U14s smash Shankill to maintain challenge

The tone was set straight from kick-off when Lisburn strung at least 20 passes together back and forth across the back three of Lee Bailie, Thomas McComb and Harry Wilson. They moved it into the midfield of Rhys Kelly, Kyle Patton and Caoimhin McConell and then on up to Ross Hull, who laid it back for Kelly to release Caoimhin McConnell down the left.

He carried the ball into the box and chipped the keeper with a delightful finish into the far top corner.

It was a fantastic team goal finished off brilliantly by the magical McConnell.

It wasn’t long before Lisburn were two up when Ross Hull was fouled in the area. Hull himself took the penalty and put it in the bottom corner.

Lorcan McIlroy brilliantly smashed in the third following more good play from Hull, whose shot was saved by the keeper but McIlroy was on hand to hammer it on on the half volley.

McIlroy got his second from a McConnell corner when he rose unchallenged at the far post to head in.

Moments later another McConnell corner this time from the right was headed in by Kyle Patton.

Ross Hull got another with a tidy finish and McIlroy grabbed a first half hat-trick when he pounced on a spilled ball to punish Greenisland further.

The first-half was always going to be a hard act to follow but Lisburn continued to dominate possession and were only let down by their final ball.

Conaill Murray was well found through the middle by Cory Mann to get on the scoresheet and Conall Smyth twisted and turned his way into the box before finishing across the keeper into the far corner.

There are five games left to play starting with Donegal Celtic at Ballymacoss tomorrow morning followed by Carrick in the cup semi-final on Wednesday.