CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS - MALLUSK 8.9.07

I.F.A. 'Champion of Champions' competition at Mallusk. There are 6 teams in our age, Don Bosco, Aquinas, Dungannon, Donegal Celtic and Windsor Youth. All games are 20 minutes each way.

Squad: Hoy, Farrell, Sheridan, Owens, McConkey, Strain, Corrigan, Leonard, Cochrane, Sheridan, Hamill, Currie, Turley, Houlihan and Mitten.

Donegal Celtic 2 – 2 B’Mallard Youth (B’mallard win 3 – 2 on pens)

B’mallard’s opening game in the Champion of Champions tournament at Mallusk was against Belfast league winners Donegal Celtic. Celtic started strongly and for the first 10 minutes dominated the Mallards. The Mallards came into game and Brian Owens and Jonny Hoy had efforts go close. The Mallards settled down and went 1 – 0 up when Andrew Farrell set Eoin Hamill through 1 v 1 and he scored under the keeper. An injury to keeper Andrew Sheridan saw Hoy deputise but he could do nothing to stop a Celtic equaliser against the run of play. Hoy parried another powerful shot and an alert Corrigan made a goaline clearance. John Joe Strain and Andrew Farrell had further chances as the Mallards controlled the game and with 10 minutes remaining the pressure told when Hamill headed in from a corner. With seconds remaining Celtic scored with a well taken goal to take the game to penalties. McConkey, Owens and Sheridan all scored and Hoy in nets was the hero with a good save down to his right to take the Mallards into the semi final.

Don Boscos 4 – 2 B’Mallard Youth

The semi against Derry & District champions and the eventual winners Don Boscos was a struggle for the Mallards when right from the kick off they conceded a sloppy goal. The free flowing football of the earlier game was missing and it was no surprise when they went 2 – 0 down. Corrigan in nets pulled of two good saves and just before half time and against the run of play the Mallards got back into the game when a Sheridan free kick was met by a powerful Cochrane header. Within a minute of the kick off Boscos scored directly from a corner and continued to boss the game. With 10 minutes remaining Strain gave the Mallards a unlikely lifeline when he bundled home from close range. The mini revival was short lived and Boscos made it 4 – 2 in the dying minutes