Northend United Youth FC receive further IFA recognition
Elsewhere in the Lisburn League, the U15s and U16s didn’t fare as well when they fell to defeats against Carrick Rangers and Ridgeway Rovers respectively.
The U14s travelled to Belfast in the NIBFA Cup 1st Round where they recorded a good 5-0 win over Lenadoon side, St Oliver Plunketts Juniors.
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Hide AdIt was again the turn of the U10s to set the pace in the North West and Coleraine District League at they turned in a good win over Ballymoney Town but the under-11s were beaten by Roe Valley.
The U8s matches on Friday night were cancelled due to the poor weather conditions on Friday night, while the U9s continue to impress all watching at the new IFA sponsored competition held at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Saturday morning.
Finally, the Football Development Centre continued on Friday night at the Sentry Hill Sports Hall.
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★Saturday saw both Northend U9 teams play matches in the IFA Tournament at the Ballymena Showgrounds. Now with 8 teams involved with teams from Wellington Rec, Ballymena, Coaching for Christ, Carniny and Larne Youth.
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Hide AdAs always it was an enjoyable morning with some great passing, goals and matches. Special mention to Pearse McAuley who was rewarded for his efforts by Wes Gregg from the IFA.
Northend United: C Hendron, P McAuley, J Mark, C Reid, C Burnside, C McKeown and O Maka.
Northend Youth: S McDermott, P Mitchell, PP Donegan, E Pirie, D Higgins, D Patterson, K McAllister, D Kowalski.
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Northend United 9, Ballymoney Town 0: Northend took an early lead through defensive midfielder Shea O’Broin, who lashed in a wicked left footed effort from range and within two minutes Northend had doubled their lead with an almost identical strike.
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Hide AdTwo quick fire goals by top scorer Jay McKeown, the second a delightful flick finish after good work by Zack Erwin, preceded a third wonderful strike by O’Broin.
With only two minutes remaining to half time Ballymoney were defending doggedly but could do nothing to stop O’Broin’s thunderous fourth goal of the match.
There was still time for Jay McKeown to wrap up his hat trick with a precise rebound finish after a smart stop by the Ballymoney custodian.
With an almost insurmountable half time lead Northend rung the changes and while the pace of the match had slowed down there was still some great passing on display and it wasn’t long before Zack Erwin was on the score sheet for the second consecutive week with a close range finish.
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Hide AdA sensational run up the wing by fullback Ryan Campbell was rewarded as second half substitute Tyler Boyd lost his marker to score the final goal of the game. MOM - Shea O’Broin.
Northend: PJ McDonnell, R Campbell, B O’Neill, S O’Broin, E Mitchell, Z Erwin, J McKeown, C McAvoy, T Boyd.
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Northend United 1, Roe Valley 3: It was against the run of play that Roe Valley went ahead with a well taken corner and fantastic shot which left it impossible for Darragh Killough to save.
It wasn’t long before Northend hit back following a great long pass from Coire Mellon to Niall Devine who confidently put the ball away.
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Hide AdThe second half was like a different Northend team. Although they still had plenty of shots on target they did not play the way they can and were punished by Roe Valley who scored twice more. MOM - Niall Devine.
Northend: D Killough; C Mellon; C Martin; C O’Brien; S Crawford; K Dziadkowiec; C Lennon; B Harkin; S Byrne; N Devine
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Carrick Rangers 0, Northend United 4: Northend threatened to score from the first whistle but it took until the twentieth minute before Charlie Metrustry finally broke the deadlock when he coolly placed the ball past the advancing Carrick keeper into the bottom corner of the Carrick net.
It was the same player who got the second when he arrived at the back post to volley into the roof of the Carrick goal just before halftime.
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Hide AdNorthend added a third goal when Charlie Metrustry linked up with Oisin Connolly from a corner allowing Connolly to smash his shot into the far top corner of the Carrick net.
