Shield joy for Northend Blues

Keith Hall weighed in with a brace of goals and Jamie Speirs added the other in a tense final match.

This was a memorable first for a team from Ballymena to take on and beat a top youth football academy side from Canada.

The Ballymena Boys had a super week, playing teams from as far afield as Canada and Scotland and winning two games, drawing two games and losing one game.

Performance of the week was a great team effort against Glentoran which should have seen the Blues take all three points had it not been for a good goalkeeping display from the Glens keeper.

Many good footballing contacts were made throughout the week, including an invitation from St Johnstone from the Scottish Premier League for a friendly match next season.

Northend United Youth would like to thank the many parents and spectators who made the long journey each day to cheer on the boys.

Northend United Youth will be fielding seven competitive football teams this incoming season ranging from U9 to U16 and are always on the lookout for new players. So if you think you could be the next star of the Foyle Cup why not come to pre-season training and give it a go?

SPONSORSHIP

Northend’s 1997s would like to thank the Spar on the Doury Road, Ballymena for sponsoring their kit for this year’s Foyle Cup Tournament and Elite National League.

In addition, they would also like to thank Etherson Travel for assisting with the transport for the week of the Foyle Cup, and also Connolly’s Bar and Co-Op Dunvale with sponsorship for the Foyle Cup.

FOYLE CUP REVIEW

Glentoran 0, Northend 0: This match saw the winners of the Lisburn Youth League come up against the winners of the Belfast and East Antrim Youth League in the 2011/12 season.

The biggest talking point came in the second half when a Glentoran player went down in the penalty area, with the Ballymena boys feeling the player was guilty of simulation.

Much to the dismay of the large Northend support, the referee awarded a penalty – however, justice was done when the Glens striker fired the ball over the bar from the resultant spot kick.

Northend piled on the pressure and in probably the best chance of the game, Keith Hall raced clear of the Glens defence with only the keeper to beat but unfortunately the keeper pulled off a great save to maintain the scoreless deadlock.

St Johnstone 5, Northend 0: This glamour match saw a Northend team missing their midfield general Niall Swann, due to injury, come up against Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone, featuring a number of players who have already been included in their first team panel.

On an excellent surface at Greysteel, the Perth side proved too strong for the Ballymena opponents and were three goals up by the interval, before adding two more after the break.

Northend’s best chance of the game fell to Jamie Speirs when after some persistent dribbling; his shot narrowly shaved the top of the crossbar with the keeper well beaten.

This was a hard lesson learned by the Northend Blues against a super St. Johnstone side who by their own admission were playing at the top of their game and who made enquiries about some of the Northend players after the match. Some good contacts were made with the Scottish team’s Head of Youth Development.

Best for Northend on the day were Jamie Speirs, Jonny Hanlon, Bryan Etherson and Connell Lemon.

Oxford United Stars 2, Northend 2: Northend fell behind when a poor attempted clearance by Anthony McAvoy was intercepted by an Oxford striker and his resultant shot gave Ross Swan, in the Blues nets, no chance.

Defending into a strong wind in the first half, the Northend defence soaked up the early Oxford pressure but as Oxford attacked the Northend defence a speculative shot from all of 25 yards found its way into the back of the Northend nets assisted by the strong wind.

Northend didn’t drop their heads and the ball was picked up by Jamie Speirs who jinked his way past three Oxford defenders before blasting the ball past the Oxford keeper to reduce the score to 2-1.

In the second half, Ryan Gault came on for Northend and immediately made his presence felt as from his throw in, Jamie Speirs crossed the ball into the Oxford danger area and Lee Scroggie got the all important touch to score for the Blues and leave the score level at 2-2.

With ten minutes of the match remaining, Northend went all out looking for a winner that would see them finish second in the group behind St Johnstone and from a cross into the Oxford goal mouth Keith Hall rose above everybody and powered a header goalward only to see it cannon off the crossbar and get cleared to safety.

Enniskillen Town United 1 Northend United 5 (Shield Semi-Final): Northend turned in a tired performance in this match but still managed to win 5-1 in this Foyle Cup Shield Semi-Final match.

The Blues started strongly and after five minutes a good run and cross from Stevie Hare found its way into the Enniskillen net to leave the score 1-0.

