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Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 131

U-18 National 5-a-side
(Round 1)
21/11/2008

Knocknamuckley began the National 5-a-side competition on Friday night in Newry. The draw had pitted them against 3rd Kilkeel, 1st Ballyclare, 1st Broughshane and 1st Charlemont in a strong group. After last years 3rd place finish Muckley were keen to do well in this competition, but would face stiff competition tonight against four traditionally strong companies, with this group of players playing their first tournament as a unit.

v 3rd Kilkeel

The first game saw Muckley take on the hosts. With group stages it is always important to get off to a good start, to avoid playing catch up in your final games. Both teams had chances to take the lead as Stephen Russell had a shot saved, and a mix up at the back involving Simon Grey nearly allowed Kilkeel an easy opener. It was however Kilkeel who took the lead with a deflected shot. Kilkeel had an other effort on goal which Matthew Kimmons, who was playing his first game in nets for Muckley, had to be alert to make a save. A Russell pass allowed Gregg Harrison an opportunity to shoot but the Kilkeel keeper made a good close range save. Kilkeel nearly had a lucky second goal, when some confusion between Kimmons and Grey led to Grey's back pass rebounding off the post. Muckley soon drew back on level terms when a Harrison pass picked out Russell who had found space down the middle, and the striker made no mistake in beating the keeper. Knocknamuckley tried to build a bit of momentum and Harrison had two shots well saved in quick succession. Russell was soon called into action at the other end, making a good block, but Kilkeel regained the lead soon after. Just before half time, Kilkeel luck continued as another deflected effort deceived the keeper who just hadn't time to readjust to the flight of the ball.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 1 v 3 3rd Kilkeel

In the first half Knocknamuckley had looked poor in places, finding it difficult to carve out chances, and lacking a bit of movement, which made the two goal advantage which Kilkeel held look even more unassailable. The first few minutes of the half went by without much incident, as Muckley seemed to still lack that cutting edge. Half way through he half Muckley gave them selves a lifeline when a Simon Grey pass from a free kick found Harrison, who's goal dragged Muckley back into the reckoning. Soon after some great pressure from Harrison and Nathan McConnell, who was having an impressive game, resulted in Muckley winning the ball back near goal, and Adam McKeown calmly finished it off to draw the sides level. The comeback was complete when Grey picked up the ball in his own half, ghosted into the opposition half and from the left calmly placed the ball in the far corner from distance, curling past his outstretched arm. Kilkeel narrowly missed out on an equaliser, and Andrew Poole had a chance to wrap the game up. After this Knocknamuckley closed out the game with no more drama, for a very important and equally as impressive win.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 4 v 3 3rd Kilkeel

v 1st Charlemont

Local rivals Charlemont were next up for Knocknamuckley. Two weeks ago Charlemont had finished as runners-up in the Portadown battalion 5-a-side, but it was all Muckley in the early part of this game. Simon Grey had a shot saved and Stephen Russell had a chance which was blocked at the last second by a defender. Grey was alert at the other end of the pitch when he blocked a powerful shot, but Knocknamuckley were soon on the attack again. The Charlemont keeper made a series of saves to deny Gregg Harrison and Nathan McConnell. McConnell played a nice ball to Russell on the edge of the box, but his shot was blocked by the goalie, and the goalkeeper denied Russell again soon after at the near post. This pressure finally paid off when McConnell had the presence of mind to play the ball off the back wall finding Russell who scored with a cool finish. McConnell then stretched the lead when he squeezed the ball home from wide on the left when there appeared to be no angle, following a shot from Grey. Gregg Harrison gave Muckley a cushion going into half time with a driven shot from the right.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 3 v 0 1st Charlemont

Fewer chances were carved out at the start of the second half as the two sides cancelled each other out. Unfortunately it was a mistake which led to the first goal of the half as the Charlemont goalkeeper rolled the ball straight to Russell who tucked it away for his second of the game. Matthew Kimmons made a good save to to his left to maintain his clean sheet, and Adam McKeown had a shot which flew wide as Muckley closed the game out.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 4 v 0 1st Charlemont

v 1st Ballyclare

The only two sides with unbeaten records, having won two from two, came up against each other in this clash. Knocknamuckley had the first chance when Andrew Poole was unable to turn a rebound of the wall home. After this it was Ballyclare who began to take control. Matthew Kimmons saved with his feet at the near post when the Ballyclare player broke down the left and tried to angle his shot into the far corner, but Kimmons had taken up a good position and made the save. There was nothing he could do next when a Ballyclare player found room to shoot, again down the left, and made no mistake. Before Knocknamuckley had time to re-group Ballyclare hit a second blow when they again scored with a shot from the left hand side. The deficit was reduced soon as Pooley showed some great control before playing a pass left for Gregg Harrison who hit the back of the net. Knocknamuckley drew level, Stephen Russell was in possession down the right, and he again played a pass left for Harrison who made sure the teams were level at the break.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 2 v 2 1st Ballyclare

