Downpatrick FC 1 v’s Shankill Juniors 3
Downpatrick can take a lot of positives out of Saturday’s game but they will need to adjust quickly to the length of the game and the quality of the opposition in order to start winning some matches. Downpatrick started brightly with Brandon Boyd and Corey McCoubrey enjoying some possession in the midfield.
Downpatrick’s opening chance came on the 15 minute mark when some neat passing from the defence by Kyle McKeever into Boyd, he laid the ball off for his partner McCoubrey who played a delightful ball over the top of the Shankill defence for winger Declan Rooney to control and it a sweet left foot shot which looked in all the way but agonisingly cannoned off the crossbar and bounced away to safety.
The longer the game went on the stronger Shankill became and with only five minutes remaining in the 1st half they managed to break the deadlock. A long ball over the top was quickly brought under control by defender Tom Smyth but then he tried to take it round three players and was dispossessed and the Shankill striker gave keeper Shane Campbell no chance.
Half Time: Downpatrick FC 0 v’s Shankill Juniors 1
The second half started with Downpatrick enjoying a lot of possession but without finding that killer ball in the final third, Ruairi Quinn and Eoin Rooney were stopped a number of occasions by the Shankill defence. Shankill also had a number of chances in the opening exchanges but defenders Caolan Logue, Ryan Cassidy, Smyth and McKeever stood strong.
With the clock approaching the 50 minute mark the Downpatrick lads began to tire and Shankill took full advantage, their second goal came from a Downpatrick corner and a quick break with some neat play down the left and a low cross into the middle was finished well. Then five minutes later Downpatrick failed to mark tightly at a corner and the Shankill centre forward gave Campbell no chance with a bullet header.
Downpatrick made some changes and credit to them they didn’t give up, they also created a number of chances and should have been given a penalty after the Shankill defender blocked an Eoin Rooney shot wide with his left hand. With 65 minutes gone in the match Downpatrick were rewarded for their hard work. Substitute Philip Doran won a free kick and took it himself, his cross into the box was flicked on by Man of the Match Tom Smyth, and waiting to pounce was Eoin Rooney who gave the goal keeper no chance.
Next up for the 14’s is a match against Lurgan at the Barbour playing fields in Lisburn on Wednesday night, kick off is 6.30pm.
Full Time: Downpatrick FC 1 v’s Shankill Juniors 3
