Local football round-up

Under-17 League minus Irish League teams

The Lisburn Junior Invitational League under-17 section has normally contained a few Irish League teams but they are absent for the new season.

Teams like Cliftonville, Glentoran and Linfield appear to be turning their attention to the nine-a-side under-11 and under-12 sections, but will the oldest age-group really miss them.

The section was dominated by Lisburn Distillery Youth last term and they bring their under-16s, who were also top of their class, up the year, hoping again to be top dog.

Hillsborough Boys showed the teams lower down the scale can compete at this level. They did last season but are unlikely to repeat their performances this time.

Banbridge, Bloomfield, Camlough, Carrick, Dromara, Lower Maze, Lurgan, Willowbank and Windmill are also in this division from the 16s of last year and Knockbreda are the only new boys.

The under-16 section also contains most of last season’s teams from the younger age group, but there are a few new entries.

Downpatrick, Midway, North Belfast, Newry and North End are all new names added to a competitive division from last year.

Lisburn Youth dominated the under-14s last season and they will be in the 15s hunt this time with Mallusk, Newry, North End and Barcroft the teams making their debut this time.

Hillsborough Boys and Shankill juniors were the two teams to beat in the 13s last season and only time will tell if the addition of Armagh, Bloomfield, Downpatrick, Portadown and North End can make any difference.

Warrenpoint, Chimney Corner and Lisburn Rangers are new under-13 entries, but again they will have to be capable of beating a strong Lisburn Youth team.

The 11s and 12s are, of course, nine-a-side and will be playing in the League with nothing at stake, which seems a shame to me, but several people disagree with my opinion, though many agree. The powers that be are the final decision makers, though.

Hillsborough Boys

Newly promoted Hillsborough Boys Senior team got off to a flying start in only their second season together beating Donacloney 4-2 in the Mid Ulster Marshal Cup.

After a successful pre season the team travelled to Donacloney on Saturday feeling confident although the loss of young Andrew Kirkpatrick due to injury was a disappointment to the whole squad.

Manager Ali McComb in his first full season in charge set the boys out from the start to make a statement and the first 15 minutes was a delight to watch with Hillsborough enjoying a majority of the possession. Hillsborough passed the ball well but just seemed to lack sharpness up top and with a swirling wind were struggling to get in behind Donacloney.

With 30 minutes gone a defensive error gifted the Donacloney striker a one on one with the young Hillsborough keeper and Captain Dominic Herron, which he took well to put Donacloney one up at the break.

Hillsborough came out after the break on fire and within five minutes Nail Dorman slotted home to bring the visitors level.

With a new found confidence the Hillsborough strikers were running the Donacloney defence ragged. Yasser En Personne controlled the Hillsborough midfield superbly providing an outlet for the defence.

With 60 minutes gone Dorman who could not be controlled by the Donacloney defence was brought down just inside the area and Brian Kennedy duly stepped up to slot the penalty home putting Hillsborough 2-1 up.

Hillsborough were then caught napping and Donacloney levelled the score with a great header from a corner but not once did the heads go down.

The Hillsborough defence were then tested for a 10 minute spell when Donacloney seemed to be getting back into the game and looked to be pressing hard for the win but they showed great resolve to keep Donacloney out.

Man of the match Dorman grabbed his second with a terrific effort from what seemed an impossible angle on the byline into the top far corner to leave Donacloney with no choice but to throw three up front.

Again the Hillsborough defence were tested. With Donacloney pressing hard, Hillsborough cleared the ball on the 90th minute from a Donacloney corner and a pressing Kurty Mcgaughy forced the keeper into a mistake to take the ball off him and slot home the winner.

All in all manager McComb had to be happy with the performance with Hillsborough for long periods playing some lovely football although not giving much away he did say “there was more positives than negatives to take from today”.

Hillsborough Seniors would like to thank the supporters who come to watch home and away their support is greatly appreciated.

Wesley Football Club

Wesley Football Club has not folded

Wesley Football Club would like to let everyone know that the club has not folded and is still going strong.

The club are on the lookout for new players, players who want to play for an amateur league club.

Any player looking a fresh challenge, you will be made very welcome at the club, even if you have signed for another club, the club can sort out a transfer.

Wesley FC train every Tuesday and Thursday at 6.45pm in Wallace Park Lisburn. Anyone interested please get in touch on 07840369307.

Blues’ Bus

1st Lisburn Blues supporters club will be running a bus from their Sackville Street clubrooms tomorrow (Saturday) for Linfield’s match at Institute. The clubrooms open at 12.00pm, the bus leaves at 12.45pm. Non members welcome.

Ballymacash Rangers

Unbeaten run ends for Ballymacash

Ballymacash Rangers travelled to play Camlough Rovers in the Premier Cup last Saturday and not only did they lose their 100% winning start to the current season, but also their ‘unbeaten run’ in all competitions, which had stretched back to the first week in December 2013.

