Kilmore Rec Beat Grove Utd in SBFL Seventh Divisional League Cup Final
South Belfast Youth League Seventh Divisional Cup Tie,
Venue: Blanchflower Stadium, Monday 31st December 2023,
Final Score: Kilmore Rec U16s 4 2 Grove Utd U16s.
Kilmore Rec U16s faced Grove United U16s in the South Belfast Divisional League 7th Championship clash.
Grove started off on the right foot and put Kilmore under pressure early on in the match but KImore eventually settle and got their game flowing. The Grove players too were slightly larger than Kilmore and it looked initiially it would be an uphill struggle for Kilmore.
But they stuck to their guns and soon dominated the match for long spells.
Dillon Karim took a great shot on target but Grove keeper was on form and held it well. Then Rory O’Neill already making an early mark on the pitch made a great cross to goal and followed through into the action ending with his header just wide of the post.
Karim made several good runs forward keeping Grove under pressure then Roran Murray broke forward and struck a low back but it went wide.
Despite the Kilmore attacks Grove just had the edge. Then a Kilmore defender fouled Grove’s Lucas Beattie in the box and the ref had to give a penalty which was taken by Shane Hughes who scored well from the spot.
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Kilmore battle forward but Grove were defending their goal area well. Then out of the blue, Jamie Fitsimmons levelled the scoring with a long dropping volley over the head of the Grove keeper. Kilmore were back in the game.
A transformation took place as Kilmore suddenly believed in themselves and started to play top class football.
Noak Miskelly then found the ball and ran at the Grove box and unleashed a volleyed to the top of the nets giving keeper Turner no chance.
Kilmore were starting to dominate more as the game progressed. But fortune is fickle and in an instant Grove found the ball in front of the Kilmore goal and in the scramble to clear it, Grove’s Lucas Beattie nailed the ball to teh back of the Kilmore net.
But Kilmore kept their heads and Noah Miskelly hit it from the right edge of the box and it ran past keeper Turner who could not get back to stop the slow rolling ball go over the line.
As the game moved to a close, Kilmore were pressing knowing they had to keep Grove away from their own goal. And opportunities did arise. Karim hit a cracker just over the bar.
But the final crunch came when Ronan Murray broke into the Grove defence and held off two defenders to put the ball past Turner.
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This was a fine performance by Kilmore Rec U16s. They came back from a goal down to dominate most of the game, despite facing some bigger players.
It was a great day to end 2023 for Crossgar, to win a coveted piece of silver, which shows at youth level that soccer is popular and thriving.
And well done to the management for taking the time to bring these lads to their individual best and making the team click on the day.
Good luck next season!
And a Happy New Year to you all!
Kilmore Rec U16s: 1 Fionn Turner GK 2 Jake Morelad 3 Conor Fitzsimmons 4 Callum Ward 5 Matthew McKeever 6 Eamon Murray 7 Rory O’Neill 8 Finn O’Prey, 9 Ronan Murray 10 Jamie Fitzsimons 11 Dillon Karim. Subs: 12 Charlie Brown 14 Noah Miskelly 15 Aaron Kennedy 16 Jude McIlwrath 17 Troy Longlands.
The Grove U16s: 30 Corey Cosby GK 3 Lucas Beattie 4 Justin Patine 7 Shane Hughes 8 Kai McCafferty 9 Reid Gray 12 Reece Sivall 15 Corbin Arthur 17 Callum Johns 20 Reuben Arthur 28 Jaye Gargan. Subs: 5 Corey Stranaghan 11 Dexter Thompson 16 Orcar Clarke 18 Shaw Gray.
