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Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 127

U-18 B National 5-a-side
(Round 1)
22/11/2008

Knocknamuckley entered a second string 5-a-side team in the national competition for the first time, and they travelled to Dungannon to play on the indoor 3G astroturf pitch. This was all of the squads first tournament for an U18 5-a-side team and for James McMaster, Brooke Love, Joshua Black and Lawson McKitterick it was their first game for an U18 side in any format.

v 1st Ahorey

Knocknamuckley would be playing against first cjhoice teams, and theiy're first match was therefore greeted with some apprehnsion, however, from the kick-off Muckley kept the ball excently for at least a minute with some lovely passing football, some of whivch was very tight, and good on the eye. The game had very few early chances, but the first of hich fell to Ahorey, a 50-50 ball down the Ahorey left was won by the Ahorey player as Josh Black didn't reach the ball and he fired in a good shot for the opening goal. Muckley managed to carve out their first chance, but Black was unlucky to shoot wide. Ahorey began to apply some pressure and Graham Cowan was needed to make a super block to prevent a powerful shot, and James McMaster, playing his first game in goals in 5 years, was needed to make a good save. The Ahorey pressure eventually told when they scored with a move down the right, when the marking went missing. Joshua Black was dispossessed in his own half but the Ahorey striker shot wide when well placed. Ahorey put a gloss on the half time score with a further goal.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley B 0 v 3 1st Ahorey

Lawson McKitterick came on at half time and made an immediate impact, closing down players with energy, winning the ball and making good use of it. His effort was rewarded when he chased a through ball down the right, the ball looked too close to the wall to do anything with, but Lwason manged to wrap his foot around it and fired a low shot across goal into the bottom corner of the net. This brought Muckley back into it, and were making a good a shot of it, but a winding run out of defence, cut inside and scored to restore his sides three goal cushion. Muckley kept up the effort and a good through ball from McKitterick was just too far for Cowan who had burst forward from defence. Unfortunately the game was just too far in Ahorey's favour for Muckley to pull it back, and when an Ahorey shot slipped in at the near post, it was game over. Ahorey still had time to further stretch their lead, and they fired a curling shot into the top corner after Matthew Wright gave the ball away while trying to launch an attack. McMaster pulled off a good save at the death to avoid a bigger scoreline.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley B 1 v 6 1st Ahorey

v 58th Belfast

Knocknamuckley had to play their second game immediately after their first. 58th Belfast, who had won their first game, were the opponents. Lawson McKitterick continued where he left off in the first game, he ran down the left and passed inside to Matthew Lamont, who played a clever layoff to Brooke Love who shot over, in what was a lovely move. The next chance fell to Lawson who saw his shot go over the bar. Lawson made a lovely run down the left hand side, beating a couple of men, but was fouled before he could go any further. The free kick came to nothing. 58th Belfast had a free kick off their own in the Knocknamuckley half, but their shot on goal went narrowly wide. As half time approached 58th Belfast had a move down the right as the Muckley defence opened up, a pass inside created a shooting opportunity which was finished off with a clinical strike.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley B 0 v 1 58th Belfast

Knocknamuckley began the second half on top, ahving more of the possesion and really pressing to get back into the game, as Graham “Jimmy” Cowan remained solid at the back, snuffing out any chance of a Belfast attack. As Muckley pressed they were, rather fortuitously, awarded a penalty when one of the goalkeeper's feet strayed out of the box when rolling the ball out, despite numerous protests from the Belfast side. Cowan took on the captains role, picked up the ball, placed it on the spot, before burying a powerful strike past the goalkeeper for the equaliser. Muckley drawing level really sparked 58th Belfast into life, as they pressed James McMaster made a sharp save at his near post to keep his side level. A Belfast move which looked like ending up in a goal was brilliantly halted by a great tackle from Cowan. As the game drew to a close Belfast had one last effort on goal, from a very long way out, the shot was on target and despite swerving in the air McMaster was equal to it as his side earned their first point of the competition.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley B 1 v 1 58th Belfast

v 1st Ardstraw

In the final group game it transpired that even a 1-0 win would send Knocknamuckley B team into the next round of the National competition. Early on Ardstraw were the better side, having more possesion, but Muckley seemed equal to it and there looked to be a real possibilty of sneaking the one goal win which was needed. Hames McMaster made a good save with his feet, and soon after made another fine save with his hands. Ardstraw had a shot which just went narrowly wide, but with a quarter of the game gone Muckley were beginning to look comfortable. Unfortunately, a bit of terrible marking on Knocknamuckley's part led to the opening goal, and left them with a real uphill struggle. Te goal seemed to give Ardstraw more impetus, and Muckley began to look more tired as the likelyhood of qualifying looked less likely. Cowan made an excellent block from a free kick, but Ardstraw extended their lead soon after, and made it three just before halftime with a good finish into the top right hand corner of the Muckley goal.

Half Time: 1st Knocknamuckley B 0 v 3 1st Ardstraw

After a slow start to the second half ,it was Ardstraw who struck the first blow. A defender picked up the ball on the edge of his own box, and was allowed to run with the ball as the tired Muckley players failed to close him down quickly enough, he mazed his wasy from his own box to the edge of the Muckley penalty area and completed the run with a cool finish. The final goal was much easier as Knocknamuckley tried to push forward in search of a consolation goal, this allowed an Ardstraw player to be played in, clean through on goal, with the simple task of picking his spot. McMaster made a good save to keep the score at five, and Josh Black had two good strikes from distance blocked late on.

Full Time: 1st Knocknamuckley B 0 v 5 1st Ardstraw

58th Belfast and 1st Ardstraw progressed to the next stage at the expense of 1st Ahorey and 1st Knocknamuckley B. The Knocknamuckley side put in a good performance considering that they were pitted against sides who were first choice from other companies, and that they were missing a few players who would have been included in the B side. The whole squad played well, especially Lawson McKitterick had a fabulous tournament, despite suffering from a heavy cold, and sore throat, which meant that he occasionly needed a rest, and Graham Cowan was collosal at the back, making a number of good blocks and tackles as he snuffed out attack after attack.

Team- McMaster, Cowan, Wright, Lamont, Love, Black, McKitterick.