Cup finals to look forward to for Reds’ oldest and youngest sides

Ex Ballymena Youth Academy and Milk Cup coach, Jimmy Gilchrist guided the Under 16s to their first ever National League final when they beat Foyle Harps in the last four. Gilchrist took charge of the 16s at the start of this season and also have a trip to Premier League side Stoke City to look forward to next week.

Niall Greer’s Under 9 Youth team can also look forward to a final having dispatched Coleraine Academy to reach their final in the North West and Coleraine District Youth League. Their Amateur counterparts also booked a place in the Plate Final.

The Under10 amateurs suffered a rare defeat but the U10 youth won to see themselves into the Plate semi final.

The Under 11s had a good win against Coleraine also progressing to their plate semi final. Both the U13s and 14s had a stale mate against Cookstown and Glenavon respectively whilst the U12s won mid week at home to Ballymoney Utd YA but lost out to an impressive Linfield side in their National League Cup semi final.

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Carniny Youth 8, Coleraine Academy 3: An early throw in from Moody to Graham, let Graham play the ball back to Moody and his cross/shot looped in for an early lead.

A foul saw a Coleraine free kick punted into the box, which evaded everyone to go into the goal for the equaliser.

Moody had to come off injured and from the free kick Graham stepped up to fire the ball home from 30yards!

Academy forced a corner and from the clearance, Kennedy chased what seemed a lost cause to sneak in and fire home to make it 3-1. More good work from Graham saw him pass to Kennedy who turned his marker to score his second.

Then Greer was fouled and from the free kick, Magee fired home from long range. Neill lost the ball, but he didn’t give up and dispossessed the Coleraine defender to score and make it 6-1 at half time.

In the second half, it wasn’t long before a Graham cross wasn’t dealt with and Kennedy nipped in to get his hat trick! More good work for Neill put pressure on the defence who only cleared to Kennedy to get his fourth and make it 8-1 before Coleraine pulled two consolation goals back.

Carniny Youth: Magee, Kennedy (capt), Neill, Greer, Graham, Scott, Courtney, Moody, Hanna

Carniny Amateurs 1, Portrush 2: After a scoreless first half, Portrush made several changes at half time and this seemed to work in their favour as they scored early in the second half to take the lead.

Carniny kept to the task but found themselves two down when the Portrush midfielder shot from long range and the ball found the net.

Carniny replied when Joel Murray surged through the Portrush defence and a fantastic shot across the keeper hit the net like a rocket.

Carniny Amateurs: Strange, K McMullan, Francey, Wylie, Douglas, C McMullan, McGreevey, Murray, McQuillan, McKee

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Carniny Amateurs 5, Ballymoney Athletic 2: The deadlock was broken 8 mins in when Foster smashed a shot which was deflected in off the Ballymoney defender.

Carniny kept the pressure up with some slick passing between Kelly, Condron and Foster in midfield, which led to Fletcher’s low shot into the Ballymoney net.

In the second half, it wasn’t long before Foster got on the goal sheet rounding several Ballymoney players and driving the ball into the net. Three minutes later Foster got another and Foster completed his hat-trick within 8 mins of the restart with yet again some excellent solo play before Ballymoney scored twice in the closing minutes.

Carniny: Hanna, Dael, Hanna, Kelly, Foster, Condron, Fletcher, Clarke.

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Carniny Youth 3, Coleraine Alexandra 0: Carniny went in front when Matthew Gregg ghosted off the left wing to fire in low past the helpless keeper.

The second goal finally arrived when Ross Kerr finished after being neatly set up by Joel Telford to give Carniny a more than deserved cushion.

Carniny made 3 subs at half time, and within a minute of the restart made it 3-0, thanks to a lovely through ball from Jamie Reid to striker Taylor Adger who finished calmly.

Carniny: Friel, Johnston, C Kerr, McMullan, Pogue, McAuley, Telford, Gregg, R Kerr, Adger, Dennison, Reid

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Carniny 4, Ballymoney United YA 0: It was Lynn who started the scoring after a good cross from Graffin he side footed the ball into the net to make it 1-0.

Graffin got Carniny’s second after a great through ball by White to Graffin who just slipped the ball past the advancing keeper.

With Graffin’s confidence brimming he got Carniny’s third after beating a couple of defenders on the edge of the box he curled a shot into the far corner in off the post, while Lynn finished off the scoring with a simple tap in after a good cross from Moore.

Carniny: McNicholl, Young, Hamilton, Lamont, Robinson, White, Anderson, Hunter, Lynn, Graffin, Mearns, Currie, Moore, Scullion.

Carniny 2, Linfield 4: This National League CUp semi-final got off to a surprise start when Hamilton drove his shot from 25 yards that just went out of reach of the Linfield keeper.

Linfield got the equaliser with a stroke of luck when a cross come shot managed to loop over McNicholl in goal to make it 1-1.

Straight from the centre Anderson put the ball through to Lynn who on the turn hit the ball on the half volley into the roof of the net within seconds to make it 2-1 Carniny but Linfield levelled from the penalty spot before the interval.

With just 14 minutes to go Linfield got their noses in front with a great one touch passing move and good finish to make it 3-2.

Unfortunately with only a few minutes left McNicholl spilled a shot and left an easy finish for the Linfield striker.

Carniny: McNicholl, Young, Lamont, Robinson, Hamilton, White, Hunter, Scullion, Moore, Mearns, Graffin, Anderson, Lynn, Currie.

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Carniny Youth 2, Cookstown Youth 2: It was Carniny who opened the scoring Courtney making space to curl his shot into the corner of the net.

Cookstown scored twice at the start of the second half but Carniny equalised when Dane Archer found Conor Stewart who squared to Joshua Courtney who made no mistake with a powerful finish.

Carniny; Parker, Campbell, Close, Clyde, Fleming, Winter, Kirk, Archer, Logan, Stewart, Courtney, Gordon, Ervine.

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Carniny 1, Glenavon 1: Carniny struck first early on when David Leetch played a through ball for Bailie Young from the halfway line and the ball ended up in the back of the net with the Glenavon keeper mis kicking but late on a defensive mistake let Glenavon in to equalise.

Carniny: O’Brien, Houston, Henderson, Downey, Leetch, Young, Marshall, Scullion, Lemon, McDonnell, Little, Daly

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Carniny 2, Foyle Harps 1: Foyle started the better and within five minutes were awarded a penalty from which they scored.

Carniny equalised when Matthew Shevlin beat two defenders on the left before crossing for Tyrone Balmer to score.

Carniny scored the winner in the second half when Shevlin cut in from the right and hit a superb shot high into the net.

Carniny: Travis McWilliams, James Price, Simon Evans, Owen McCartney, Alex Platt, Thomas Johnston, Jamie Killough, Adam Rowe, Krystian Jaworski, Matthew Shevlin, Tyrone Balmer, Rhys O’Mullan, Janusz Wojtowicz, Macauley Bishop, Adam Mairs.