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Northend Colts 1 Bloomfield 2 Saturday 9th November 2024

An early kick off at Grove would see the Pizza Parlour sponsored colts face tough opposition in Bloomfield. A huge improvement in effort from the blues but they leave the pitch feeling very hard done by the score not reflecting the positive performance.

Bloomfield, a big strong physical side, put the pressure on Northend from the off. However Northend stood up and the back four of Maguire, O’Neill, Slattery and O’Hara were giving nothing at the back. The central three in midfield of McKay, Da Prato and Neeson, with the support of King wrestled control and it was a strong start from the blues as they began this tie on the front foot determined to win. Devlin got in behind early doors and fed Higgins who stumbled over the ball when in the clear to an early opportunity. Not long after Devlin was in again. This time he side stepped a few challenges and created an opening. Unfortunately his shot was straight down the barrel making a comfortable save for the keeper. Bloomfield resorted to long ball as they struggled under the intense press of Northend. Further pressure from Northend forced a corner with 10mins on the clock. Da Prato flighted the delivery perfectly in the mixer and it was met by O’Neill with a towering downward header into the far corner of the goal. Northend didn’t stop and a McKay effort was well held by the goal keeper shortly after. Then another corner was delivered. Again brilliant delivery from Da Prato whipping the ball in near post met again by O’Neill but this time his effort deflected wide of the post. Another corner. Delivery was again on point and met by an attacking header from King. The keeper pulled off a great reflex save when King was sure he had doubled the lead. Bloomfield fought hard but created little. They resorted to a few speculative efforts which didn’t trouble Hardy. However, with ten minutes of the first half O’Hara, under no pressure cleared his lines, to see the ball rebound off the back of O’Neill’s head and into the top corner. A freak OG which you can’t legislate for. Heads dropped and the young blues couldn’t fathom how they went in level at the break. Half Time 1-1

After half time momentum seemed to shift as Bloomfield grew in confidence with their fortune. They started to dominate the second half. Da Prato and Neeson were aggressive in midfield forcing them backwards and Dillon and O Hara gave nothing on the flanks. Defensively Northend were strong but they had no out and nothing was sticking up top meaning the ball kept coming back. There was limited press up top leaving free men to step into midfield and Northend were being overrun. Despite this Northend held the line and Hardy had only one comfortable save to make. Bloomfield started to get more physical as frustrations boiled over and the referee let a few rough challenges go. Then a wrestling match in the box saw O’Hara pulled off the ball and when he got back at his man, the Bloomfield forward fell to the ground under minimal contact. Referee awarded a very dubious penalty which should have been a Northend free. The penalty however was smashed into the top corner. With 15 to go the changes, were made, which we’re probably 10 overdue. Northend were back on the front foot. It started to boil over a bit as Bloomfield upped the physicality to protect their lead. The referee finally brandished a yellow for unsporting conduct giving a final warning to the Bloomfield number 7. Despite the warnings he came straight into another challenge late and high but the referee refused to send him off leaving the Bloomfield bench to take him straight off. O’Hara came close with a trademark free on the edge of the area but too close to the keeper. Northend were now at it, Higgins was found with a great run rightside and he smashed his shot into the top corner but the keeper pulled off a brilliant save to tip it over the cross bar. Another good delivery from Da Prato found the head of O’Neill but just wide. Bloomfield were panicked as the intensity of the match continued to spill over. Then a great ball in behind found Gordon in the clear but composure had gone as he slashed at the golden opportunity and just wide. The game ended in a very ugly way as Devlin was attacked on the sidelines as he tried to get the restart quickly. He was punched in the face and a crowd of Bloomfield players went for him as he tried to defend himself. Both benches invaded the pitch to split it up and both Devlin and the aggressor were sent off. It was a very disappointing way to finish a match with a very disappointing result, which really marred a brilliant performance for the most part against a strong team Full Time 1-2

A hard one to take for the boys but the coaches were delighted and proud of the boys with the positive performance and how they handled themselves. Northend's defence were resolute not giving one clear cut opening. Joe was highlighted as player of the match which exemplified the team as a whole. Never put a foot wrong and cleared his lines effectively time and again.

