Tom Mathieson rejoins for a second spell after a loan stint from Crusaders was cut short by the first covid lockdown. Since leaving us Tom has spent time at Dundela and Ballymena.
Paul Harbinson said “We already know the quality and versatility Tom brings and we are delighted that the opportunity arose to bring him back to the club.”
Tom will wear the number 14 shirt for the season and you can sponsor him here.
Welcome back Tom!
We invite Loughgall to Dixon Park tomorrow in our next Lough 41 Championship fixture.
Match Info
When: Saturday 21st August – Kick-Off 3:00pm
Where: Dixon Park
What: Lough 41 Championship
Entry: Pay at the gate as normal from 1pm – £8 (adult) / £5 (concession)
Reminder to all supporters that there will be a fun-day event (Ballyclare Comrades is Getting Active about Emotional Health & Wellbeing Event) taking place at Dixon Park on Saturday. Free entry from 11:30am-1:00pm (attendance at the event will also grant you free access to the game vs Loughgall). You can read more about the event here.
The Opponents
Loughgall come into the game having won 2 and lost 1 of their opening 3 league games, much like the Comrades. They come to Dixon Park following a 2-1 victory over Dergview last Saturday with goals from Andrew Hoey & Nedas Maciulaitis. The visitors are tipped to be in and around the promotion places come the end of the season and so will be looking for all 3 points come Saturday.
The Comrades
The Comrades come into the game following a heavy defeat to Annagh United last Saturday. A nightmare of a first half saw Ballyclare go in at the break 4-0 down and with only 10 men on the pitch. Elliot McKim was shown red within the first 20 minutes of the game and will now miss tomorrow’s game. Despite facing a mountain of a task in the second 45, Paul Harbinson’s men were much improved after the break and had reduced the deficit to 3 through skipper, Chris Ramsey, until a 90th minute wonder-strike from Ruari McDonald restored Annagh’s 4 goal lead. The manager spoke after the game about the ‘heart-breaking’ scoreline but believes it has helped to pull the squad ‘out of the clouds’ following two big victories in the opening games of the season. “Loughgall are, what we would consider, title contenders and so it’s another massive massive game for us ” said Harbinson.
Last Time Out
It was all square the last time these two sides met on 22nd February 2020 as the Championship match at Dixon Park ended in a 1-1 draw. The Villagers needed just five minutes to open the scoring when Ross Hunter headed home from six yards after Peter Campbell had crossed from the left. Ballyclare responded positively, striking the woodwork through Ciaran Dobbin before Gary Donnelly carved out the equaliser on 24 minutes with a close-range finish after meeting a free-kick floated into the box. The Comrades enjoyed more of the better chances as the game went on but it was Loughgall who came closest to snatching all 3 points in stoppage time, had it not been for a great stop from ‘keeper, Ben McCauley.
Nathan O’Neill leaves Ballyclare Comrades to join Ards after joining us in January 2020, making 8 appearances and scoring 3 goals.
We thank Nathan for his efforts during his time at the club and wish him all the best for the future.
Thank you, Bumper!
Paul Harbinson shared his thoughts following a disappointing afternoon away to Annagh United.
🎥 Sam Johnston Photography and Journalism: https://www.facebook.com/sjphotograph…
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The Comrades travel to Tandragee Road this Saturday in our latest Lough 41 Championship clash; this time the hosts are Annagh United.
Match Info
When: Saturday 14th August 2021 – Kick-Off 3:00pm
Where: Tandragee Road
What: Lough 41 Championship
Entry: Pay at the gate, £8 (adult) / £5 concession
The Opponents
Annagh have been the victim of injury-time heartbreak in the opening 2 league games of the season. A victory against Ards on the opening day looked very much on the cards until they conceded with 6 minutes to go to level the scores at 2-2. They then received a further sucker-punch as Ards scored in the dying moments of the game to snatch victory away from Annagh. A similar story occurred on Tuesday evening where Knockbreda hosted Annagh at Breda Park. Goals from Campbell and Duffin had Annagh United 3-2 ahead right up until the 93rd minute when Knockbreda delivered another sucker punch blow, and the game finished all square. Annagh will be looking to chase those lost points when we travel to Tandragee Road on Saturday.
The Comrades
Another solid display on Tuesday evening against Institute seen the Comrades run out 3-1 winners and has us sitting top of the Lough 41 Championship going into gameweek 3. Manager, Paul Harbinson, hailed the professionalism of his squad following the long-distance travel to the Brandywell on Tuesday evening. Liam McKenna got the first goal direct from a corner kick, following a little confusion as to whether it was an own-goal or not. “His delivery is frightening,” said the boss “I love the fact he is so confident stepping up to every ball and we just know we’re going to get something from it.” Adam Gray and Joe Tully once again found the scoresheet and seem to have hit the ground running at the start of this campaign. There’s a long way to go for the Comrades but they will be hungry for more success as we travel to Tandragee Road tomorrow afternoon.
Last Time Out
Our last trip to Tandragee Road was a successful one as we ran out 4-0 winners against Annagh United in the 2016/17 Championship season. Annagh later went on to get relegated that season and have remained in the Premier Intermediate League until last season when they were promoted back into the Championship following the mathematical formula used by NIFL to award automatic promotion places.
Ballyclare Comrades FC’s media team have an exciting new opening for a Media Officer on a voluntary basis.
