31st Jul 03. Apologies - once again to anyone having problems contacting me through the site. My house move is now almost complete, so once PC and internet access is set up everything concerning the site should be back to normal. That should be in the next week or so, so bear with me please. I'll have plenty of pics too from the HJK game in Finland when I finally do get up and running again. Finally, thanks once again to Gavin for continuing to update the site in the meantime, I'd have been lost without him - everybody else at the Ballymac's thick ;-) JIM
Morris mystery! - Elliott Morris is STILL in hospital, and worse than that, they don't even know what's wrong with him! The player picked up some sort of virus in Finland, word soon got round the supporters he was in a bad way, and we we're all very surprised he even started the game. It's well documented he was unable to continue his trip home after stopping off in Amsterdam, and had to be immediately admitted to hospital on his arrival in Belfast. The guy is now reduced to being fed through a drip and Doctors are baffled as to what the problem is! Fingers crossed all goes well. JIM
Celtic to return? - There's an article in tonight's 'tele' saying the name Belfast Celtic is in line for an imminent return! Apparently the initial idea is to resurrect and merchandise the famous clubs name, but hopes are to push for re-election to the Irish League through Intermediate level, and try to progress to the Premier League. It's even been muted they could attempt to take over an existing (unnamed) Irish League side and simply change it's name! Personally I think it would be a very welcome addition to football here - and how nice to get back to a real BIG TWO again, I've had enough of the scum continuously living off the success of the Glens :-) JIM
Crewe Utd 1-7 Glentoran - Easy run out for the Glens last night in Glenavy against an average Crewe Utd team. After Crewe took the lead through a dubious 12th minute penalty the scorers went as follows : Tim McCann(2), Andy Kilmartin, Darren Armour, Andy Smith, Colin Nixon, Darren Armour, Michael Halliday and it really should have been a hell of a lot more, passy shooty in, would describe the exercise best. Crewe have to be commended on the set up they have at Crewe Park with ample covered terracing and social facilities (as most of the Ballymac would confirm!)
30th Jul 03. Crewe Utd v Glentoran - Tonight sees Glentorans 3rd pre-season friendly in the Co.Antrim village of Glenavy. Kick off is at 7.00pm with prices £3 adult, £1 concession. A special programme will be produced for the game.
Glentoran v Wimbledon - If you have already purchased a season ticket then you can use it for this Saturdays pre season friendly against WImbledon at the Oval, kick off 2.00pm, otherwise the price to gain admittance is £5.
Fill Yer Pockets - Get the heap on MTK Hungaria to beat our fortuotous Champions League opponents HJK ths evening. The odds of 8/11 look mighty fine and if MTK are any sort of team at all then it will be a walkover.
27th Jul 03. Nicky signs - Word is breaking just now that Colin Nixon has just signed on at the Oval till August 2007!!
I got a whimper out in Finland that Nicky had all but agreed terms but the Glens were keeping it quiet. Problems getting PC access and errr ........ the rather late opening hours of Helsinki nightclubs mean't I didn't get online to let you all know.
Awe well - better late than never eh :-) ........ and bloody good news at that!
Home Sweet Home! - Ballymac are back :-) A week in Helsinki behind us, and in my opinion the best chance in years to progress in a European competition gone down the tubes. With Elliott Morris (and by the way, he nearly didn't even start the game due his now well publicised ailment) and the defence outstanding once again. The longer the game went on HJK were there for the taking, but up front we were found lacking. A 25 yard Colin Nixon effort just before half-time had the 100 or so Glenmen up out of their seats, and then when wee Scotty volleyed across goal, he wasn't to know that a little less pace on it would have had the inrushing Andy Smith nodding home a sitter. In the end though it wasn't to be, for the first time ever on an away European trip I was really gutted - this really was one we could have won. That night in the pubs of downtown Helsinki the players knew it too, to a man they knew they'd let the Finns off the hook, and they well know opportunities like that don't come round very often. I will say this though, the Finnish League Champions - whoever they turn out to be this year, certainly won't want to be paired with Glentoran FC in next seasons draw. I've a funny feeling the Glens will though! ....... and so would I quite frankly! ...... another pear cider please Heidi :-)
25th Jul 03. 2 additional friendly fixtures - The club have released details this afternoon of 2 more friendly fixtures for the next few Saturdays. Saturday 2nd August has us paired with English nomadic side Wimbledon at the Oval, kick off time tbc, followed by a fixture at home to our neighbours Dundela on Saturday 9th, again at the Oval, kick off 3.00pm.
Champions League draw - If we had have beaten HJK then disposed of MTK then we would have had a mouth watering clash with Celtic. I wonder where the loyalties of Uncle Fester and his merry band of great unwashed would have been for that game.?