This was a well balanced and entertaining game, and it was Muckley who got of to the better start in the second half. Harrison picked the ball up at the back on the left, and ran beating one man, continued to run along the wall, beating another and then fired through the goalkeepers legs for his hat-trick and to give his side the lead. The Ballyclare goalkeeper pulled off a double save to keep his team in touch, when he saved from Harrison and then amazingly saved a shot from Russell when it looked destined for the net. Unfortunately, after working so hard after going 2-0 down Knocknamuckley allowed a bit of sloppy defending to gift Ballyclare an equaliser. Things went from bad to worse when a Ballyclare player went through one on one with the keeper, but Kimmons came out and blocked the shot on the edge of his area. Gregg Harrison intercepted a pass in the Ballyclare half, shimmied past a defender and rifled his shot past the goalkeeper to cap a great individual performance, and more importantly put Muckley in front. There was nearly one last twist as Ballyclare had an effort on goal which required a diving save from Kimmons to complete his best performance in the number one jersey. This end to end game finally finished, with the win confirming Knockamuckley's place in the draw for the next round.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 4 v 3 1st Ballyclare

v 1st Broughshane

In the final game of the group a draw would confirm Knocknamuckley as group leaders while Broughshane were still in search of points to pip Ballyclare to the second qualifying position. Andrew Poole and Adam McKeown combined early on but were unable to get a shot away. A lovely waited through ball from Poole led to a shot from Gregg Harrison, but the shot was saved well at the near post. McKeown also had a shot saved, as Simon Grey made a crucial block at the back. A brilliant bit of pressure by McKeown, as Broughshane tried to play the ball out of defence led to a chance and a goal for Harrison to give Muckley the lead. Matthew Kimmons was called upon to make a save when the Broughshane player bared down on goal, one on one. Harrison weighted a pass nicely for Pooley who had his shot saved, before Kimmons was called upon in another one on one situation, where he produced an even better save to keep Broughshane at bay. This was followed by one of the best goals of the night.Harrison got possession on the right hand side, stood and swivelled as Pooley made a run, cut inside looping round Harrison, received a flicked pass from his captain, and finished the move with a calm finish. Broughshane did manage to pull goal back before half time helped by a blunder from Kimmons. The young keeper dived to block a tame shot which some how managed to squirm under his body, ruining his clean sheet which he had already made a few fine saves to maintain.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 2 v 1 1st Broughshane

At half time the side was lightly reshuffled, as Simon Grey occupied the centre forwards position rather than his more familiar central defensive position, and within a matter of seconds of the kick-off Simon got on the ball and scored with a clinical finish. Broughshane pulled a goal back through a bit of good fortune, a substitution was made and as the substitute ran onto the pitch received a pass before Muckley had time to mark him, and he made the most of his good fortune by scoring his teams second. Simy Grey was unlucky not to get his second of the game forcing the keeper into a flying save. Broughshane, who were still fighting to progress from the group pulled the scores level with a goal from the left hand side. Kimmons then produced a good save to keep the scores level. Russell scored to put Muckley back in front after the initial shot came off the inside of the post and rolled across the goal line, but was cut back for Russell to score. A gorgeous through ball from Pooley allowed Nathan McConnell to shoot, but his effort hit the side netting. However, the ball went through the side netting and rebounded off the wall and out to Stephen Russell on the edge, everybody stopped, but the referee waved play on and Russell tapped the ball into the net.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley 5 v 3 1st Broughshane

This was a fine performance from Knocknamuckley and meant they progressed to the next round with 12 points out of a possible 12, 1st Ballyclare being the other team to progress on 7 points. The whole team performed well and has a nice balance to it, particularly pleasing were the performances of Nathan McConnell who had an excellent tournament with his all round performance, and Matthew Kimmons who played his first game in nets for the BB, and did a fine job, producing some good saves at crucial points. Adam McKeown was also playing his first 5-a-side tournament and gave the squad a nice balance with his style of play, which will be crucial in further rounds.

Team- Kimmons, Grey, Russell, Harrison, Poole, McConnell, McKeown.