Portadown2–1Ballymena United

Ballymena United ended the 2024/25 season with a defeat as they went down 2-1 to Portadown on the final day of the campaign at Shamrock Park on Saturday evening.

Making a second trip to Mid Ulster in as many weeks to bring the season to a close, Jim Ervin made one change from last week's 2-0 defeat to Glenavon as Caolan Loughran made way for Luke Hawe, making his final appearance before his move to Southampton.

Whilst the visitors were settled in ninth position no matter the result, the Ports still had an outside chance of securing seventh spot and it was they who started slightly stronger. In the opening fifteen minutes, a devilish corner delivery thankfully went right across United's six yard box untouched and Eamon Fyfe fired well over, before the hosts had the chance to lead from the penalty spot. James Hood was adjudged to have brought down Fyfe right on the edge of the box, but after United had queried whether it was inside the box or even a foul, Shay McCartan stepped up from the spot and sent Sean O'Neill the wrong way.

The Braidmen started to creep into proceedings after falling behind but weren't troubling Aaron McCarey with too much and when they were caught on the counter it could've been two, but James Teelan sent an effort over the crossbar.

On twenty-seven minutes, Ballymena couldn't have come closer to levelling when from the edge of the box Kian Corbally set himself and dipped a bending effort wide by a matter of inches, but less than ten minutes later, United were level. When Portadown couldn't quite clear their lines from a corner, the ball fell to Daniel Lafferty just outside the box and when he teed up Luke Hawe beside him, the teenager drilled home a lovely finish for his first ever senior goal on his last appearance in sky blue.

Success Edogun was having plenty of joy all half on the left wing and more brilliant work just after Hawe's goal gave him the chance to shoot, but he curled high and wide and down the other end in first half added time, Portadown moved back ahead. Daithi McCallion had stopped a through ball with his hand and from the resulting free kick, Steven McCullough reminded the travelling support of what he can do when he delightfully curled home into the top corner. The goal was again met by Ballymena grievance, when they felt the free kick was taken closer to the goal than where the foul was committed, but it was enough to give the hosts a half time lead.

The final half of the season was one again started slightly brighter by Niall Currie's men and inside three minutes a mistake at the back allowed Teelan in, but from a tight angle he was kept out by O'Neill, before a threatening run from Josh Ukek saw him find Ben Wylie, but he fired miles wide.

After the hour mark had come and gone, the Sky Blues were starting to get on top but we're struggling again to convert possession into chances. When they finally worked McCarey, predictably it was Edogun who called the Ports 'keeper into a decent save low to his side, before Liam Phinn was introduced for his Ballymena debut. Ethan Devine and Joe Moore were also brought on not long after Phinn, but Ballymena just couldn't quite get things to work as time ticked on and on.

Just prior to entering the final five minutes, Ahu Obhakhan could've wrapped things up with a glorious chance on the six yard line that he got horribly wrong, but the final five minutes were all United. Loughran was brought on along with another young debutant as Ben Munnis got his first appearance for the club in the final minutes and in those minutes chances came and went. McCarey denied both McCallion and Moore late on, with a number of other chances and crosses also just not falling the visitors way and in the end Portadown saw it out.

A losing end to what has been a season of extreme ups and down for Ballymena United, but they'll look to put the disappointment of the last few games behind them during the summer break before they go again in August.