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Northend United 3 Newhill 1 Foyle Cup RoseBowl Final Saturday 23rd July 2011

Northend U14s came to this game knowing that a good performance would see them lift the Foyle Cup Rose Bowl.

Straight from the kick off the midfield dynamos of Jamie Speirs and Niall Swann closed down the Newhill midfield and started to pull the strings for Northend. From a David Bradley pass, Matthew Mulholland picked up the ball thirty yards out and went on a jinxing run which ended in him being fouled in the penalty box. Up stepped Jamie Speirs to take the penalty and he made no mistake to give Northend an early 1-0 lead.

This goal spurred Northend on and they had all the play in the early part of the game.

Jamie Speirs, who was leading by example in the Northend team, played an excellent through ball through to Keith Hall, who outpaced the Newhill defence and beat the keeper from twenty-five yards to give the Northend Blues a convincing 2-0 lead.

At this stage of the game Northend should have gone on to kill the game but instead allowed Newhill to come back into the game. Some good exchange play between their midfield and strikers, found their centre forward unmarked in front of the Northend goals and he gave Richard Sloan, in the Northend net, no chance with his low shot to reduce the score to 2-1. Northend came back at Newhill after this but couldn't find a way past the Newhill defence who were intent on playing the high ball every time. The score remained 2-1 to the Blues until half-time.

Northend again started the second half in determined fashion with Michael Laverty on for Bradley. Again the midfield of Speirs, Swann and Mulholland were proving to be a thorn in Newhill's flesh and they gradually gained the upper hand in the midfield battle. Thomas Brady replaced Hanlon to give fresh legs as Northend sought to hold on to their lead.

From a quick thinking Anthony McAvoy free kick, he released Keith Hall down the Northend left wing and when he crossed the ball, there was Stephen Hare to stroke the ball home to give Northend a convincing 3-1 lead.

Newhill threw more men into attack as they sought to get back in the game but found Benny O'Neill and Ross Swan at the top of their game, dealing with whatever Newhill threw at them.

Northend weren't finished yet and introduced Niall Shannon into the game and this very nearly became an inspired substitution when after another Keith Hall break down the Northend wing, his resultant cross just eluded Niall Shannon when he had the goal at his mercy.

Northend shored up their defence for the remainder of the game and played out the time before the final whistle to win the Foyle Cup Rose Bowl.

In jubilant mood the boys received their medals and Captain Jamie Speirs lifted the Cup to send the Northend players and fans home a happy bunch.

Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, N Shannon, D Bradley, B O'Neill, R Walsh, A O'Donnell, M Mulholland, K Hall, S Hare, N Swann, A McAvoy, J Speirs (c), T Brady, J Hanlon, M Laverty, R Gault

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Northend United 4 Newry City 1 on penalties Friday 22nd July 2011

Northend U14s kicked off their semi-final Rose Bowl match against Newry City the stronger team. Some good play from Jamie Speirs and Niall Swann were winning the midfield battle and Keith Hall and Stephen Hare were creating all sorts of problems for the Newry defence.

From a Thomas Brady pass, Keith Hall raced clear of the Newry defence for a one on one with the keeper but the keeper forced him wide and he shot went into the side netting.

Northend kept battling at this stage and Thomas Brady was next to go close when his shot went narrowly past the post. In constant Northend pressure, Stephen Hare was next to go close but his shot was blocked by a last ditch tackle from a Newry defender.

Northend continued to attack the remainder of the first half but could not find a way past the Newry defence. The score remained 0-0 at half time.

The second half started with Northend again on the attack but the Newry defence stood firm. As the half worn on, Newry came more into the game but found Ross Swan, Benny O'Neill, Anthony McAvoy and Jonny Hanlon giving nothing away in the Northend defence.

Northend had one more chance to take the lead before the end of the game when Keith Hall again broke away from the Newry defence and his resultant cross caused havoc in the Newry six yard box but Ryan Gault was unable to capitalise on the chance. Play flowed from end to end for the rest of the game without anyone looking like getting the all important goal and the match headed towards penalties to decide who goes through to the Rose Bowl Final.