It was all Northend at this stage and from a Jamie Speirs free-kick the ball struck the upright and was cleared to safety.

Northend increased their lead midway through the half when from a ball into the Enniskillen box, Keith Hall headed the ball past the their keeper.

Northend again started the second half on top and after ten minutes Keith Hall scored his second goal of the match when he headed the ball past the keeper from a Jamie Speirs cross, leaving the score 3-0.

Enniskillen pulled a goal back when a goalkeeping error allowed their striker the simple task of scoring into an empty net to leave the score 3-1.

Northend further increased their lead when Jamie Speirs ran at the Enniskillen defence and was pulled down in their penalty box. The same player stepped up and placed the ball wide of the keeper and into the net, to give the Blues a 4-1 lead.

Niall Swann was in the thick of the action at this stage of the game and from a Jamie Speirs corner kick he headed the ball past the Enniskillen keeper to leave the score 5-1.

ANB Soccer, Canada 1, Northend 3 (Shield Final): Played in front of a large number of parents and supporters, Northend had the great honour of playing a Canadian team, ANB Soccer from Toronto, in the Final of the Foyle Cup Shield Competition.

Northend found it hard in the early stages coming to grips with the different style of football played by the North Americans; however gradually Northend came more into the game and Jamie Speirs went on a trademark run at the ANB defence and this resulted in him being hauled down to give the Blues a penalty. The same player stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake.

However ANB didn’t give up and in one of the best moves of the game, they scored with a shot from all off 25 yards after some excellent build up play.

After five minutes of the second half, Connell Lemon who was now playing with Swann and Speirs in a more central midfield role, lifted the ball over the ANB defence and released Keith Hall, who ran on and slid the ball past the ANB keeper to give the Boys from Ballymena a 2-1 lead.

ANB almost equalised when their striker ran on to a throughball but a combination of Bryan Etherson and Ross Swan saved the day for the Blues.

After twenty minutes of the half, Keith Hall who was having his best game of the tournament ran on to another throughball, and raced clear of the ANB defence and coolly slid the ball past the keeper to give the Blues an unassailable 3-1 lead.

Foyle Cup Panel: R Sloan, R Swan, T Brady, C Lemon, N Swann, J Speirs, S Hare, B O’Neill, A McAvoy, K Hall, B Etherson, M Laverty, J Hanlon, L Scroggie, M Carberry, R Gault

PRE-SEASON COMMENCES

All the Northend United Youth teams are now back in pre-season training which commenced last night (Monday).

The 2001s, 2002s, 2003s and 2004s are training each Monday night 6-7.30pm at Showgrounds Pitch 3.

The 2000s and 1999s are training each Monday night 7-8.30pm at Eaton Park and the 1997s are training each Monday night 7.30-9pm at Showgrounds Pitch 3

With a number of additions already to each of the teams, all at Northend are looking forward to a super season. If you feel you would like to play in any of the Northend teams and would like to come to training, then please get in contact with the following Team Managers.

Training will be supervised at all times by IFA qualified coaches and everyone will be made to feel most welcome.

Mark Lecky (U10 Manager 2003) Mob: 07792887435; John Devlin (U11 Manager 2002) Mob: 07919056834; Paul Lecky (U12 Manager 2001) Mob: 07725031574; Johnny Sayers (U13 Manager 2000) Mob: 07563854345; Mark Herbison (U14 Manager 1999) Mob: 07850669727; Glenn Speirs (U16 Manager 1997) Mob: 07799895213.

SUMMER SKILLS FESTIVAL

Northend United are holding their Summer Football Skills Festival for 5 to 14 year olds, from Monday 6th August to Friday 10th August at the Ballymena Showgrounds from 7.00pm to 8.30pm each night.

Places are being booked up quickly and if you wish your child to be involved, please get in contact with Johnny Sayers on 07563854345. Application Forms can also be downloaded from Northend’s webpage on www.northendunitedyouthfc.co.uk.

Competitively priced at £15 for the week’s activities with a reduction for additional family members and is open to boys and girls, the fun and games will be supervised by Northend’s IFA Qualified Coaches for the duration of the week.