Downpatrick under 14’s reached the Shield Xmas Final in spectacular style, read below how the accomplished their victory.
Saturday 6th December – Lisburn Invitational Junior League Shield Semi-Final under 14’s
Downpatrick FC 10 v Warrenpoint Town Youth 2
For the second week running Downpatrick started the game slow, they had plenty of possession in the middle of the park but were taking the wrong options. Warrenpoint had hardly ventured into the Downpatrick half but on 15 minutes they played a long ball through the Downpatrick defence which they couldn’t deal with, the ball fell to the Warrenpoint striker and he got his shot away to score and make it 1 nil totally against the run of play.
This goal shocked Downpatrick into life and they started to get the ball down and play, after a few minutes Caolain Logue lifted a pass to release Eoin Rooney and he got onto the ball just outside the Warrenpoint area and slotted it past the onrushing keeper to make it 1-1. Downpatrick pressed again from the restart and won a corner, which Warrenpoint only cleared to Brandon Boyd who crossed to the far post for Tom Smyth to nod home and put Downpatrick in front for the first time in the game.
On 30 minutes Rooney broke through, but was taken down by the Warrenpoint keeper and he won a penalty that he converted himself to make it 3-1 to Downpatrick. Five minutes later Rooney again drove at the Warrenpoint defence, but this time he laid the ball out to Corey McCoubrey who was waiting on the edge of the box to lob the keeper. From the restart Warrenpoint attacked the Downpatrick goal but could only shoot wide of the target, from the resulting goal kick Warrenpoint won the ball and before Shane Campbell in the Downpatrick nets could get back into position the Warrenpoint striker had got his shot away for a very soft goal to concede just before halftime.
Half Time: Downpatrick FC 4 v Warrenpoint Town Youth 2
Downpatrick started the second half with a lot of drive and were on the hunt for more goals. On 40 minutes they won a corner that McCoubrey played to the edge of the box too Philip Doran who caught the ball sweetly on the volley to send a screamer to the back of the net. A few minutes later Rooney again was at it, this time he collected the ball from his midfield and drove at the Warrenpoint goal, he spotted the keeper of his line and shot from 25yds to make it 6-2.
Downpatrick were rampant at this stage and McCoubrey again was at the heart of it, he picked the ball up in midfield and ran at the Warrenpoint defence, he then played a square pass to Kian Tierney who shot from 30yds to make it 7-2. Michael McStay came on for Ruairi Quinn and had an immediate impact, as he scampered down the left wing he pulled the ball back for Rooney to make 8-2.
Downpatrick then won a corner and when Corey McCoubrey crossed the ball into the box it was headed down by the Warrenpoint defender it dropped to centre half Tom Fitzsimons, he turned and shot from 6yds to make it 9-2 and score his first goal of the season. Eoin Rooney wasn’t finished there as he picked the ball up on the right side of the box beat two defenders and powered the ball past the Warrenpoint keeper to make 10-2 and bring his tally for the day to 5 goals.