Northend scored their first four penalties with Jamie Speirs, Niall Swann, Benny O'Neill and Ross Swan all successful. Richard Sloan in the Northend net had the unfancied task of saving the Newry penalties. They scored the first and missed the next two to send Northend into the Rose Bowl Final, much to the pleasure of the Northend players.

Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, N Shannon, D Bradley, B O'Neill, R Walsh, A O'Donnell, M Mulholland, K Hall, S Hare, N Swann, A McAvoy, J Speirs (c), T Brady, J Hanlon, M Laverty, R Gault

Northend United 0 St. Oliver Plunketts 1 Thursday 21st July 2011

The Northend Blues entertained St. Oliver Plunketts, the Elite National League Cup Winners, in their final group game of the Foyle Cup.

Fresh from their 8-0 drubbing of Derry City Colts the previous day, a full-strength Plunketts team started the match much the sharper and put the Blues defence under pressure almost immediately. The Blues defence of Jonny Hanlon, Anthony McAvoy, Benny O'Neill and Ross Swan, soaked up the early pressure with Speirs and Swann full of running in the midfield.

In the eighth minute, the Plunketts striker found space just inside the Northend box and his shot was goal bound until Richard Sloan, in the Northend nets, pulled off one of the saves of the Foyle Cup, when he somehow managed to get his fingertips to the ball to push it over the crossbar.

This save proved the turning point of the match and gave Northend the confidence to go and play some entertaining football. Matthew Mulholland and Ryan Gault were working hard up and down the flanks and Keith Hall and Stephen Hare gave the Plunketts defence no time on the ball.

However towards the end of the first half, Northend conceded a free kick twenty yards out. The Plunkett's striker smashed the kick into the top corner of the Blues net, giving Richard Sloan no chance in the Northend net. The score remained 1-0 to half-time.

After a change in tactics at half time, Thomas Brady and Michael Laverty came on for Gault and Mulholland.. Plunkett's continued to attack Northend down the flanks but they found Laverty and Brady a match for their overlapping full backs.

Again the Northend defence soaked up whatever Plunketts threw at them with Benny O'Neill and Ross Swan in impressive form. Richard Sloan who was having an inspired game, dealt comfortably with the Plunketts shots.

Northend gradually came more into the game and Keith Hall had a rasping shot go narrowly wide before Northend won a free kick on the edge of the Plunkett's penalty box. Jamie Speirs stepped up and rolled the ball to Niall Swann, whose shot looked goal bound until the full-back got his toe to it to clear the danger.

Ryan Walsh replaced Hare as Northend went looking for the equaliser but with time running out Northend couldn't find a way past the Plunkett's defence and the score finished 1-0 to St Oliver Plunketts.

This was a much better team performance than the Ballinamallard game when the Boys know they didn't do themselves justice they deserve.

Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, N Shannon, D Bradley, B O'Neill, R Walsh, A O'Donnell, M Mulholland, K Hall, S Hare, N Swann, A McAvoy, J Speirs (c), T Brady, J Hanlon, M Laverty, R Gault

Northend United 3 Ballinamallard 6 Wednesday 20th July 2011

Northend U14s got off to a slow start in this game and found themselves a goal down after five minutes, when a long range shot beat the Northend keeper, Richard Sloan.

Two minutes later Northend levelled the score when a superb Ryan Gault through ball found Keith Hall and he ran on to lob the ball over the advancing Ballinamallard keeper to level the score at 1-1.

The Mallards regained their lead on ten minutes when a ring wing cross was headed home at the Northend front post by their big striker.

As the game flowed from end to end, Northend drew level again when that man Keith Hall was again on hand to beat the defence and the keeper with a low hard drive.

Just as it looked like Northend were coming back into the game, the Mallards again took the lead when some poor Northend tackling couldn't prevent the Mallards striker from blasting home from the edge of the box.

Northend introduced substitute Jamie Speirs to bolster their midfield after twenty minutes but he could do nothing to prevent a through ball finding the Ballinamallard striker who coolly beat Sloan in nets to give the Mallards a 4-2 advantage.

