Northern Ireland

Premier Intermediate League

Saturday 25th April 2026

Kick Off 15.00 On Time!

Strabane Athletic 1 Oxford Sunnyside 1, attendance 155

35’ 1-0

74’ 1-1

@ Melvin Sports Arena

Melvin Road

Strabane

BT82 9PP

£9 Admission

No Programme.

The journey from this morning’s game west to Strabane took around one and a half hours, taking a direct route that remained in a pretty straight line, taking in some very scenic views en route. Melvin Sports Complex is on the south side of the Mourne River from the town centre. It’s a pitch inside a cinder track, compounded by having a six lane sprinting track on the stand side. The stand itself has three rows of seating, with an open backed roof, so probably not that good when it rains and is flanked by six rows of open steps either side. There was a refreshment table set up just inside the entrance, with the changing rooms at the far end of the main viewing area. Grass banking runs along the far side, where the dugouts are, with mesh fencing running around the complex perimeter….perfect for the twenty or so free loaders to watch from!

Strabane are new into the Premier Intermediate League this season, having achieved the treble of Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League, O’Gorman Cup and Crawford Cup in 2024/25. Oxford Sunnyside had won back to back Mid Ulster League titles before beating Strabane in a two legged play off to join the N.I.F.L. the season before, so there was recent history between the two clubs. Today’s match was 2nd versus 10th in the league table and was not a game to live too long in the memory, certainly not as far as the entertainment value, or lack of it, goes. Perhaps the hot weather didn’t help matters…we even had a drinks break midway through the first half! Strabane broke the deadlock ten minutes before halftime, when an Oisin Duffy strike found the bottom corner from just inside the box. They hit the crossbar seven minutes into the second half too, but failed to get a second goal, which would probably have killed the game off and were made to pay for it with sixteen minutes left, when a cross from wide on the right was missed by the ‘keeper and sent back over him with a looping header from Michael O’Connor that found the far corner.

The result was a blow to Strabane’s title hopes heading into the final games of the season and could even see them missing out on promotion too. Moyola Park lead the table by three points from second placed Dollingstown, with both having one game left. Strabane are one point further back, but do have one extra game to play than the top two, however, Newry City, Rathfriland Rangers and Ballymacash Rangers can still achieve second place too, so it will be an interesting last day of the season!

An overnight stay just south of Antrim, before catching the 09.55 EasyJet flight back to London Gatwick on Sunday morning, which left on time.

Northern Ireland

Ballymena Saturday Morning League

Division 3

Saturday 25th April 2026

Kick Off 10.15 On Time!

Ravel Rovers 0 Cullybackey Blues 6, attendance 26

8’ 0-1

13’ 0-2

22’ 0-3

37’ 0-4

52’ 0-5

60’ 0-6

@ Cargan Park

Glenravel Road

Cargan

BT43 6RE

No Admission or Programme.

Staying in Portrush, on the north coast of County Antrim, meant this morning kick off in the lowest division of the Ballymena Saturday Morning League fitted the bill perfectly for this morning’s action, despite being a forty minute drive in the wrong direction for my favoured afternoon game. Cargan Park is a single pitch venue, entered via a gap between the houses as you head north on the A43 Glenravel Road through the village, with a superb backdrop of the Glens of Antrim, which looked even better on a sunny day like this. There’s a small car park, that could only accommodate about a dozen cars, raised behind the near goal, with the changing rooms in the corner just beyond. There was access to all four sides of the pitch, with each teams ‘benches’ setting up opposite each other. The local petrol station was where the majority of the crowd got their refreshments and hot drinks, about fifty yards from the ground entrance.

The match was 11th versus 2nd in the league table, with the visitors taking an early lead and never really looking like being pegged back. The opener came after cutting in from the left before sending an angled shot into the far corner. A downward header at the far post saw them double their lead, before they made it 0-3 midway through the half, heading a cross back across the ‘keeper into the far corner for the No.9 Gary Glass to complete his hattrick. Ravel had an effort hit the post soon after, but a cross from the right saw a first time shot between the legs of the ‘keeper to make it 0-4 eight minutes before the break. Right on halftime Ravel had an effort saved by the visiting ‘keeper, with the follow up cleared off the line by a covering defender. Seven minutes into the second half Cullybackey added a fifth goal, finishing one on one after a ball over the top. They added number six on the hour mark, when a cross from the right was finished with a first time shot into the bottom corner. Somehow no more goals arrived in the last half an hour, despite both teams creating a number of good chances.

With everyone staying on the pitch at halftime, for a break of barely five minutes, this was all over by 11.51, leaving ample time for me to head westwards again for my afternoon match.