The 'Wee Sky Blues' played their second friendly against Cookstown Youth U14. The game was split into 3 periods. In the first third The Sky Blues were slow to start and found it difficult to cope with the neat interchanging and quick passing of the home team. The Sky Blues started to come into the match more towards the end of the first period, and began to look more solid at the back as the match wore on.

The second period saw the Sky Blues move up a gear and Aedan Kerr and Jason Ritchie began to exert more influence on the game. The Sky Blues at last started to use the width of the pitch with Fintan Kerr and Jason Ritchie delivering some penetrating crosses. The first goal came from a great cross from Fintan Kerr and was met by a solid header from Jason Ritchie. Ciaran Moore started to put pressure on the home defence and used his strength and pace to great effect. Moore's persistent pressure led to panic in the home defence and after a scramble in the box the second goal was scored off a Cookstown's defenders knee. The third goal was a screamer from Jason Ritchie who picked the ball up outside the box and hit a great drive into the top left hand corner.

The home team closed the gap in the final period following poor marking in the Sky Blues defence. But the 'Wee Sky Blues' kept plugging away and Harry Mulholland rounded off a determined display with a tap in near the end of the match.

The Sky Blues have a final friendly arranged before the league begins. It will be away to Cookstown U15's on Wednesday evening.

This will be a chance to show if we have the belief and determination to step it up a level.

Please keep checking the forum for the squad for Wednesday night.

Paul G.

Congratulations lads on another very encouraging result. Roll on next Saturday for the real thing. Good luck on Wednesday night against a well established Cookstown youth team.