Elliott Morris Health Scare - Worryng news concerning Elliott Morris on his way back from Helsinki via Amsterdam. He was brought into the medical room at Schipol airport with a high temperature and extremely swollen tonsils and advised by a local doctor that it was unsafe for him to travel on to Dublin. Andy Smith has stayed with him in the Netherlands Hope all is well now and Elliott is on the mend.
HJK 1-0 Glentoran - Well I havent had access to a pc since wednesday before the game so there is no point doing a report of the game now, the usual scenario, dubious refereeing, dirty tactics, bad luck and our wrong tactics (again) got us put out of a round we could have qualified from. Ahh well looks like we will have to make do wiith the dubious refereeing and dirty tactics that rule the Irish League fro another year.
23rd Jul 03. Come On Yeeeeee Glens - Well, judgement day has arrived, surely with the law of averages we have to qualify sometime for the next round, so why not this year? Andy Smith has been given the all clear and will start up front tonight in a 4-3-3 formation?? (why was it not that formation in the first leg) HJK are no great shakes as you saw last week, lets just hope that all the players can play well on the day. This is our best chance in a long time of qualifying, so come 5 o'clock lock yourself in a quiet room with the lucky rabbits foot, four leaved clovers and wearing your lucky Glentoran top stick on the teletext and quietly hope and pray. Im sure the 100 or so Glenmen and women in Helsinki will be singing and dancing for us all.
22nd Jul 03. The Troops Have Arrived !! - After the 3 day Camel ride, the team arrived safely in Helsinki yesterday evening. The only worry is the ongoing hamstring injury of Andy Smith which he received in the 1st leg at the Oval, although reports are he will make the starting line up without any trouble. As most of you who were at the game in Belfast will know, that HJK are no great shakes, maybe it is time to get rich quick with the odds in the bookies for the game, a tempting 9/1 about the Glens to win the game or a healthy 7/2 for a draw!!
The Dancing Duke - Apparently there is a lot of video and photographic evidence of a certain Ballymac GSC member dancing and singing to the tune of "Build Me Up Buttercup" with 2 lovely ladies in the Park Avenue Hotel on friday past. Fair enough, but he knew the dance that accompanies the song. I'll not tell you who it was was but the dance looked very t"ricky"
21st Jul 03. It's rape and pillage time again! - OK folks, that's me off for a spot of seal-clubbing, Ballymac are Helsinki bound this morning and won't be back for a week. Gavin will be updating the site from Belfast while I'm away so you'll be kept up to speed on events over here, as for me, I'll try to get to a PC while away and do a bit now and again from Finland.
No coat packed - just hope is doesn't rein-deer :-)
20th Jul 03. Keeley for Derry - Any of yez remember our wee Dermot? I'm not the only one that old surely, and I can think of a few aging Irish League centre forwards with sore ankles.who certainly will ;-) Well you might be interested to know Sunday Life today reveals he's on his way to manage Derry City. Believe it or not I actually fancied Keeley for manager of the Glens when our old friend Tommy Cassidy left - would you believe that's nearly 6 years ago! How do you reckon Dermot would deal with the 6ft 7inch Kottila next week!
HJK - won 6-2 away to Jazz Pori in the Finnish league yesterday, wish we were playing them next week. I believe Jazz Pori is Finnish for Omagh Town by the way ;-)
Am I missing something ............ This is the Glens biggest European game in 18 years, right? Well how's this sound - Leave home tonight around midnight, take a 2am bus trip from the Park Avenue Hotel to Dublin tomorrow morning, a 6.40am flight to Amsterdam, hang around Schiphol Airport like a zombie for hours, your follow-on flight not getting you to Helsinki till after 4.00pm, gather the luggage, find the bus, hit the hotel and crash out on the bed exhausted. Training next day at AC Allianssi's Pohjola Stadium. No? .......... Thank your lucky stars you're not a player then!
19th Jul 03. Finland here we come - Not much to tell you that you don't already know, big Chris is out for up to 8 weeks with a fractured cheek bone and doesn't travel to Finland. I however - WILL :-) Big Chris's absence will reduce the options for Coyler of course, but even so, on the evidence of what I saw in the first leg I'm sure we can still get a result out there. Remember, HJK only lost 1-0 away in the first leg to some Belarussian outfit last year, they were very confident of progressing with their home leg to come, but then crashed 4-0 at home and 5-0 overall. That result still haunts the Finns and I think it could play in our favour. They were trailed over the coals by their supporters after that one and believe me they will be very nervous indeed this time round. Remember too the Glens drew 1-1 away to FC Midtjyland only 2 years back, we rode our luck at times that day but we stuck at it and got the result, and quite frankly, from what I've seen I think Midtjylland were a better side than HJK. I reckon if we can get a goal we could well go through ............
and then it won't matter how much a pint is! We shall see.
