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Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 63

U-18 v Tartarahagn
(7-a-side, League Stage)
28/11/2006

Knocknamuckley had a tough encounter against Tartarahagn on Tuesday night. This was always going to be a difficult game, as Muckley were missing three important players. After last weeks big win against 2nd Lurgan, it was important that the U-18’s cut out the soft goals that they have been giving away, and give a more solid defensive performance.

After a scrappy opening few minutes the game began to settle down. During an attack from Tartarahagn, a free man was allowed to break from midfield and fire home from 8 yards out.

This left Knocknamuckley chasing the game early on, and really needing to begin to take control of the game, whilst making sure to try and solidify the defence from the midfield back.

Muckley managed to strike back through Matthew Madine. When a good move ended up with a ball into the box which Tartarahagn looked to have dealt with, the ball fell to Madine at the edge of the box which “Mongo” hit quickly, before the defence was able to close him down, for a good goal which pulled Muckley level.

Knocknamuckley pushed on from here, having seemed to have gained a bit of momentum. Not long after the equaliser Johnny Mawhinney carried the ball down the right and hit a well struck shot. As the keeper appeared to just have it covered, stand-in captain Andrew Irwin outstretched a leg to deflect the ball over the keeper and into the net for a 2-1 lead, and continue his record of scoring in each of his last four 7-a-side games.

After taking the lead, Knocknamuckley let the momentum which they had gained in this game slip, when Tartarahagn fought back to pull the scores level at the break.

Half time 1st Knocknamuckley 2 v 2 Tartarahagn

In such a tight match, the second half really could go anyway.

The first 10 minutes of the half were very tight, with neither team on top, or really creating any clear cut chances.

With neither team really creating chances, it took a speculative effort from Gareth Burns, from roughly the half way line to make the break through. From a long way out Burns had a pop at goal and the ball managed to fly over the goalkeeper’s head to put Knocknamuckley in charge at 3-2.

While going in search of an equaliser, Tartarahagn had a chance when a short attack led to a corner. The corner was played in, and in a scrappy bit of play the ball dropped in the middle of the box and fell to a Tartarahagn player first. The forward struck the ball very well, and only for excellent positional play by Seth Mathers, would have scored, as the ball bounced clear off Mathers’ leg.

After some Muckley pressure Tartarahagn knocked the ball up towards their attack. The pass turned out to be a more effective shot, as the ball was on target and left Mathers having to deal with an awkward bounce. Mathers spilled the ball to a Tartarahagn striker who had followed up the shot like all good strikers, and his run hadn’t been tracked, allowing him to tap home.

In the dying minutes of the game Knocknamuckley lost possession up the field. A Tartarahagn player was allowed to drift away from his marker down the left hand side towards the Knocknamuckley goal. One ball managed to put this forward in, unmarked at the back post where he was able to finish under no pressure for the winner in a see-saw battle.

Full time 1st Knocknamuckley 3 v 4 Tartarahagn

Team- Mathers, A.Calvert, Duprey, Madine, Mawhinney, Burns, A. Irwin; Jardine

Goal- Madine, A. Irwin, Burns