betting: Glentoran 1/2, Omagh Town 6/1, and a draw 5/2 --- Coleraine 11/10, Limavady 9/4, and a draw 11/5
Singles and upwards accepted. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
N I Under 17's face hosts - Just a wee update on the junior UEFA Championship Finals draw. Northern Ireland have been pooled with Spain, Turkey, and a May 4th opening game v hosts France. The tournament is to be shown live on Eurosport.
1st Apr 04. Juniors show the way - Congratulations to Northern Ireland's Under 17 side, who against all odds have qualified for this summer's 2004 UEFA Under-17 Championship Finals. The boys topped their group after defeating Belarus (3-2), Scotland (2-0), and last night group hosts Belgium (2-0). They now go into tomorrows 10.30am draw with hosts France and the other 6 group winners: Spain, England, Turkey, Ukraine, Austria and Portugal. The 8 countries will divide into two pools of four, with the top two sides in each progressing to the semi-finals. And you're not gonna believe this ... guess who's doing the draw? French football legend Michel Platini, and ... Irish football ' LEG - END ' ..... JIM BOYCE!!!
