Match Report

FIVE GOAL McKERNAN LEADS SUPERB AGHADERG ROMP TO COUNTY U-13 FOOTBALL TITLE

Date Filed: 26 September 2020

It is not every year that an Aghaderg team wins a County Title so this one should be savoured by everyone involved. East Down Champions, St Pauls Holywood met South Down Champions, Aghaderg in a titanic struggle in Ballykinlar and it was the Super Reds who took the honours with an impressive 13 point victory.

Aghaderg began the game strongly and could have been two goals up in the opening minutes as Daniel McKernan was thwarted by a great save from the St Paul’s goalkeeper and then saw another shot rebound of a post. Lady Luck did not seem to be on their side and this feeling was reinforced in the third minute when St Pauls were awarded a penalty from their first attack and duly converted the opportunity from the spot kick. However, this Aghaderg team possess a lot of cool heads on young shoulders and they just kept playing away, winning their battles and creating the chances. Eventually two points from Daniel McKernan brought them back in touch with their opponents.

The Reds defence were playing well as a unit but midway through the half St Pauls struck again, smashing another shot to the back of the Aghaderg net to open up a four-point advantage.
Two shots, two goals for St Pauls and at this stage it looked ominous for the Reds in their physical contest with the East Down Champions.

Composure is a wonderful thing and this competitive Aghaderg team have it in abundance and they battled their way back into the game. In hindsight, that second St Paul’s goal was to prove the last serious threat to the Reds in their quest for All County honours. The industrious Sean Devlin fired over for Aghaderg and when McKernan was fouled going through, the impressive Aghaderg forward began his goal spree by blasting the free kick to the roof of the net and the Reds had the feeling that this could be their day.

Half time: Aghaderg 1-3 St Pauls 2-0

What a start we had to the second half! Aghaderg gained possession from the throw-in, the ball went through to McKernan and bang, it was in the back of the net and Aghaderg were on their way. But it wasn’t to prove as easy as all that and for 21 tension-filled minutes both sides battled and scrapped and pushed backwards and forwards in search of the vital scores and, between them, they could only manage one point each in their epic struggle for supremacy. There were so many moments when a decisive score could have come for either side, and then, suddenly, it happened.

A gem of a match-winning score and that coveted Silver Plate was on its way to Aghaderg. Brogan Brackenbury won a tussle for possession in midfield and slipped the ball inside to Sean Devlin. He found the onrushing John Kearney in the centre and as he coolly drew the defender, he found that man McKernan clear on the right and he duly cut inside onto his favourite left foot and the net bulged once again as he completed his hat-trick. St Pauls were visibly rattled and when the resultant kick-out found McKernan once again there was only one consequence for that fatal error and the Aghaderg forward had his second goal in just thirty crucial seconds. The Reds were on a high and St Pauls were visibly shattered. Conor McQuaid and Sean Devlin added further points before the Hollywood side recorded their last score of the game, but there was still time for a final word from Daniel McKernan as he soloed through for goal number five and Aghaderg were worthy U-13 County Champions.

County Secretary, Sean Og McAteer congratulated both sides on their epic encounter and presented the Down Silver Plate to Aghaderg captain Cillian Muckian and the Reds were celebrating their second major trophy inside a week.

Final score: Aghaderg 5-6 St Pauls 2-2

Aaron Strain, James McSherry, Jake McCourt, Owain McGrath, Cillian Muckian (Captain), Aaron Keenan, Conor Comiskey, Conor McQuaid (0-1), Daniel McKernan (5-3), Brogan Brackenbury, James McShane, Eoin Brackenbury, Sean Devlin (0-2), Harry Patterson, John Kearney, Harry Mooney, Charlie Patterson, Jack Devlin.