Portadown 0
Ballymena United 1
Ulster Cup (Group Stage)

Match Report

Portadown sadly missing the midfield expertise of the injured Jimmy Cleary struggled for most of the first half of today's opening Morans Ulster Cup game against weakened Ballymena United at Shamrock Park.

Without Cleary's guile and skill in the middle of the park they were reduced to pumping high balls into the heart of the Ballymena defence in the vain hope of finding their big strikers Jim Alexander and Jim Campbell.

But this ploy played straight into the hands of Davy Jackson and his fellow defenders and Ballymena, despite the absence through suspension of Paul Malone, Brian Jess and Ronnie McCullough were the more industrious side in a lack-lustre first half.

Only a brilliant finger-tip save by Portadown goalkeeper Davy McCollum as early as the third minute prevented a well struck angled drive from John Sloan from putting Ballymena ahead.

Match report written by Irelands Saturday Night (18 August 1979)