Irish League boss hails club's 'Benjamin Button' for scoring brace to set up dream Irish Cup clash against Glentoran

Michael Moore was introduced off the bench at half-time on Saturday with Ballymacash trailing 1-0 to Mid-Ulster League outfit Oxford Sunnyside and less than 10 minutes later the 38-year-old put his team back on level terms.

The tie was ultimately sent to extra-time with Carl McComb’s strike for Ballymacash cancelled out by Jamie Burns and Moore would prove to be the cup hero as his 96th minute winner sealed progression.

Forsythe’s men had already achieved club history by reaching the fifth round, but now they’ve gone another step further and will welcome 23-time winners Glentoran to the Bluebell Stadium next month.

Moore has played a key role in Ballymacash’s meteoric rise from the Mid-Ulster League into the Irish League pyramid, netting 27 goals in 25 Intermediate A appearances during the 2021/22 season as they secured promotion.

Turning 39 in March, the ex-Knockbreda ace is still producing the goods and boss Forsythe was full of praise for the striker.

"He's Benjamin Button!" he laughed. “Michael has been amazing for me since he came to the club and he was really prolific for us in the Mid-Ulster League.

"He has sadly had too many birthday's which he knows, so he hasn't been playing as much as he wanted, but Saturday was a game made for Michael Moore.

"Michael knows that style of football on a heavy grass pitch – he knows the tricks of the trade. He's very experienced. He scored two goals and was absolutely super. Sometimes you can see people who score goals but don't do much else in the game, but that's not the case with Michael.

"He played a huge part. He came on when we were 1-0 down and played such a big part in turning the performance around and he was excellent. I thought he bullied the two Oxford centre-halves and got about the pitch well.

"It's sad for him that he's the age he is because when he plays like he does on Saturday we wish he could play for another five years. He genuinely was super.

"Him and I have a great relationship of banter and abuse and you have to take your hat off to him. I'd love to know the last time a 38 year-old scored two goals in the Irish Cup fifth round.

"He's a big character and is an easy target, but you can't knock him at all to go out and still be producing the goods at 38. That speaks volumes and he deserves all the credit."

Forsythe is a lifelong Glentoran fan and says bringing them to the Bluebell is just rewards for those behind the scenes that have transformed the club.

"We know the Glens maybe aren't in their best form and all the pressure will be on them,” he added. “There's nobody that will expect us to be getting a result that day.

"I like the fact it's at the Bluebell and it will be different for them coming into our environment and the middle of our estate. It's such a reward for people who have done so much work at the club, even before I joined."