England v Northern Ireland
inspiresport Centenary Shield Under 18 International
24 March 2017

England 1 v 4 Northern Ireland

A gritty display saw Grosvenor Grammar retain the Danske Bank Northern Ireland Schools’ Cup today.

The east Belfast school’s direct approach proved more effective as they secured a 3-1 victory after extra-time over St Columb’s College at Seaview.

Their opponents from Derry-Londonderry enjoyed the bulk of the possession, and produced some scintillating football at times, but the Grosvenor attacking force of Stuart Nelson, Conor Kernohan and Josh Kelly ultimately made the difference.

The Grosvenor back four also played their part in the cup success, especially centre backs Lewis Cunningham and Daniel Larmour, who produced a series of fine tackles to repel the St Columb’s attack.

Afterwards Grosvenor head coach Darren Tomkins was full of praise for his side.

“St Columb’s were a very good side. We stuck at it well though and had good discipline and a good shape. We worked hard and the boys deserve an awful lot of credit. We are absolutely delighted to have won two in a row,” he said. The first chance of the U18 final fell to Grosvenor’s Josh Kelly, who headed narrowly wide from a corner.

Then St Columb’s midfielder Jack Malone curled a shot just wide in the 6th minute, while lively St Columb’s striker Matty Doherty’s shot from distance soared over the bar.The St Columb’s midfield trio of Seamus Quinn, Malone and Nathan McEneff, along with Doherty and rampaging full-back Matthew Kirk, were imposing themselves on the game at this stage with some neat inter-play.

On 30 minutes impressive St Columb’s centre back Conal Fagan shot just over from the edge of the area and minutes later St Columb’s keeper Gareth Muldoon made a comfortable save from a Kelly snapshot. Then Kirk found himself clear in the box for St Columb’s but he shot over the top and on the stroke of half-time Grosvenor midfielder Kurtis Elliott scooped an effort over the bar.On 50 minutes the deadlock was broken. Kelly fed Nelson down the right and his deflected shot eventually fell into the path of Kernohan, who nodded home from close range.

The Derry side were level four minutes later, however. Doherty produced a superb defence-splitting pass to Joe McCartie who was upended by Grosvenor keeper Tim Larmour inside the penalty area as he raced towards goal. And Doherty stepped up to coolly slot home the spot kick.On 63 minutes Grosvenor’s Kernohan produced a great delivery from a free-kick which defender Larmour headed inches wide.

With six minutes of normal time remaining Muldoon had to be at his sharpest to deny Grosvenor captain Nelson. Kernohan produced an incisive pass to send Nelson clear but Muldoon raced off his line to smother his effort.

In added time St Columb’s forced a series of corners. The Grosvenor defence stood firm, although St Columb’s sub Ciaran Deery had a half-chance which he scooped over the bar.The Kelly-Kernohan-Nelson combo really came to the fore in extra time. In the first 10-minute period Kernohan picked out Kelly inside the box but he headed straight at the keeper.

That could have been a costly miss but Kelly made amends five minutes into the second period of extra time. Kernohan won the ball in midfield and slipped in Matt Tumilson who in turn found Kelly. The striker then evaded a challenge and rounded the St Columb’s keeper before neatly finishing from 10 yards to make it 2-1.

Three minutes later, and with just two minutes to go, Grosvenor made sure of victory. Kernohan, who was voted man of the match, produced another neat pass, this time to Nelson and the captain raced through to fire the ball past the onrushing Muldoon into the bottom corner of the net.

"Belfast Primary Schools' Football Association held the annual Rainbow Communications Indoor 5-a-side competition at Shankill Leisure Centre.  Thirty-six schools entered the competition with six progressing to the final.  The finalists were Christ the Redeemer, Holy Cross, St. Clare's, St. Patrick's, St. Paul's and Seaview.  Holy Cross and St. Patrick's won all their matches but drew against each other so the winner was decided on goal difference.  Holy Cross are this year's champions.  We thank Rainbow Communications for their continued support of this competition." 

The Northern Ireland Under-18 Schoolboys’ team will play their first game in this year’s Centenary Shield next week. 

Providing the opposition at the Bangor Fuels Arena on Thursday (2March) will be the Republic of Ireland, with a 3pm start.

Team manager Frankie Wilson said: “Our preparations have been going very well.  After 12 weeks of an intensive trial process we finally picked our squad for the Shield. “Friendly games at home to Australia and away in Jersey over the past couple of months have been very beneficial as they gave the team much needed time together on and off the pitch.“We currently have 22 members of the squad training which we have brought down to 18 for the Republic game. We have made one change from the squad that went to Jersey with an injured Jack Henderson being replaced by Lorcan Forde.” He added that games against the Republic have always been competitive and he is expecting more of the same this year.

Organised by SAFIB (Schools Association Football International Board), the Centenary Shield is contested for by the U18 boys selects representing the schoolboy football associations of the UK plus the Republic. The Republic are already top of the group after winning their first game against Wales last week thanks to a last minute goal. The game in Dublin ended 2-1  Northern Ireland’s second game in the competition will see them take on England in Torquay on 24 March, followed by a home game against Scotland on 31 March. Their final game in this year’s Shield will see them come up against Wales away on 12 April.

The Northern Ireland U18 Schoolboys squad features:

Conor Larkin Drumcree College (Club: Portadown)

Eamon Scannell Corpus Christi College (Linfield)

Christopher Crane Corpus Christi College (Cliftonville)

Eoin Toal St Patrick’s Armagh (Armagh City)

Aaron Donnelly Belfast Met (Cliftonville)

Bobby Burns St Malachy’s College (Glenavon)

Andy Scott Drumragh Integrated College (Maiden City)

Lorcan Forde Abbey Grammar Newry (Warrenpoint Town)

Fra Nolan Belfast Met (Ballymena)

Daniel Reynolds Belfast Met (Cliftonville)

Niall Owens St Michael’s College (Ballinamallard United)

Caolin Coyle Northern Regional College (Dungannon Swifts)

Deccy Dunne Mercy College (Cliftonville)

Thomas Roscoe Wallace High School (Dungannon Swifts)

Conall Young Belfast Met (Glenavon)

Matthew Kirk St Columb’s College (Newbuildings)

Jack O’Mahony Slemish College (Glenavon)

Ryan Strain Northern Regional College (Linfield)