Saturday 4th October – Lisburn Invitational Junior Shield under 14’s Round 1
Downpatrick FC 5 v’s Hillsborough Boys 2
Downpatrick went into this round 1 Shield match without their top scorer Eoin Rooney due to illness but they eventually progressed to the second round with a superb second half performance. The first half was a battle for the young Downpatrick team who were playing against a strong wind.
Downpatrick’s cause wasn’t helped when they were forced to make two changes in their defence in the opening 15 minutes when Caolain Logue and Tom Fitzsimmons were replaced by Ryan Cassidy and Adam Jervis due to injury. Both players came in and contributed to the team performance but special mention must go to Tom Smyth who marshalled and organised the back line superbly for the whole game.
Midway through the half Hillsborough went in front after a brilliant cross wasn’t dealt with and the Hillsborough striker nipped in before keeper Shane Campbell to put his side in front. Both teams had chances to score before half-time but neither set of strikers could find the killer touch.
Half Time: Downpatrick FC 0 v’s Hillsborough Boys 1
With the wind at their backs in the second half Downpatrick came out with a lot more determination and started to get their passing game going, especially Brandon Boyd and Corey McCoubrey in midfield and it wasn’t long before they were back on level terms. Downpatrick broke down the left with a quick interchange between Kyle McKeever and Declan Looney, Looney crossed the ball for the oncoming Ruairi Quinn to tap the ball home.
The same combination created and scored Downpatrick’s second goal of the game, Quinn and Looney played a one two on the edge of the box and Ruairi Quinn showed great composure to shoot past the Hillsborough keeper. Downpatrick’s third was scored by Philip Doran who tapped in a Ruairi Quinn cross at the back post, Doran had just come on for the tiring Michael McStay who had worked hard up front on his own.
Having already set up two goals for his team Declan Looney decided it was time to get in on the act himself when he won the ball on the edge of the Hillsborough box and a quick glance up he spotted the keeper of his line and he sent a delightful chip over the keepers head for a great finish.
Downpatrick’s fifth goal was the goal of the game and came from midfielder Kian Tierney, he won the ball in midfield and advanced forward to thirty yards from goal before sending an unstoppable shot into the net off the crossbar to complete Downpatrick’s scoring for the game. Hillsborough scored a consolation goal with minutes remaining to see the game finish 5 – 2 to Downpatrick.