Northend United Youth sides in mid-week action

Pride of place again goes to Northend’s U10 team, who in their best team display of the season, secured a place in the BEAYIL Shield Final with a 8-7 win in a penalty shoot out after the game and extra time ended all square at 1-1 with Whitehead Eagles.

The U12 team continues to go from strength to strength with a resounding 5-1 victory over Barn United, but the U13 team failed in their quest for a Shield final when they were defeated by Castleview Swifts 3-0.

UNDER-10

Northend 1, Whitehead Eagles 1 (aet, Northend won 8-7 on pens): Northend came through this final round-robin game by the narrowest of margins to set up a Shield final meeting with Barn.

After some cracking football by both sides in the opening minutes, Northend began to dominate and got their reward for this period of attacking play when Jamie Stevenson threaded a through ball and Cory Little was away, and he made no mistake, calmly side footing home past the onrushing 'keeper.

In the second half, despite creating some good openings, they were unable to capitalise on their superiority, and with ten minutes left, Whitehead sprung a counter attack, producing a corner, from which their midfielder arrived late at the back post to steer the ball home and make 1-1.

Extra time failed to produce a winner and so it went to penalties.

Whitehead took early advantage with some clinical penalties, and needing only to score their fifth for the victory, they put it wide and sudden death loomed.

When it looked like it could go on all night, Aaron Montgomery saved the 10th Whitehead penalty, and it was all down to Aidan Graffin, who struck clinically into the corner of the net to seal a most dramatic victory 8-7 on penalties, after a cracking game.

MOM: James O'Loughlin and Aaron Montgomery.

Northend: Aaron Montgomery, Tarlagh MaCrory, Aaron Campbell, Alex O'Boyle, Scott Sempey, James O'Loughlin, Jamie Stevenson, Shea O'Brien, Matthew Erwin, Matthew Downey, Cory Little, Eoin McNally, Taylor Kernohan, Aidan Graffin, Jamie Wray.

UNDER-13

Northend 0, Castleview Swifts 3: Northend, with one eye on the Scotland trip, didn't do themselves justice in this BEAYIL Shield defeat.

Play was bogged down in midfield for the first twenty five minutes of the game with one side attacking after the other.

However a Castleview break down their Right wing found the Northend left back out of position and from the resultant cross Castleview took the lead.

Northend heads began to drop and Castleview went on to score a second goal just before half time to leave the score 2-0 in their favour.

Northend came out for the second half looking to score an early goal but Castleview always looked the hungrier and they added a third goal midway through the second half.

MOM: Niall Swann and Michael Laverty

Northend: Niall Shannon, Jordan Donnelly, Caolan Tierney, Michael Laverty, Niall Swann, Jamie Speirs, Ryan Gault, Dylan Hamill, Matthew Mulholland, Jaime Brown, Stefan McLees, Brendan O’Mullan, Connall Kerr.

MINI SOCCER ACADEMY

With the McDonald’s League starting this Saturday, April 17, at Ballymena Showgrounds, Northend United Youth Development Officer John Devlin will be fielding teams in each of the age groups.

Parents are asked to keep monitoring Northend’s webpage www.northendunitedyouthfc.co.uk for regular updates on this event.

For more information, please contact John Devlin, on 0791 905 6834.