Youth 14s on course for the title

Lisburn Youth U14′s held onto top spot with victory over a Willowbank side who battled from first minute to last.

Playing up the hill at Barbour in the first half, Ross Hull gave Lisburn the lead midway through the half when he was played in by Caoimhin McConnell but Willowbank went down the other end and equalised almost immediately.

Lisburn then regained the lead with some excellent football down the left between Paul Hughes and Conall Smyth, who went round the right-back and whipped in an excellent cross for Hull who met the ball on the volley to make it 2-1.

In the second half, Lisburn excelled due in no small part to introduction of subs Dominic McEnhill and Lorcan McIlroy.

McEnhill was a constant threat but it was McIlroy who scored the next goal. McConnell and Lee Bailie worked a short corner on the right, Bailie’s deep cross was knocked back across goal by McEnhill for McIlroy to tap in.

Bailie was involved in the next goal as well. His long ball over the top was chased down by McEnhill who lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper.

Then McConnell’s cross from the left found its way through a crowded area to McIlroy who controlled his finish brilliantly while leaning back.

Caoimhin McConnell got Lisburn’s final goal when Thomas McComb’s dink pass inside the defender found McConnell in space on the edge of the box and he had time to curl an effort across the keeper into the bottom corner.

Willowbank got another goal back and went looking more but Ryan Dowling had an outstanding game in goal for Lisburn.

U13s

The boys were determined to keep up their brilliant run of form against Moira.

It didn’t take long to get things going and Taylor Tynan finally got the ball in the back of the net.

James Webb converted a second, after an initial attempt by Lewis Parker was well kept out by the Moira goalkeeper.

The third goal for Lisburn Youth was an unstoppable volley by captain Christopher Turtle and then from a corner, the ball landed in the box and Cory Richards sent a left footed strike into the bottom corner. In the second half, Ryan Jackson caught out the high defence to slot home a fifth.

James Webb then got his second, a header from an excellent cross from the left. Ryan Jackson doubled his tally for the day with another great run.

Lisburn also kept a well-earned clean sheet to keep up their brilliant run.