League

Knockstown Park
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Strand's Nollaig McBrand got a good chance for a goal in the 5th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After some fancy dribbling in the 7th minute, Ryland Murphy managed to get in a good position for a shot. Knockstown's supporters rose to their feet, but Ryland Murphy was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Rorry Mulvihill breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. An unexpected shot in the 8th minute by Rian McMichel got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. In the 17th minute the ball was on its way in behind Knockstown's goalkeeper Breadan Glen Crowe, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 20th minute Oliver McBrand shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Breadan Glen Crowe saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 21st match minute, Knockstown was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cacey Lester to maneuver through the defense. If Ryland Murphy had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 29th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Strand's defense didn't have a chance, in the 32nd minute, when Philip McWilliam scored to the left of an out of position Rorry Mulvihill, making the score, 1-0. When Donlan Jameson fell near the penalty area in the 35th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Strand's protests and gave Donlan Jameson a yellow card for diving instead. A collision led to Strand getting a freekick after 35 minutes play. Donlan Jameson hit a great ball. After a rather tough play, Knockstown's Darick Robinson got a free kick in the 38th minute. Strand's Nollaig McBrand got a good chance for a goal in the 41st minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After a rather tough play, Knockstown's Darick Robinson got a free kick in the 42nd minute. In the 46th minute, Rian McMichel got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The wind increased when Oliver McBrand made the kick off in the second half. An unexpectedly hard shot by Oliver McBrand in the 53rd minute of play forced Knockstown's goalkeeper Breadan Glen Crowe to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Rorry Mulvihill showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Rian McMichel in the 58th minute of the match. Knockstown's Breadan Glen Crowe played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Oliver McBrand in the 60th minute of play. In the 64th minute, Donlan Jameson hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After having played for 65 minutes, Ryland Murphy managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Knockstown's supporters crossed their fingers, but Ryland Murphy was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. In the 69th minute Rian McMichel shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Rorry Mulvihill saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Breadan Glen Crowe made a fantastic save in the 70th minute, when Nollaig McBrand sent off a good shot on target. Knockstown's Breadan Glen Crowe proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 73rd minute of the match, managed to save Knockstown from getting a goal against them. Breadan Glen Crowe showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Oliver McBrand in the 78th minute of the match. Breadan Glen Crowe took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Oliver McBrand, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Nollaig McBrand fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 86th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Breadan Glen Crowe having to interfere. Oliver McBrand recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 91st minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After some fancy dribbling in the 94th minute, Rian McMichel managed to get in a good position for a shot. Knockstown's supporters rose to their feet, but Rian McMichel was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Rorry Mulvihill breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. For all the effort they put into the match, the Strand players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Knockstown.