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Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 64

U-14 v 1st Lurgan
(7-a-side, Final)
19/04/2008

1st Lurgan and Knocknamuckley met in the final of the Lurgan BBOB 7-a-side competition. These two sides had met earlier in the season when Knocknamuckley came out on top. The match was played at Mourneview Park following Glenavon's Irish League match with Linfield.

This was the first time that Knocknamuckley had reached the final of the U-14 competition, now in its fifth year, and the third year that Muckley had entered.

The match got off to a slow start. The sides exchanged shots as a Lurgan volley dipped over, before Brooke Love played the ball out left, continued his run down the centre and was unlucky with a volley after he received a return pass.

Lurgan then gained the initiative. A long range shot whistled just past the post, and a good move saw a Lurgan attacker clean through on goal before a wonderful last ditch tackle for Chris Falloon.

Lurgan continued to have all the chances, as Peter Stewart cleared the ball after a pass over the top just in time. A later move saw a placed volley go wide of the Muckley goal. Great footwork from the Lurgan forward allowed him to get in a shot, which narrowly missed the top corner.

After absorbing this pressure, it was Muckley who could have nicked a goal just before half time when Love, who was having a great game in defence, had a long range effort blocked.

Half time 1st Knocknamuckley 0 v 0 1st Lurgan

Knocknamuckley started the second half much more brightly than they had finished the first and began to look much more dangerous going forward. Despite this it was a hoof out of defence that nearly gave Muckley the lead. The bounce was misjudged by the Lurgan keeper, who was forced to readjust to tip the ball over the bar.

Some good play from Falloon and Neill Adamson nearly created a good chance, but the run of the ball went against them. Down at the other end a fumble from Peter Stewart nearly saw the ball squirm in, however Peter recovered in time. In what was becoming an entertaining end-to-end game, Adamson had a great turn and shot, which was heading for the top corner, only for a fine save. Moments later a good through ball was played, again to Noker, unfortunately his first touch just letting him down.

Knocknamuckley thought that they had taken the lead mid way through the half. Muckley were awarded a free kick on the half way line, out to the right. Brooke Love took the free kick and floated it into the top right hand corner, only for the celebrations to be cut short, as the free kick had been indirect and was adjudged not to have been played during its flight.

As Lurgan began to get on the ball more, Brooke was inspirational as he cut out a number of attacks, winning the ball cleanly in the air and on the ground, one such intervention prevented a Lurgan opportunity brilliantly.

Despite the entertainment of the second half, it was a rather innocuous move which broke the deadlock, when the ball was bundled in from close range by the Lurgan attack.

This was a hammer blow to Knocknamuckley, but despite this they didn’t let their heads drop, and were soon back in the game after a flowing move involving Nathan McConnell and Chris Falloon finished with Neill Adamson stroking the ball home for a precious equaliser.

After working their way back into the game a few mistimed clearances allowed Lurgan back in, and they regained the lead with another scrappy goal. After all the hard work this was a bitter pill to swallow. Another last ditch tackle from Love prevented Lurgan from increasing their lead.

Lurgan had a header from a corner well held by Stewart, and a fumble later by Stewart was cleared by Thomas Chambers as Muckley ran out of ideas. A long range effort from Josh Black, was the closest that Knocknamuckley came to equalising in the dying moments. After a wonderful effort in the final, Muckley can count themselves as unlucky not to lift the trophy, but can be proud of their performance, especially in the second half, and throughout the season as a whole.

Full time 1st Knocknamuckley 1 v 2 1st Lurgan

Team- Stewart; Falloon, Black, Love; I.Irwin, McConnell; Uprichard: Chambers, N.Adamson.

Goal- N.Adamson.

Man of the Match- Love.

Match Report · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 64

Taken from the Lurgan Mail:

Both the under 14 and under 18 showpiece finals of the LBBOB NA Sports BB Soccer Sevens took place at Mourneview Parrk last Saturday after the Glenavon and Linfield match.

The under 14 final was sure to have a new winner from the two first time finalists, Knocknamuckley and 1st Lurgan, in what was expected to be a close encounter with Muckley edging the previous league encounter 4-3 and finishing just two places above 1st Lurgan as runners-up in the league stage.

Therefore, as expected, the match turned out to be a quite an even affair. 1st Lurgan dominated the play in the first half by playing some good football with Jordan Robinson impressing in attack. 1st Lurgan went close to scoring several times but just couldn't quite pass Muckley's rearguard and goalkeeper as the scores remained goalless at the break.

Muckley must have recieved a stern half-time team tal beacause they came out a much improved team after the break and in terms of their play became the better team in the second half. However, now against the run of play, it was 1st Lurgan who opened the scoring through a furtuitous own goal.

To their credit, Muckley kept pressing for an equaliser and in the late stages they thought that they had levelled from a free-kick, which hit the net, but Lurgan BBOB referee Steven Savage disallowed and made them retake on his whistle. This was only the beginning of the late drama as Muckley did soon score a deserved equaliser from a fine low drive by Neil Adamson.

The late drama then ended with 1st Lurgan soon restoring Lurgan's lead when they broke the length of the pitch and Kyle Robinson slotted home a decent low strike to secure a 2-1 victory and the silverwear for his team. 1st Lurgan captain Jordan Robinson was chosen as man of the match by referee Savage.

Knocknamuckley- Peter Stewart, Brooke Love, Josh Black, Ian Irwin, Nathan McConnell, John Uprichard, Thomas Chambers, Chris Falloon, Neil Adamson.

1st Lurgan- Matthew Thornbury, Jamie Hall, Stephen Watson, Ryan McCann, Kyle Robinson, Jordan Robinson, Matthew McCann, Ross Gardiner, Jordan Waring.