Player of the Match: Joe O’Hara

Panel: Lughan Hardy, Callum O’Neill, Liam Slattery, Ronan Maguire, Harry McKay, Corey King, Joshua Dillon, Paudie Martin, Joe O’Hara, Caleb Da Prato (c), Pearse Neeson, Oisin Gordon, Pearse Devlin, Dara Higgins and Kane McNeill

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Northend Colts 1 Comber Rec Colts 4 Saturday 2nd November 2024

The young Pizza Parlour colts faced difficult opponents today in Comber Rec on a pleasant morning at Mallusk. Northend were going to struggle at the back with all first choice centre halves missing. They were a bit soft at the centre today as a makeshift defence struggled to cope with a very good front line and in the end it was just too much for the blues.

Northend started on the back foot under pressure from the off from a strong physical well drilled Comber outfit. The pace down their left side was too much and within the first few minutes a crossed ball from the left wasn’t dealt with leaving an easy finish at the backpost. Northend were at sixes and sevens at the back and the pressure was relentless. However, eventually the defence adjusted to their new positions and they begun establishing a rear guard. Neeson alive to the danger down the left gave cover with his pace and Dillon was aggressively stepping out with O’Hara on the cover showing signs of growing into the game. Hardy was quick on the cover, looking assured and handling well. His strong kicking was reprieve as Northend found it hard to get up the pitch. Eventually, they began to see more ball in midfield and in turn the front two of Devlin and Higgins. The first real chance fell to Devlin who worked the chance himself. Beating a couple of men, he fashioned an opening but his shot was well held by the keeper. Comber got the ball forward quickly and nearly doubled the lead as a shot was fired across goal from the edge of the area. Hardy made a great diving save holding onto the ball strongly to prevent any further danger. However, the pressure continued and a mazy midfield Comber run from deep into Northend’s area without little press on the ball as the backline dropped. D. Higgins did well to track him but a little nudge from the wrong side resulted in a penalty which was smashed into the corner to double the advantage. To Northend’s credit they fought back hard and came close before the half end. Strong running from Higgins wide right saw him beat his man and smashed a banger at goal which deflected off the woodwork. Then Da Prato came close with a volley which was well saved. Half Time 0-2

The second half was a lot more even with King, Devlin and Da Prato starting to get a foothold. Gordon was torturing their defence rightside and a good slipped ball to MacNeill saw his shot just over the bar but positive signs. However, they got caught on the counter again down the left and didn’t clear their lines resulting in another tap in, a carbon copy of the first. 0-3. Northend kept battling and MacNeill was played in again, rushing at the chance and just over the bar. However, as Northend pushed forward they were getting caught on the counter and the pressure told again with a trip in the box as DillonCattempted to win the ball. Penalty. Hardy was sent the wrong way in another well taken finish. 0-4. To Northend’s credit heads didn’t drop. O’Hara stepped up for a free with just under ten to go and smashed a curling left footed strike around the big wall and into the top corner, keeper side. What a hit! This reignited the blues and they had a little purple patch of play, Higgins and King coming very close but again too little too late. Full Time 1-4

Well beaten on the day but heads held high for a good battling performance and ready to go again next week. Hardy gets the plaudits for a strong performance between the sticks. His decision making, handling and kicking was on point and very little he could do about the four goals. Lughan now beginning to show signs of consistency of performance.

Player of the Match: Lughan Hardy

Panel: Lughan Hardy, R0nan Maguire, Corey King, Callum Higgins, Noah Patenall, Joshua Dillon, Paudie Martin, Joseph O’Hara, Caleb Da Prato (c), Pearse Neeson, Oisin Gordon, Pearse Devlin, Dara Higgins and Kane McNeill.