Shamrock Park Tuesday, October 26th, 2021 k/o 19:45   Northern Ireland league cup Third Round Attendance: 203         Portadown 1-0 Ballinamallard United
2021 /22

Comments :

I didn''t have a set plan when i left my B&B in Larne but i new i had to check into my hotel in Belfast before getting a train out to Portadown for the evening game. Originally i had planned to watch Dungannon swifts but there game was called off late in the day so had me scratching around for a replacement. Detours en route, to Ballymena and Coleraine luckily proved fruitless but would work out later in the week, Instead i got off at Carrick Fergus and looked around Carrick rangers ground before alighting the train a second time at Yorktown for a 15minute walk to Crusaders ground which would be hosting a sold out women''s international against Austria later that night for more photo opportunities. After checking in to my hotel near the student area i was once more on a train. I had again emailed their secretary to check ticket protocol and if rumours of the trains finishing early were true. Once of the train i was faced with a 20minute walk or a short bus ride(in the end a combination of both) whilst the train rumours proved false the buses did finish around supper time. I grabbed a small pizza before entering the ground. I was then introduced to the secretary who explained they had stopped doing programmes a few years ago which was disappointing but tempered by giving me half a dozen old programmes and offering me a lift back to the station after the game! Once more another amazing gesture. The hosts squandered countless chances against their championship opponents but won the game 1-0 after a loose ball was rifled home from the edge of the box after a 50/50 collision between the keeper and striker(Bonis 23). By chance i chatted to an assessor who gave me two great leads firstly to an u17 international the following day and secondly a contact for the secretary at Glentoran The 22.30 train was the fast one taking straight back to the city and a quick connection to take me back one stop to my destination.