Ballymena 0
Belfast Celtic 3
Gold Cup (Round 1)

Match Report

The goals scored in the first half, all by Jack Mahood, formed the margin by which Belfast Celtic defeated Ballymena in the first round of the Gold Cup, on Wednesday evening.

The match was played at Ballymena, before a big crowd, and in sultry weather. There was little between the teams at the outset, both going all out and swinging the ball about freely. A snap goal, cleverly enough taken by Jack Mahood about twelve minutes from the start, was hardly deserved on the run of play.

Less than five minutes later, the same player (Jack Mahood), taking advantage of hesitancy on the part of the home defence, flashed through and scored from close range.

Gough, the home keeper, being unsighted and having no chance. Celtic played with greater confidence after this, and for the remainder of this half were much the better side. Not only were they quicker on the ball; they positioned much better, and in the course of a hot attack Jack Mahood performed the hat-trick with a typical drive. There was no further scoring before the interval.

The second half was more evenly contested, but while the home forwards got a greater share of the ball in this period there was little or no coherence in the line, which was always well held by the Celtic defence.

Girvan, who filled Cassidy's place on the extreme left, was obviously out of his element, and though the others worked hard enough it was individuals. The home defence held the Celtic forward line just as effectively in this half, and the interval score stood at the end.

Match report written by Ballymena Weekly Telegraph (7 September 1929)