NI Vauxhall Youth Plate Under 18s Final

Edmund Rice College can add the Senior NI Soccer Youth Plate to their trophy cabinet this year to accompany the many other achievements on show. This is the first time ERC have won a senior NI final in soccer and it couldn’t have happened in a more comprehensive manner.

Edmund Rice College (ERC) 2 – St Mary’s (Magherafelt) 0

The final was played at Ballymena Showgrounds on Wednesday 24th April, against a strong St Mary’s team who had put the likes of Holy Cross, Lismore Comprehensive and St Patrick’s in Dungannon out on their way to the final.

Most people would have been forgiven for thinking that it was going to be a cagey affair, however ERC players embraced the occasion and played the better football from the start in front of their fellow 6th form students who had travelled down to support the team. The neat football and passing ability that saw them beat Castlerg High School 7-1, Glengormley High School 1-0, Portora Royal School 5-2 and NRC (Newtownabbey) 3-0 to get to the final caused the St Mary’s back four some real problems from minute one.

Pierce Loughlin and Mark Kelly were winning the centre midfield battle and were allowing the two wide men of Daniel Kelly and Tomas McCaffrey to express themselves in the final 3rd of the pitch.

The breakthrough came courtesy of a corner in the 22nd minute which was awarded following some great work from Christopher Begley, Tomas McCaffery and Shane Magee on the left hand side. The trio were involved a number of one two interchanges that eventually saw a cross being blocked to go out for the corner. Tomas McCaffrey whipped in a corner with plenty of venom which was asking to be headed and Pierce Loughlin didn’t let him down. The centre midfielder rose higher than everyone else to provide a powerful and accurate header which rocketed straight into the St Mary’s goal.

The rest of the half was a battle of the midfield which saw no other clear chances created by either team. St Mary’s were trying to utilise their tall striker and resorting to the long ball game more often as the half went on, but he was unsuccessful on all occasions as he found Dylan McCrudden in splendid form. The big centre half was first to most balls that came his way and on the few occasions he wasn’t, Michael O’Hanlon, who captained the team, was on hand to clean things up with some great technical ability. Michael had only returned the previous week from International duty for Northern Ireland Under 18s.

HT ERC 1 – St Mary’s 0

The second half started as the first had ended. The ERC team were trying to get the ball down and play but were being fouled more and more often which saw no fluency in the game. St Mary’s only chance in the game came from a free kick just outside the box which was heading for the ERC goal only for the superb intervention of their goalkeeper James Proctor. Mark Kelly had to be withdraw 10 minutes into the second half due to an injury and Robert McAnulty was introduced to the game. Robert provided a bit of structure when he came on and ERC started getting a real foothold in the game. It was through a fine run by Robert on the right hand side which provided a free kick and saw the St Mary’s Captain being sent off, that provided ERC’s second goal.

Daniel Kelly stepped up to take subsequent free kick which was all of 30 yards out and he couldn’t have placed the ball closer to the top right hand corner of the goal.
The game was played out with ERC eventual winners by  2-0.

Oliver McCart (Teacher/6th form Coach) said “It is always special to reach any final, but to then go on and win it in the manner in which we did was very pleasing. The boys have played some beautiful passing football throughout the competition and thoroughly deserve to be the first senior team to bring an NI honour in soccer back to the school. The boys can be very proud of what they have achieved and it will be nice for them in years to come to remember their last game as an ERC player being victorious in the NI Shield Final. On a personal level I would like to say how privileged and honoured I am to have managed the boys this year. I am very proud and so should they be, of what they have achieved”.