Match report Boys U14 v Friends Tuesday 19 March 2015 Ferris Cup Semi Final
Friends 2 v Sullivan 4
Sullivan U14’s travelled to friends on Thursday for their Ferris cup semi-final. We had done well to get this far coming through a tough draw with Banbridge in the first round who we dispatched 4-3 thanks to a hatrick from Matthew McRoberts who has since been sidelined ever since with a bad injury and the winner with the last touch from Matthew Willis. We then faced the tough task of an away trip to Cookstown but once we put the early nerves to rest we comfortably but nervously finished the match with a 4-1 victory with goals from Daniel Girvin, Paddy Crookshanks, Matthew Morris and Harry Morris seeing us into the semi-final. We now had the final in sight but first had to get past a good Friends side whom we had played twice already this season with both score lines a 2-1 win for home team in each instance. We started off on the back foot and seemed to be affected by the cup exits of the U15’s and U13’s earlier in the week both of which had players from our under 14 team playing on them. We conceded an early short corner which to their credit Friends dispatched well. This goal seemed to be our rallying call and we soon began to bombard the friends defence applying lots of pressure which would eventually lead to our first short corner of the match. We used our signature “NO. 3” short corner and it paid off with Matthew Morris’s shot being deflected across goal by Matthew Willis for the equaliser. We kept on applying pressure with Matthew Willis and Paddy Crookshanks having shots saved. We then went in for half time with the score locked at one a piece and after a team talk from Jason and Ozzy we lined out for the second half and immediately began to apply pressure to the Friends defence from as soon as the half started. The pressure soon payed off and Harry Morris finished off a swift counter attack with a sublime reverse stick shot across the face of the goal. After this we lost Stefan to a sudden bout of illness and brought Isaac on at left back who to his credit did very well, soon after this we seemed to start to play within ourselves and Friends applied some pressure which rewarded them with their equaliser. This equaliser added the extra hunger needed to win the match. And our desire to win soon brought us a goal from Daniel Girvin which was brilliantly taken on the half volley by the U13 player who showed composure above his age to convert the difficult chance. Friends spurred on by this goal continued to attack with commitment but to no avail and we soon won a short corner after a well-worked counter attack which Harry Morris then converted after a rebound with a “scuffed” reverse stick shot into the top right corner. The final whistle then sounded and we ecstatically celebrated our success. A brilliant performance by all and a thoroughly deserved win. We just need to push on and win the final and bring the trophy back to Sullivan for the second year in a row. Thanks to all who supported us and to our coaches. Bring on Methody!!!
Matthew Willis (Yr10)