Ballinamallard’s recent improvement in form has coincided with the manager being able to select an unchanged defensive unit, and a key member of the back four has been left back Colm McLaughlin. The 21 year old came into the side for the last 30 minutes of the match against Linfield last month, and he grasped his opportunity. His performances earned him the full 90 minutes in the subsequent games against Warrenpoint, Coleraine, Dungannon and Cliftonville and Colm is relishing the opportunity to get some games under his belt.

“I have been very happy, especially with the way the boys have been playing at the back,” admitted Colm. “We had a good run of results until we lost at Cliftonville and we played well again against Portadown once we got over the first 20 minutes, so hopefully we can pick it up again.” Having brought some good recent form into the home match against Portadown on Saturday it was disappointing that they started the match without any spark, and Colm acknowledges they were not good enough in the opening quarter. “It was a very poor first half, especially the first 20 minutes,” he admitted. “We didn’t start the game well. We started very slowly and we gave away two very sloppy goals and it was uphill from there. We had a lot of possession for the rest of the game but we just couldn’t get back into it.” Colm first joined Ballinamallard on loan from Sligo Rovers in January, but the full back struggled with injury during the second half of the season and never established himself as a first team regular. At the end of the season he returned to his home club, before being snapped up by Paul Kee at Institute. The newly promoted club made a good start to the season but McLaughlin was could not force his way in to the starting eleven and was getting frustrated at his lack of game time, so he explored the chances of coming back to Ballinamallard in the closing days of the summer transfer window.

“The transfer was all last minute,” said Colm. “Me and Keesy (Paul Kee) had words and I asked about getting games. He said if I stick around I might get a look in but I thought it wasn’t going to happen. I phoned up Whitey and asked if there was any chance of getting down and seeing how it goes, and it has worked out well. I’ve settled in well and I’m back playing football. I’m happy with the decision I made.” Colm is hoping he can help repay the manager’s faith in him by helping springing a surprise over Saturday’s Ferney Park opponents, Crusaders. “It’s a big one next week,” he said. “We need to stick to our game plan and hopefully we can nick something.”