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Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 131

U-14 v Bluestone
(7-a-side, Quarter Final)
29/03/2007

Knocknamuckley entered the knock-out stages of this years 7-a-side competition in the Quarter Final stages with only one defeat under their belts, which came in their last group stage game. Bluestone on the other hand had finished the group stage strongly after a poor start, and had won their play-off game in impressive fashion.

Muckley started as the stronger team for the first five to ten minutes. Andrew Poole having a volley on target, which just lacked the power to trouble the goalie. Pooley had another firmer strike at goal, which the keeper couldn't hold. Matthew Kimmins had followed in well but was unlucky when the lose ball bounced off the keeper and away from him.

Bluestone began to get a foothold in the game with their excellent central defender able to pick out some great passes, and their left winger really starting to pose problems. Muckley defended well during this period with Thomas Adamson coping well at right back, giving his all to get to the ball first.

Bluestone forced a number of corners and took the lead when a cross in from the right deceived Muckley keeper Chris Falloon and ended up in the back of the net from 1 yard out.

Knocknamuckley immediately upped the tempo and hit back within a few minutes. Poole took the ball down the right hand side, holding on to the ball before knocking over a perfect cross which floated over the keeper and dropped at the backpost to Kimmins who could hardly fail to miss with his head.

After pulling level Knocknamuckley went through a terrible passage of play which saw them fall behind and concede a further two goals within 5 minutes, leaving the game pretty much out of sight. The only piece of positive play from Knocknamuckley was when Thomas Adamson had a great diagonal run from right-back to the left wing, taking the play to Bluestone.

Half time 1st Knocknamuckley 1 v 4 Bluestone

Knocknamuckley really had to go for it in the second half, needing to pull back a 3 goal deficit in 20 minutes to prevent them being knocked out of the competition.

Muckley did manage to start the half brightly and were playing with a higher tempo and increased work-rate from the first half. Despite this Bluestone had really found their stride after the first half and were still managing to play some very accomplished football.

The game had become more balanced again with neither side really carving out any clear-cut chances. Bluestone's dangerous left winger was being dealt with expertly by Thomas Chambers, who had come on at right-back, “Jerry” was giving the Bluestone forward no space and putting in some very effective tackles.

Unfortunately Muckley weren't able to pull back the first goal that they desperately needed, and fell a further goal behind when Bluestone clinically finished off their first clear-cut chance of the half.

Knocknamuckley then managed to force a few corners, which unfortunately came to nothing.

Peter Stewart who came on for Falloon in nets had an excellent ten minutes in the Muckley goal. He came and confidently gathered the ball on a couple of crosses and later pulled off an incredible stop. A Bluestone forward fizzed a sweetly struck low cross across the face of the goal from the inside right. The ball was hit perfectly to pick out a Bluestone player who was coming in at the backpost for what would have been a certain tap-in. Somehow, with virtually no time to react, Stewart managed to get to the ground and shoot out an arm to palm the cross out of the way of the forward's path.

Bluestone did manage to put an extra gloss on the scoreline with minutes left to leave the score at 6-1.

In the end Bluestone were more than deserving of their place in the semi-finals and are probably the most all round accomplished team that Knocknamuckley have met in this year's tournament. Knocknamuckley have also improved on last year's effort, going one stage further, after being knocked out in the play-off last time round.

Full time 1st Knocknamuckley 1 v 6 Bluestone

Team- Falloon; T.Adamson, Lamont, Love; Wright, Poole; Kimmins. Chambers, Stewart, A.Milne.

Goal- Kimmins