Conor McDonald scored the goal of the game, Northend’s fourth, when he volleyed his shot from twenty five yards into the Carrick goal giving the keeper no chance. MOM - Matthew Stewart
Northend: J Givens, M Stewart, J Coates, R Mark, J Kirkpatrick, R McKillop, O Connelly, R Gamble, C Metrustry, P Ferris, C Meeke, H Wylie, R Boomer, C McDonald
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St Oliver Plunketts Juniors 0, Northend United 5: On paper this looked like a tricky away cup tie in Belfast but Northend, in the end, easily negotiated their way into the second round of the NIBFA Cup.
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Hide AdNorthend took the lead 20 minutes into the first half when Robert Iovu rose highest at the far post to head home Ryan Lorimer’s superb right wing cross.
Northend should have added to their tally in the first half, their best effort a free kick from Tom Patchett which bounced off the crossbar and wide. Half time score 0-1
Northend went 0-2 ahead 15 minutes into the second half through a Robert Iovu penalty. Tom Patchett scored Northend’s third after beating two men then firing low into the corner. Conor McGarry made it four following in to knock home Conall Gordon’s rebounded shot.
Patchett made it 0-5 with the best goal of the game, chipping the keeper with the outside of his left foot. MOM - Tom Patchett
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Hide AdNorthend: C Brennan, R Jones, S Lecky, T McAuley, J Brady, R Iovu (c), M Willighan, R McCluney, C McGarry, R Lorimer, T Patchett, C Gordon, N Craig, C Fullerton.
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Carrick Rangers 5, Northend United 1: Carrick Rangers took the lead after ten minutes when Josh Mark reacted to save a good shot but as the ball spun away from him, the Carrick striker reacted quicker than the Northend defence to score.
Gradually Northend clawed their way back into this game and having won a free-kick 25 yards out, up stepped Kuba Babuszewski to fire an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the Carrick net, to level the score at 1-1.
Carrick regained the lead before half-time and then clinched victory with three more goals in the second half at Northend paid the price for switching off. MOM - Josh Mark.
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Hide AdNorthend: J Mark, J Penny, B Millar, J Stevenson, K Babuszewski, A Shaw, B McGarvey, S Hutchinson, J Adams, M Kirk, A Campbell, E McLaughlin, G Macartney, J Wharry
UNDER-16
Ridgeway Rovers 4, Northend United 2: Northend paid the price for some defensive lapses as they trailed 3-1 at the interval with Jamie Houston’s goal the most positive moment of the half.
Twelve minutes into the half, Northend pulled a goal back when following a Robbie Dennison free-kick; Bradley Cairns controlled the ball and shot past the Ridgeway goalkeeper.
However the first half defensive problems came back to finish off the Northend fight-back when the Ridgeway striker easily shrugged off two half hearted tackles and ran on to smash the ball past McFall from a tight angle.
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Hide AdNorthend: B Cairns, J Dawson, J Galbraith, C Cunningham, R Dennison, T Campbell (c), C Graham, L McAllister, O Boyle, J Houston, Z Herbison, M Waide, S Olliver, A Milligan, L McFall, C Neilly, M Mucka.
FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Northend United’s Football Development Centre continues on Friday 28th November at the Sentry Hill Sports Hall. The FDC is open to all boys and girls aged 4 to 8 inclusive who are unconnected with any other Club and takes from 6.00pm to 7.30pm.
For more information, or to reserve your child a place on the course, please call John Devlin on 07919056834. Application forms can also be printed off the Northend website www.northendunitedyouthfc.co.uk
CLUB EXCELLENCE MARK
Northend Club officials were delighted this week to receive the official presentation of their Club Excellence Mark Certificate on Monday night at the Ballymena Showgrounds, from Diarmuid O’Carroll, IFA Club Development Officer and Wes Gregg, IFA Grassroots Officer.
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Hide AdThe presentation was in recognition of being the first Club in Northern Ireland to be awarded with the prestigious Clubmark award through the IFA’s scheme which specialises in Effective Management, Quality Coaching and Competition and Safety in Sport.