Score belies U10s efforts in second Shankill clash

Shankill Juniors 4

BANBRIDGE Town U10s played Shankill Juniors last Saturday in the first round of the George Best cup.

It was another fiercely contested game between two sides, who have played each other twice in a week.

Banbridge welcomed Sean Casey back to the heart of their defence, and the young defender proved his worth in a first half played at a blistering pace.

Shankill managed to break the deadlock with a finely taken free kick. Banbridge hit back almost instantly, when new signing Patrick Winters played a perfect through ball to Redpath who took a touch before firing in the equaliser.

Banbridge almost took the lead when they won a free kick 20 yards out. Up stepped Woods who curled a left footed effort just wide of the post.

Shankill scored a second just before half time to leave the match finely poised at the break.

Banbridge were on the front foot for most of the second half and they produced the best move of the match when Annett broke down the left, he passed the ball inside to McCavitt who found Redpath in the box and he rolled the ball to the edge of the area for Woods who put his shot over the bar.

As Banbridge pushed forward they were left open to the counter attack which Shankill were able to score twice from in the second half.

Banbridge almost pulled one back near the end when a corner which was swung in to the far post was met by the head of McCavitt but his goal-bound header was plucked out of the air by the keeper.

The final score of 4-1 does not do justice to the performance of the Banbridge players. Man of the match was Keelan Quigley, who as usual put in a tireless shift at fullback.

TEAM: Lewis Hunter, Keelan Quigley, Sean Casey, Bailey Russell, Michael McCavitt, Ben Scott, Ryan Woods, Alex Donnelly, Zak Annett, Patrick Winters, Ben Redpath, Jack Moore, Jack Savage, Stewart Carswell, Lennon Wilson.