This week the Year 10s completed a St. Ninian’s treble in the football by bringing home the Junior Shield in a tight match against Castle Rushen. Their shield joins the Senior Shield and the Graham Atkinson Shield in the Trophy Cabinet.
Mr Campbell, PE Teacher and their coach filed this match report:
The Year ten boys football team played Castle Rushen for the Junior Shield at the Bowl Stadium on Tuesday (17th April). After the group stages both schools finished on equal points and remaining unbeaten, having played out an entertaining 2-2 draw over at Nobles Park.
The game began brightly for St. Ninian’s and for the first five minutes we were on top with some excellent work down the right flank from Joey Morling, however, Castle Rushen began to impose themselves and we struggled to deal with the constant long balls over the fullbacks’ heads. We gave many corners away and all credit to Castle Rushen, their corners were very well organised and caused us all sorts of problems. We rode our luck quite a bit and Reece Carey produced some excellent saves. Somehow the first half finished with no goals for either team!
Despite the effectiveness of Castle Rushen’s game plan, we struck first in the second half, with a well worked goal that Joey Morling got on the end of and slotted into the corner beyond the keeper. The game came to life after our goal and both teams got stuck in and battled hard in midfield, with Castle Rushen continuing to win corners and somehow not score from them. They eventually got their chance with a controversial penalty kick awarded by the referee for a collision between two players, Ismael Ferreira being the unfortunate player involved here. The Castle Rushen player calmly slotted the ball in the net to make it 1-1, it stayed all-square for the full seventy minutes and the full-time whistle.
Extra time and the onset of rain brought an extra effort and resilience from the St. Ninian’s players, the captain Matty Kent Lloyd particularly impressing. It was Joey Morling who broke the deadlock, a high ball in to a Castle Rushen centre back put him under a lot of pressure and he failed to clear. Joey took the ball ran from the halfway line went round the keeper and calmly slotted away to make it 2-1. Joel Padi then converted a cross from the right flank that we thought had put the final nail in the challenge of Rushen, alas the ref blew for offside and Joel’s moment of glory had passed.
Ten more minutes remained and the second half of extra time began. We were immediately at the edge of Castle Rushen’s penalty area with a resultant shot on goal, and continued to put them under enormous pressure, with Joey Morling having at least two chances to finish the match. The tide of momentum turned Castle Rushen’s way again for the remainder of the half and they pressed hard, winning constant corners. The law of averages dictated that with so many well worked corners throughout the game they would convert one chance eventually, and unfortunately they did after a goalmouth scramble. 2-2. The game started again and the ref blew for fulltime and the dreaded penalties.
Anyone who steps up to take a penalty deserves enormous respect, and to their credit, five people stepped up immediately. Joe Morling took the first and scored, Adam Adebiyi took the second and their keeper guessed the correct way and saved it. Castle Rushen scored both of their kicks to make it 2-1 Castle Rushen. The captain Matty Kent Lloyd took the third and scored, Rushen missed, sliced over the bar, Ryan Gartland scored, Dom Galante scored, Rushen scored. So after the first 5 penalties, it finished 4-4.
Sudden death penalties came next with the first to miss losing. Dan Williams stepped up first and placed the ball to the keeper’s bottom right to make it 5-4. Castle Rushen brought it back to 5-5. Ismael Ferreira stepped up and calmly slotted it in the top corner, a great penalty under massive pressure, however Rushen also scored. With volunteers now at a premium, Reece Carey the goalkeeper was chosen to take the next penalty and up he stepped and in went the ball low and fast into the side netting. Goal!!! Castle Rushen’s player stepped up to take the all or nothing penalty, he scuffed it and hit the post. St. Ninian’s High School are crowned as the Junior Shield Champions 2012, with commiserations to Castle Rushen who played very well in the final.
This rounds off a fantastic season for the football teams this year, with the Seniors and Year 9 teams winning their respective shields and the Year 7 team winning their tournament too. Joe Morling was chosen as the man of the match, closely followed by the Captain Matty Kent-Lloyd. Any number of players could have been the man of the match and all deserve credit for their grit and determination in a closely fought final. Thanks goes to Lewis Qualtrough of the IOMFA, who organised medals and a referee, and to Colin McMullen for allowing us to use the Bowl stadium.
