Under-13s prove Northend’s star performers once again

Northend Coaches at the Kenny Shiels coaching masterclass held in Ballymena at the weekend.

There were also wins for Joe Kidd’s U11s who beat Hillsborough Colts, while the U12s were unlucky not to get at least a share of the points against Crumlin.

The U14s and U15s lost their matches against Windmill and Downpatrick

The younger teams all had a free weekend with only the U12s playing in the North West league against Ballymoney Athletic. It was a top performance from Brian Martin’s boys as they ran out 9-1 winners.

Joe Kidd's guests at the Northend United table quiz.

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Northend United 4, Hillsborough Colts 3: The Ballymena boys started brightly and the goal eventually came with some nice play from Ben O’Neill who crossed and O’Broin laid the ball off to McKeown for a neat finish into the corner to make it 1-0.

Bristow and Billy Bell combined well in midfield to spread the ball wide to O’Neill who crossed for McKeown to get to the ball first and lift the ball over the keeper to double the lead.

Late in the first half Hillsborough got a free kick just outside the box. Their striker curled a beautiful free-kick towards the top corner which McClean got his fingertips to but it came back off the bar into the path of the onrushing Hillsborough forwards to leave an easy finish.

Northend United secretary, Pamela McKeown and friends at the table quiz.

Early in the second half as Northend were pushing forward, Hillsborough caught them on the break as their striker raced clear to smash his shot off the bar and down over the goal line to leave it all square.

The third goal came in the 15th minute as O’Neill slipped the ball to McKeown. His first effort was well saved but he brilliantly followed up to send the rebound into the roof of the net.

Soon afterwards Ben O’Neill found space before working the ball onto his left foot to unleash an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner before Hillsborough pulled another goal back.

Northend: G McClean, R Campbell, B Adams, Z Erwin, B O’Neill, S Bristow, S O’Broin, J McKeown, B Bell, K Wakefield, L Turner.

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Crumlin 1, Northend United 0: The decisive moment came with five minutes remaining a long up filed ball broke in behind the Northend defence and a Crumlin player nipped ahead of the onrushing keeper to poke the ball into the net.

Northend: S McDowell, O Campbell, K Cosgrove, D Magill, K Cosgrove, T Mitchell, K Barr, L Hector, P Bristow, C McMurray and David McKay.

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Northend Youth 9, Ballymoney Athletic 1: The scoreline was opened in the first five minutes, when a fantastic run by Gabriel Farias was laid on to super striker Caolan Lennon and he connected perfectly to find the back of the net.

The second goal came quickly when Niall Devine won the ball in the midfield to perfectly lay it on to well positioned Caolan Lennon. Sam Crawford got the next goal and Ciaran Martin scored Northend’s fourth goal and only minutes later the fifth was scored when Niall Devine made a good run and pass to on form Sam Crawford. Caolan Lennon got his hat-trick before the end of the first half.

The second half Ballymoney fielded an extra two players, as allowed in this league, with such a goal difference. Cal O’Brien pushed forward and scored the seventh goal, and Niall Devine followed shortly after with the eighth. The last goal came from Cal O’Brien.

Northend: D Killough, C Lennon, C Martin, N Devine, S Crawford, C O’Brien, B Harkin, J Quigley, A Pescaru, K Dziadkowiec; G Farias

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Portadown Youth 1, Northend United 4: Northend found themselves a goal down early on against the run of play but Ciaran Campbell grabbed an equaliser after 14 minutes. But just before half time Campbell got his second with a fantastic shot to make it 2-1 at the break.

Campbell scored again in the second half when he beat three or four opponents and struck a sublime shot with his left foot into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

With only a few seconds remaining Ronan McKillop got his reward, as he made his way into the box coolly slotting the ball home.

Northend: A Campbell, J Morrow, H Wylie, J Montgomery, R McKillop, C Campbell, C Higgins, C McGaughey, C Richmond, J Casey, A Caulfield.

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Northend United 2, Windmill 6: Norhtend twice led in the first half through skipper Conor McDonald and Ryan Mark.

But fatigue and a number of costly lapses in concentration saw the opposition scored 4 second half goals.

Northend: J McCalmont, J Dallas, C Forsythe, R Dunlop, C Meeke, M Stewart, Ryan Mark, C Metrustry, R McMullan, J Coates, C McDonald