News from the Park

Saturday 17th March - Belfast Telegraph Championship 2 - Chimney Corner v Moyola Park - Allen Park @ 3.00pm

Saturday 24th March - Belfast Telegraph Championship 2 - Moyola Park v Dundela - Mill Meadow @ 3.00pm

Moyola Park AFC are holding a Irish Stew & Dance night in the Mill Meadow on Saturday 17th March from 9.00pm to late. Admission is free and for more information contact Joanne Donnelly on 07779479366.

If you are holding a party and need a venue, why not consider the multi functional area at the Mill Meadow. This is available for parties for all ages. For more information contact Joanne Donnelly on 07779479366.

Moyola Park AFC will be holding a table quiz in the Mill Meadow on Saturday 24th March 2012 at 5.30pm. This quiz will take place after the Belfast Telegraph Championship 2 game against Dundela and all proceeds will go towards Stewart Lennox who injured his knee on New Year’s Eve. Please come along and support this worthy cause.

Zumba Classes take place every Thursday night in the Mill Meadow and run from 6.15pm to 7.15pm and the instructor is Deborah Logan.

We have taken group pictures of all teams throughout the club and they will all feature in our 2012 calendar with proceeds going to Charis.

The A3 full colour Calendar will cost £7.50 and will be available from committee members as well as from the Mill Meadow on training nights / match days and is also now available to purchase in Great Beef & Co, Main Street, Castledawson.

Block booking requests for training at Mill Meadow are now being taken. For information about the costs and times available contact Willie Jordan at 07759306634 or e-mail [email protected] 

Moyola Ladies, 15 years plus, have kicked off their new season with training taking place on Monday nights from 7– 8.15pm at the Mill Meadow. Anyone interested please come along and join us.

Also for the first year 11 – 14 year old girls also train Monday nights at the same time. This training is to facilitate the coaching and the development of football for young girls feeding through to Moyola Park Senior Ladies team, also competing in competitions. For further information contact Valerie Martin on 07754450988

Saturday 10th March - Ballymena & Provincial Crawford Cup - Ballyclare Comrades Reserves 6 Moyola Park Olympic 2

Results

Saturday 10th March – Mid Ulster Youth League – KO Cup - Moyola Park U15 8 Craigavon City U15 0

Moyola started confidently and five minutes in, a clearance downfield from Darragh found McElhatton. A teasing cross into the box from the right wing was turned into the net by an unfortunate Craigavon defender in his desperate attempt to clear the ball.

Moyola’s second came from Doyle who calmly and neatly headed in a Downey cross. Doyle could, and should, have had his second with Moyola’s next attack. He flicked on a pass to beat his marker and race into the box only to direct his shot straight in the keeper’s arms. The keepers clearance virtually came straight back into the Craigavon half and Darragh held off the challenge and calmly stroked the ball home.

Cassidy, in the Moyola goal, was a spectator for long periods but when called on was quick off his line to clear up any danger.

McElhatton was again the creator of another fantastic opportunity down Moyola’s right hand side, he beat the defender and his deep cross was meet by Doyle on the volley. The keeper blocked this and produced a fine save as Doyle shot a second time.

The second period had just started and the hard working Murray showed great control and half-volleyed a ball which dropped over his shoulder only for it to curl wide of the post. O’Kane replaced Murray and the fresh legs had an immediate impact on the pace of the game. He found himself on the end of a Doyle through-ball and cut in from the ring wing to send over an inch perfect pass to give McElhatton the easy job of stroking the ball home for number four.

Connery, playing in midfield, was continually thwarting everything that Craigavon tried to do in the middle of the park. O’Kane scored his second goal in two games as he slide his shot past the keeper from a Darragh cross. McGrogan had a great game playing alongside McAtamney, his ability of reading of the game saw him eliminate the Craigavon threat time after time.

Moyola’s sixth and O’Kane’s second came with ten minutes remaining on the clock. This time the midfielder ran onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and blasted past the goalkeeper into the corner. A ball lobbed over the Craigavon defence saw Darragh race through, straining every muscle to get a touch and poke the ball over the onrushing keeper but for the ball to land on the roof of the net.

McElhatton got his brace finding the net after striking a low cross from the left back into the far corner and O’Kane got his well deserved hatrick when Connery’s cross found him unmarked in the box and scoring with the last kick of the game.

