Colts come out on top in Derry derby

DERRY COLTS Under-15 representatives progressed to the last eight of the NIBFA Plate competition after emphatically defeating Derry rivals, Maiden City Soccer in the Round of 16 match at Thornhill on Saturday.

Maiden City had started the brightest of the two sides and Colts were fortunate not to concede in the opening few minutes after a goalmouth scramble following a free kick.

However, Colts gradually gained the upper hand in the middle of the park with Jack Bradley and Dermot Magee dominating proceedings and both Aiden McDaid and Joe Callaghan tested the Maiden City goalkeeper from distance before Callaghan finally broke the deadlock midway through the half when he fired home from the edge of the penalty box.

Maiden City, however, kept pressing for an equaliser and Leannan McCann produced a terrific save when he tipped a rasping drive from the edge of the box over the crossbar to ensure Colts went into the half-time break one goal to the good.

Colts started the second half in determined fashion and doubled their lead five minutes after the re-start with the goal of the game, when McDaid played a wonderful pass from the byline into the path of Bradley who blasted the ball into the roof of the net past the helpless keeper.

Ten minutes later the game was over as a contest when Callaghan scored his second and Colts’ third goal when he rifled a free kick into the Maiden City net.

And Shea Clarke put the finishing touches to an impressive win in the final minutes when he scored directly from a corner kick to end an excellent day at the office for Colts.

This was an excellent all round performance from Colts with everyone playing their part, however Sean Duffy and Nathan Divin deserve special mention.

Derry Colts squad: Leannan McCann, Riann Norrby, Aodhfan McLaughlin, Sean Duffy, Nathan Divin, Dermot Magee, Rory McDermott, Jack Bradley, Aiden McDaid, Joe Callaghan, Thomas McCauley, Shea Clarke, Dean McGroarty, Brandon Hegarty, Con McAllister and Ruairi McKinney.