Camlough had dumped Rangers out at the semi-final stage the previous season and the Lisburn team will be bitterly disappointed with the 2-0 scoreline the home-side secured, especially after Ballymacash’s opening two away performances and results.

Ballymacash didn’t really get going at all in a scrappy first-half, except for on the odd occasion when the midfield of Orr, Gibney, K. Campbell and Clarke played the ball on the ground with a few quick passes.

It was only then that they were able to get the ball into the final attacking third of the field, but they then seemed to run out of ideas or striker Magee lacked the support that was required.

At the other end, Rangers’ keeper J. Campbell, had nothing much to contend with apart from one or two counter-attacks or long free-kicks into the box which were dealt with quite comfortably by the keeper and the back four of Falloon, Boyd, Hanna and Cairns.

Rangers did strike the post midway through the 1st half when a fee-kick was played back to Hull, who hit a great first time shot, the ball bouncing off the inside of the post before being hacked clear by the home defence. Score half-time 0-0.

The second half started in the same scrappy fashion as the first-half had played, with neither team playing much football and it seemed that one mistake would determine the result of the game.

That mistake came with 60 minutes played. The home-side being awarded an innocuous free-kick someway out and a high ball played into the 6-yard box of the Rangers defence, where a totally unmarked player headed the ball into the net past the helpless Campbell.

Worse was to come for Ballymacash when they found themselves two goals down 10 minutes later.

Again this goal could and should have been avoided with Rangers players not tracking their runners as a Camlough midfielder found a lot of space to send a fine shot into the corner of the Ballymacash goal.

Rangers sent on their three subs of Adams, J.Campbell and debutant G.Maher and changed to a total attacking formation to try to give themselves a glimmer of hope to get back into the game and for the final 10 minutes, they battered the Camlough goal only to find the home goalkeeper in fine form as he denied Rangers with some tremendous saves.

Adams, K.Campbell and Hanna were all denied goals time after time by the goalkeeper with Rangers day being compounded when they were awarded a penalty, only for Orr to see his spot-kick rebound off the crossbar and away to safety.

Ballymacash will be hoping to put this defeat firmly behind them and get back to winning ways next Saturday, when they welcome Dromara Village to Rushmore Park in the 1st round of the Irish Cup, with a 1.30pm kick off. All support welcome.

Wee Whites

Lisburn Distillery Academy news

Distillery U-11’s latest pre-season friendly was a match up with old foes St. Oliver Plunkett.

It’s anyone’s guess what’s going to happen when the two sides meet as no pattern has ever emerged with first the Whites getting a good result, only for the next encounter seeing the West Belfast boys gaining the upper hand.

Saturday saw the latter scenario with Plunkett playing some excellent football and pretty much dominating from start to finish. The first half saw the Whites concede a few goals without really threatening their opponents goal.

The second half was slightly better when the boys at last started to show a bit of urgency, create a few chances and get a goal back through the hard working Jack Bonar.

A day to forget for the U-11’s when not even the excuse of having to deal with off-sides for the first time or a few missing players can be used as an excuse, their application will have to much better this week where they find themselves in a difficult group at the annual Mallusk Tournament.

Development Day

IFA host football festival

1,400 boys and girls and 131 teams are set to take part in the NIBFA National Games Development Day at the City of Belfast Playing Fields, Mallusk on Saturday (23 August).

The day is being supported by the Irish FA with over 30 staff members from the Football Development Department involved in the event.

The festival has been running now for nine years, starting out with just a few volunteers supervising the children participating between the ages of 8-11 years. The event helps young players to engage and socialise with one another, whilst encouraging a passion for the game.

The NIBFA had the vision that this format of football would send out a positive message of playing and learning in a relaxed and fun environment with no winners, as each child receives the same participation medal. This event in turn laid the foundations for the Irish FA’s Small-Sided Games Strategy.

The support of Irish FA staff has enabled this event to grow in terms of participation and organisation and it is a credit to the professional approach of the staff that those goals of playing in a fun, safe and inclusive environment are achieved.

This year, the festival will have both boys and girls participating together. For the children involved, this community event is a fun-filled day to experience a healthy football for all sporting activity, encouraging new friendships in a valuable social opportunity. Year on year, the children grow with the tournament igniting a keen interest in participating in the sport for the future.

A special thanks to Belfast City Council and the grounds staff for providing the excellent facility at the City of Belfast Playing Fields, Mallusk, probably the only venue in Northern Ireland capable of hosting an event of this size; and for their continued support of the NIBFA which has lasted 38 years.

In addition, the NIBFA has signed an agreement with their Sports Partner Legea who will provide all the footballs for the day.

Irish FA Chief Executive, Patrick Nelson said: “This event is the largest organised by the NIBFA and the Irish FA’s Football Development Department. The festival day promotes the Association’s Small-Sided Games Strategy as the best way to develop our young players and we look forward to a fun filled day with teams from all over the country coming together and sharing their passion for football.”

Year on year, the event becomes fully booked. Any teams who are interested in participating next year should visit www.nibfa.org from early June 2015, as demand for the limited spaces is extremely high.