Jersey FA U21 – 0
Northern Ireland Schoolboys U18 – 3
J McLure 10, O McCart 61, J Hood 76
Attendance: 112
Player of the match: Senan Devine (NI)
NORTHERN IRELAND won the Frankie Wilson trophy with a 3-0 victory in a clinical display of finishing to see off a battling Jersey side.
In his first match at the helm, new JFA U21 and Senior Men’s manager Jack Cannon supplemented the U18 side with five on-Island U21s – Connor Lloyd as captain, his namesake, John ‘JJ’ Lloyd, Harry Gladdish in goal, plus frontmen Harry Scott and Seaney McColgan.
“I thought the work ethic of the boys was outstanding,” said Cannon post-match. “The result I think was fair, but the scoreline flattered them in my opinion, I thought it was a close game.
“With two of their goals coming from wonder strikes, there’s not much you can do about that.
“But I thought it was a much closer game than the U18 clash on Tuesday. We were right in this one and a couple of chances the other way may have been a very different scoreline.”
However, without the off-Island players now that the U21 Muratti is to be played in November, the hosts were always up against it.
The nippy forwards that the Irish regularly produce were a handful and limited the opportunities that Jersey had of probing the sometimes uncertain Irish defence.
Marshalled superbly by their diminutive midfield general and captain, Senan Devine, the Irish always looked dangerous when moving forward. James McCure, Josh Williamson and Sam Sproule all put early chances wide, before the Irish eventually took the lead.
Man-of-the-match Devine found a yard of space on the right flank and, cutting inside, lifted a left-footed cross to the near post about ten yards out.
McClure showed great awareness, flicking a looping header over Gladdish and into the far corner.
Midway through the half the visitors clipped the bar.
Within a minute however, Callum Gilroy had the first of a trio of good chances that fell to him, but his shot did not stretch Irish keeper Oisin Murry.
The Irish midfield continued to spray passes about as they stretched the Jersey defence, resulting in one final chance of the half in added time for Williamson, but the shot whizzed narrowly wide.
After the break, Jersey came out on the attack. JJ Lloyd played a superb through ball to Gilroy, but one on one with Murry, he hit his shot at him rather than towards the inviting right corner and Murry’s left leg shot out to deny an equaliser.
Just before the hour, the Irish hit Gladdish’s right post, but they soon extended their lead when a clearance was volleyed back by Oli McCart from twenty-five yards and it dipped wickedly over Gladdish for the second goal.
Gilroy was played in again, this time by Joey O’Toole, but Murry’s body was the Irish saviour on this occasion as the Irish keeper stepped up to the mark yet again.
With just a quarter of an hour remaining the visitors scored, their third thanks to a sensational James Hood free-kick from twenty yards.
Stepping up calmly, as if on a piece of string, Hood struck his effort sweet as a nut and the ball arrowed straight into the top right corner in a moment of real quality from the Irish.
Jersey kept looking for a consolation and a Will Yates pass gave McColgan an opening in the right channel, but the outstanding Murry was once again down swiftly to his left to push it around the post.
The young shot stopper managed to as he maintained his clean sheet over U18 and U21 both matches.
In a year that will see Cannon lead sides out in both the Muratti competitions and of course, the Island Games this summer in Orkney, the manager spoke of the importance of this week in his understanding of the strength in depth in the Island set up.
“I was extremely impressed with lots of the lads who played last night,” Cannon continued.
“There were two or three in particular who really stood out to me, and Elliot Powell [Jersey Bulls manager] agreed with me after the game.
“The Irish side were really strong, we always knew it was going to be a real challenge, but that’s exactly why these fixtures are in the diary.
“We want these boys tested. They’re coming into a really exciting period in their development as young footballers and we want these lads to be pushing for a senior spot in the Jersey side, or even a call up to the Bulls set up with Powelly.
“A lot of these boys are playing regular top level senior football locally, I think nine members of the U18 squad on Tuesday all play for the St Paul’s first team together.
“This is such an advantage all round, the lads are getting regular game time at a different intensity to what they would get just playing junior football.
“Even for the slightly older lads in the U21 group, the physicality and fitness levels required in the senior game, as well as the mental toughness required will helping these boys no end.
“You can see it in how they responded to the occasion, there was no fear to go and take the Irish lads on and it showed in the way they played.
“With such a big year coming up, we know there are some places in the Senior squad available for the Island Games and we want these young players to be challenging for those spots.
“It’s a great headache to have as a manager and this week has been extremely beneficial for me, particularly behind the scenes.
“Getting to see how everyone works in training and working with the U18 coaches as well, it’s been an excellent learning time for me and I’m excited to take these findings and kick on towards our goals for this year.”
Jersey U21 squad: Harry Gladdish (St. Ouen), Ewan Brodie (St. Paul’s), John “J.J.” Lloyd (St. Clement/Jersey Bulls), Fergus Boyle (St. Paul’s)), Tomas Goncalves (St. Paul’s), Connor Lloyd (Grouville) (c), Will Yates (St. Brelade), Joey O’Toole (St. Paul’s), Callum Gilroy (St. Paul’s), Seaney McColgan (St. Clement), Harry Scott (Jersey Wanderers)
Substitutes – Stanley Dunne (St. Paul’s) (for J. Lloyd) 63; not used – Ralph Depledge (sub GK, Jersey Wanderers), Nathan MacDonald (Rozel Rovers), Evan Lees (Rozel Rovers), Casey Nixon (Jersey Wanderers), Kyle Wilson (St. Paul’s), Connor O’Keefe (St. Paul’s)
Northern Island Schoolboys U18 squad: Oisin Murry (Cliftonville), Mikey Harkin (Larne), Ciaran Rogers-Duffy (Glentoran), James Simpson (Larne), Owen O’Neill (Glentoran), Oli McCart (Crusaders), James Hood (Ballymena), Josh Williamson (Crusaders), Senan Devine (Coleraine) (c), James McClure (Glentoran), Sam Sproule (Dergview), Substitutes – Aidan Tejada (Coleraine) (for Sproule 68), Sam McClintock (Coleraine) (for McClure 77), Joe Sheridan (Cliftonville) (for Devine 58), Keevan Hawthorne (Ballyclare) (for Williamson 77); not used – Callum Cowan (Larne), Alfie Gaston (Coleraine), Cal Weatherup (Glentoran)