Saturday 10th March - NWCDYL - Moyola Park U17 10 Donemana U17 1

The home side were strong from the start and Moyola were virtually camped in the visitors half for the first 10 minutes. Donemana composed themselves however and fought back well enough to give Conor Doherty in the home goal a couple of scares. For ten minutes it was difficult to tell which team was bottom of the table and which was top.

However, a good break down the right hand side saw the ball fall to Paudy Martin whose cross was met by Kyle Colgan who made no mistake with his finish. Moyola seemed to relax after this and Kyle McElhatton scored with a fine free kick.

A few moments later Nathan Swann collected the ball just left of mid-field and slipped past a Donemana defender. With a man free to each side of him he cleverly hoisted the ball over the entire defence for Kyle Colgan to race through and score his second and Moyola’s third goal.

In the second half Moyola asserted and constantly attacked the visitor’s goal. Rory Young added a fourth goal after five minutes and when he was brought down in the penalty area, Kyle Colgan scored the resulting penalty to complete his hat-trick.

Following a rare Donemana attack, Moyola ‘keeper Conor Doherty suffered an arm injury and as Moyola had used all their substitutes he had to swap positions with Paddy McElroy in defence. Such was Moyola’s dominance that Conor went on to add a further two goals of his own to the score sheet. Further goals from Paudy Martin, Barry Murphy and Aidan Keenan completed the rout with Moyola winning 10 – 1. This result keeps Moyola u 17s at the top of the league. A tough run-in awaits the young Moyola team but with a strong panel of players and continued commitment a league victory is still possible.

Moyola: Conor Doherty, Danny Devlin, Rory Young (Capt), Jonny Downey, Paudy Martin, Paddy McElroy, Nathan Swann, Paddy Young, Conor Taggart, Barry Murphy, Kyle Colgan, Aidan Keenan, Daniel McCormick, Kyle McElhatton.

Youth Teams

Under 17 Team (Players born on or after 01 January 1995) – Training takes place on a Wednesday night at the Mill Meadow from 8.00pm to 9.00pm and for more information contact Robin Martin on 07825068516. Under 15 Team (Players born on or after 01 January 1997) – Training takes place on a Wednesday night at the Mill Meadow from 8.00pm to 9.00pm and for more information contact David Evans on 07730529081.

Under 12 Development Squad (Players born in 2000) – Training takes place on a Wednesday night at the Mill Meadow from 7.00pm to 8.00pm and for more information contact Brian Taylor on 07565095523.

Under 11 Team (Players born in 2001) – Training takes place on a Wednesday night at the Mill Meadow from 7.00pm to 8.00pm and for more information contact Roy Clarke on 02879469300.

Under 10 Development Squad (Players born in 2002) – Training takes place on a Wednesday night at the Mill Meadow from 7.00pm to 8.00pm and for more information contact Brian Wilson on 07927069225.

The Football Development Centre takes place every Saturday at the Mill Meadow @ 10.30am. The cost per week is £2.00 which is excellent value for coaching by IFA qualified coaches and is open to all boys and girls from the age of 4 up to 11 and parents are asked to bring their children along by 10.15am in order to give sufficient time for registration and thus allow the coaching to commence at 10.30am sharp. All children must come to each session appropriately dressed for the weather and also must be wearing moulded/plastic football boots and shin-guards and also must bring a water bottle.

Also, each boy/ girl attending the centre this year will have to pay a £5 registration fee which must be paid within the first 5 weeks of attendance. A discount will be available for more than one child with a family paying a maximum of £10.

On paying the £5 registration you will receive a 10% discount card for Sportsworld, Rainey Street.

For more information contact Keith Quigley on 07912761911.

In conjunction with the Irish Football Association Moyola Park AFC are looking for girls aged 6–10 years to participate in a six week programme which commenced on Saturday 3rd March running alongside the Football Development Centre from 10.30 – 11.30 am.

Anyone who would be willing to coach with this programme or seeking information contact Valerie Martin on 07754450988.

Moyola Park AFC Football Development Centre celebrates its 10th year this having opened in early 2003. To mark this occasion a dinner is being held in the Mill Meadow on Saturday 31st March 2012 @ 8.00pm. The cost is £22.50 per person for a 4 course meal and there will be a guest speaker and music will follow. For further information or to book your ticket contact Robin Martin on 07825068516

The Lucky Numbers drawn for Saturday 10th March - 2, 14, 16 and 19 and the £50 consolation prize was won by Eileen McCracken.  The Jackpot Prize for Saturday 17th March stands at £5000. Tickets are available in the Social Club or from committee members and please note that the jackpot has now been capped at £5000.