In a poor end to the first half, Northend conceded a fifth goal when a cross to the back post found an unmarked striker who easily stroked the ball home, leaving the half time score 5-2 to Ballinamallard.

Northend came out the more determined team in the second half but a bazaar linesman's decision awarded the Mallards a goal from a free kick, when the ball was clearly volleyed to safety before it crossed the line, to leave the score 6-2.

This was the queue for the Northend fight back and following some good play in midfield between Swann, Mulholland and Speirs, Matthew Mulholland's through ball found Keith Hall in space in the penalty box and he coolly beat the keeper to score his second hat-trick in as many games.

It was all Northend for the remainder of the second half and from a Keith Hall cross, Ryan Gault should have scored another goal but the ball squirmed away from him inside the box.

As Northend pilled on the pressure, a goal line skirmish saw Northend shot the ball past the goalpost when it seemed easier to score.

Ryan Gault was then unlucky not to score, when again from a Matthew Mulholland through ball, he found himself with only the keeper to beat but he somehow pulled the ball just wide of the post.

In a final flurry, Hall again outpaced the Mallards defence and his shot hit the side netting, before the referee blew the final whistle of the game.

The Boys gave everything in the second half and know the score didn't reflect the closeness of the game.

Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, N Shannon, D Bradley, B O'Neill, R Walsh, A O'Donnell, M Mulholland, K Hall, N Swann, A McAvoy, J Speirs (c), T Brady, J Hanlon, M Laverty, R Gault

Northend United 4 Derry City Colts 1 Tuesday 19th July 2011

Northend U14s got off to a flying start in their first game in this year's Foyle Cup, beating Derry City Colts 4-1. Right from the kick-off Northend started in determined mood and went close with a Niall Swann shot. At the other end, Derry City found Brendan O'Neill and Ross Swan marshalling their defence superbly, dealing with whatever Derry could throw at them.

Thomas Brady and Jonny Hanlon were getting forward at every opportunity, causing the Derry wide men to be hemmed back into their own half. Northend opened the scoring on eight minutes when Matthew Mulholland went on a jinxing run and from an excellent cross, Keith Hall was on hand to stroke the ball home to give Northend a 1-0 advantage.

The Northend Blues were playing some excellent football at this stage, dominating the midfield with Jamie Speirs and Niall Swann forming a strong pairing. Northend increased their lead on twelve minutes when the ball broke to Jamie Speirs on the edge of the box, he gave the keeper no hope with a well struck shot which flew into the net.

Northend should have gone on and capitalised on their early superiority but they allowed Derry back into the game and they stretched the Northend defence and midfield for the remainder of the half but the half-time score remained 2-0 to the Northend Blues.

Derry City started off the second half the strongest and the pulled a goal back when a free kick into the Northend box wasn't dealt with and the Derry City striker beat Richard Sloan in the Northend nets to leave the score 2-1.

This was the wake-up call Northend needed and Speirs, Swann, Mulholland and McAvoy again got the upper hand in midfield. From a Niall Swann through ball, Keith Hall left wing run and shot forced the keeper into a good save.

But it was all Northend now and Matthew Mulholland again won the ball in midfield and released a superb through ball to Keith Hall who gave the defenders and keeper no chance with a well placed shot into the corner of the net to restore Northend's two goal advantage and leave the score at 3-1.

Northend were playing some good football at this stage and Keith Hall went on to score his hat-trick when he picked the ball up on the half-way line, turned and left two defenders for dead before coolly drawing the keeper out and rounding him to give the Blues a 4-1 lead.

Ryan Gault was putting in a lot of running up front for Northend and when he won the ball, he released Keith Hall again, who this time he did all the hard work but somehow show narrowly wide.

Ryan Walsh and David Bradley were introduced to give Northend fresh legs but the Blues saw out the rest of the game with a good 4-1 win in their opening match.

Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, N Shannon, D Bradley, B O'Neill, R Walsh, A O'Donnell, M Mulholland, K Hall, S Hare, N Swann, A McAvoy, J Speirs (c), T Brady, J Hanlon, M Laverty, R Gault