Dunlop leads Bangor through

Bangor marched proudly on into the Irish Cup semi final for the first time since 1994 with this deserved victory at New Grosvenor.

George Dunlop's side once again upset the apple cart, his son Grant netting the winner for the Seasiders.

It was action straight from the start in a frenetic first-half and barely twenty seconds were on the clock when Brian Russell's name went into the referee's book for a crunching tackle on Gareth McKeown.

The Whites had the initial pressure, Ryan Brown producing a great save from Ryan Catney's drive from the edge of the box but the Seasiders stunned the Whites on seven minutes. Former Whites favourite Jim McCloskey slipped a ball between defenders and young Grant Dunlop ran through to hit the ball low past Phil Matthews from just inside the box.

Bangor, the wind behind them, had their tails up and continued to put pressure on Paul Kirk's side. A harmless free kick deflected off Stuart Thompon and Matthews reacted well to keep it out.

On 14 minutes McCloskey almost made it two but his 30 yard free kick smashed off the base of the post and back across goal before being cleared.

Brown was down to save at Sean Armstrong's feet before Bangor's vociferous penalty appeals were turned down by referee Mark Courtney on 24 minutes. Russell chipped on and Andy Morrow crossed under pressure, the ball coming off Wayne Buchanan's outstretched arm for what was deemed a corner.

Bangor continued to make the running, Matthews pushed out a cross and McCloskey sent in a looping header which the keeper had to tip over.

Half-time: Lisburn Distillery 0 Bangor 1.

The Whites pressed forward at the start of the second half, and yellow cards were dished out to Andrew Massey and Catney before McKeown's left foot shot was comfortably held by Brown.

No sooner had Paul Kirk made a double substitution than his plans were thwarted when the Whites went down to ten men, striker Darren Armour given a straight red card for an off the ball incident that left Johnny Cheevers lying on the pitch.

The extra man advantage enabled Bangor to break and on 70 minutes Morrow chipped forward to McCloskey but Matthews made an excellent save at his near post.

A minute later Matthews was there again, McCloskey fed the ball wide to Russell and Matthews brilliantly tipped the big striker's drive over the crossbar.

John Douglas was then agonisingly close to a second. On 83 minutes, he latched onto Russell's through ball but as the keeper came out he clipped the ball beyond him and just wide off the post.

That was the final action, Bangor were never seriously troubled in the remaining minutes and deservedly go on to take a place in the semi-final.

LISBURN DISTILLERY: Matthews, Ferguson, Buchanan, Muir, Thompson, McKeown, Hagin, Catney, Murphy, Armour, Armstrong. Subs: McCann, Kilmartin, Dickson.

BANGOR: Brown, Feeney, Officer, Cheevers, Massey, Russell, Dunlop, Kerr, Morrow, Camlin, McCloskey. Subs: Holland, Douglas, McStravick.

Referee: Mark Courtney (Dungannon).