17th Jul 03. Walker touch and go - The Glens may have to do without Chris Walker when they travel to Finland next week, it seems on top of sustaining a slight concussion last night Chris may have also fractured his cheek bone. The challenge in the Glens area from the big Finnish centre-forward Kallio came early on in the game and left big Chris on the deck for almost 5 minutes. Unbelievably the incident went unpunished.
Glentoran 0 HJK 0
A very good result for the wee Glens tonight, but oh so nearly a great one, and back to the glory days of old! For a full time professional outfit, HJK must have got a bit of a shock tonight, the Glens were more than a match for the Finnish Champions and quite frankly really should have won the game. The full match report can now be found HERE
16th Jul 03. C'mon the Glens - Well here we go again folks, will this be our year? After very encouraging performances the last 2 years can we get it spot on tonight, no doubt we have the talent to progress, but against full timers half way through their season it will be tough. So keep the vocal chords in prime condition for tonight and give the lads all the vocal support you can. Lockhart is still an injury doubt and probably will not be in the team, but apart from him all is well. Dont forget its a 7.30 kick off, prices £10 adult £6 concession. ODDS : 13/5 Glentoran 9/4 HJK Helsinki 10/11.
14th Jul 03. Glentoran - HJK Helsinki - In their final league game before Wednesdays Champions League qualifier, HJK had an unimpressive 1-1 draw at home to 7th placed TPS Turku, the game was watched by Roy Coyle who probably left the stadium in a more upbeat mood after watching our opponents drop down to 3rd in their league. Darren Lockhart is still a doubt for Wednesdays game but Darren Armour resumed training last Thursday and is hopeful of a place in the starting squad. Wednesdays game is pay at the gate £10 (adults) £6 (concessions), kick off 7.30pm.
10th Jul 03. Kilmore Rec 1-4 Glentoran - Not plain sailing against the village team as the Glens gained a hard fought victory in the picturesque setting of Crossgar. Second half goals from Andy Smith, Paul Leeman,Scott Young and an own goal sent us all home content after a sometimes bruising encounter which was refereed by a halfwit. Another vital run out to achieve match fitness before next Wednesday and hopefully the manager will give the younger players, who have played in both friendlies, a chance in the real thing against HJK Helsinki.
8th Jul 03. Kilmore Rec v Glentoran - Tomorrow night (Wed) sees the final friendly game before our European exploits next week. A trip to the Co.Down village of Crossgar awaits to meet Kilmore Rec to celebrate the opening of their new changing facilities. A hefty £4 entrance fee is waiting for us tomorrow night. Easy to find the ground, just turn left at McCarthys newsagents on the Main Street and the ground is 100 yards up Market Street on the right. The Ballymac have a bus leaving our premises at 6pm for the 7pm kick off, all visitors are very welcome.
7th Jul 03. Apologies - to anyone not getting a reply via the sites email addy over the last week or so, as I said, moving house so no bloody internet!! Thanks to Gavin for helping me keep the site up to date in the meantime. I am getting there, slowly but surely, so keep the emails coming in - just be patient if you don't get an answer right away - JIM
7th Jul 03. Shelbourne 1-2 Glentoran - A very encouraging victory yesterday at Tolka Park, home of League of Ireland table toppers Shelbourne. Two second half strikes by Gary Smyth and Paul Leeman cancelled out the first half penalty from the hosts. After dominating the first half, with Andy Kilmartin hitting the bar, and going in at the break 1-0 down, the glens came out in the second half more determined and got their reward when with about 15 minutes to go Gary Smyth rose at a corner to send the ball into the corner of the net, then with 2 minutes to go Paul Leeman blasted home from close range to send the 250 or so Glenmen (and 3 lovely californian girls!!!) back up north in a happy mood.
3rd Jul 03. Bus to Dublin - Ballymac GSC have a bus going to Dublin for Sundays friendly against Shelbourne. Bus leaves the club at 12.00pm sharp, all visitors are welcome. Get there quick as it will be first come first served. Fare will be approximitely £8. Dont forget your Euros as you will not get into the ground without them !!!
Glens v Shelbourne on Sunday - So all roads lead to Tolka Park on Sunday afternoon, after a lot of hmming and haaing, the game will now definitely go ahead on Sunday 6th, kick off 3.00pm. Entry is by cash at the turnstile Eur5/2.
2nd Jul 03. Ballymac European Ballot - The winner of this years European ballot drawn yesterday was .....SAM c/o Lisa McCullough. I would like to thank everyone that purchased a ticket for this years ballot.