A brilliant opportunity for an individual who is passionate about football and looking to develop their skillset. Working alongside a passionate team within a Championship side on the rise and developing all the time.
Attendance will be required at first team matches. Matchdays will take place on Saturday afternoons with the odd midweek game throughout the season.
Key Responsibilities
Attend first team league and cup fixtures
Assistance with pre-match preparation (liaise with management team)
Liaise with photographers / videographers for release of content on social media
Support the rest of the media team with general media work
Have innovative ideas to enhance the club’s public image
Ideal Candidate
IT skills are essential
A good organiser and strong communicator
A committed and reliable individual
A strong desire and willingness to work in football and operate on a voluntary basis
To apply and discuss the role further, please email [email protected]
The deadline for applications is ongoing and discussions will be arranged at the earliest possible opportunity.
Paul Harbinson shared his thoughts following our Lough 41 Championship victory away to Institute on Tuesday evening.
Goals from Liam McKenna, Adam Gray & Joe Tully helped us to a 3-1 victory over ‘Stute.
🎥 Sam Johnston Photography and Journalism
The Comrades travel to the Brandywell this Tuesday evening to take on Institute in our next league fixture.
Match Info
When: Tuesday 10th August 2021 – Kick-Off 7:45pm
Where: The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
What: 2021/22 Lough 41 Championship
Entry: For supporters, of either club, you may now buy your tickets via the following link: https://institutefc.co.uk/tickets.html
As an appreciation to football supporters, Institute have decided to reduce the admission rate to £5 (Adult) and £3 (12-17yrs) for their first home game.
U12’s free when accompanied by a paying adult – Tickets for U12’s can also be requested on ticket website when Adult ticket is purchased.
Supporters bus: There is a supporters bus running to the Brandywell and back to Ballyclare on Tuesday evening with limited seats available. Contact Justyn Wallace for more info.
The Opponents
Institute suffered a 5-0 away defeat to Dergview in the opening game of the season on Saturday and so manager, Sean Connor, will be looking for a reaction from his team come Tuesday evening. ‘Stute have a very young side this season, with @NIStats on twitter (Marshall Gillespie) calculating that they had the youngest starting XI in the Lough 41 Championship with an average age of 21.7 years old (the Comrades had an average age of 25 years old on Saturday, for comparison).
The Comrades
We had an emphatic start to our 2021/22 Lough 41 Championship campaign with a 5-1 victory over Ballinamallard United at the weekend. After going a goal down early on in the game, the Comrades fought back to see out, what ended up being a comfortable victory over the County Fermanagh side. Paul Harbinson hailed the work rate of his team while emphasising that “We’ve only won one game, it counts for nothing. It sounds great, but it means nothing.”
Last Time Out
You have to go back to the 2017/18 season for the last time we played Institute. ‘Stute were the victors that day, going in at the break 2 goals to the good. A second half comeback looked on at a stage when goals from an OG and Mark Kelly gave the Comrades some hope, but Institute proved too strong and ran out 4-2 victors on the day. Institute later went on to win the league that season and gained automatic promotion to the Premiership.
Paul Harbinson shared his thoughts following our Lough 41 Championship opener.
Goals from Adam Gray, Joe Tully, Ciarán Dobbin & Andrew Mooney helped us to a convincing 5-1 victory.
The Comrades take on the Mallards in the opening fixture of the 2021/22 Lough 41 Championship campaign.
Match Info
When: Saturday 7th August 2021 – Kick-Off 3:00pm
Where: Dixon Park
What: 2021/22 Lough 41 Championship
Entry: Pay at the turnstiles – Adult £8, Concession £5. Kids under 12 FREE (must be accompanied by a paying adult).
Season ticket holders, pass holders and directors to enter through the main gate, not the turnstiles.
Season tickets are available to purchase from our online store here or visit the club shop at Dixon Park on matchdays.
The Opponents
Ballinamallard will be looking to pick up where they left off in the 2019/20 Championship season. The Mallards were sitting in the playoff spots in second place when the league was called to a halt with eight games still to play. Since then, our upcoming opponents were knocked out of the 2020/21 Irish Cup First Round, following a marathon penalty shootout at home to Dergview. Pre-season has been very positive for Harry McConkey’s men with some promising friendly results, most recently being their 3-0 victory over Premiership opposition, Warrenpoint Town, last week.
The Comrades
The debutants were the stars of the show last week as goals from Liam McKenna and Ciaran Heggarty helped us overcome Queen’s University in the BetMcLean League Cup. Paul Harbinson will take confidence that his team remained composed throughout the 90 minutes and ultimately done enough to win the game, despite Queen’s making it extremely difficult throughout. We caught up with the manager during the week to discuss the mood in the camp, what he expects from Ballinamallard and the upcoming season – watch the interview at the link below:
Last Time Out
Two second half goals secured a 2-0 victory for the Comrades the last time these two sides met in October 2019 at Dixon Park. Scoreless at the break, Luckas Adamczyk opened the scoring on 67 minutes with an excellent turn and shot into the bottom corner from 11 yards after Ciaran Dobbin had touched the ball on. Then, a minute from time, Thomas Robinson made sure of the points with a 20-yard curling effort which Mallards keeper John Connolly couldn’t keep out despite getting a hand to it.
