De La Salle High School crowned Down U16 Vocational Schools Champions 2008.

For only the second time in the school's history and the first since 1981 De La Salle have been crowned Down U-16 Vocational Schools Champions 2008.

DE LA SALLE defeated St Malachy’s, Castlewellan with two late points to become the new Medallion Centre Cup U-16 champions.

Liam Parkinson and Christopher Laverty grabbed the vital scores that gave the Downpatrick school victory at Pairc Esler, Newry.  A packed crowd in the main stand cheered on both teams from start to finish and until the final minutes there was little to separate them. The county ground was in fine condition considering the rainfall recently and this splendid setting was matched by a competitive and thrilling encounter. Nathan Curran, who was positioned in the match programme as playing in midfield, played in a more advanced full forward role. Whether it was confusion from the St Malachy’s defenders as to who was picking him up or just sheer skill and talent, Curran produced a sparkling performance. He displayed speed, strength, vision and two great hands that did not fail to gather the ball at every attempt. Curran has also great potential as a goal-keeper for his local Downpatrick soccer side and is attracting a lot of attention from Irish League and English talent scouts. He simply could not be handled despite the best efforts of the St Malachy’s defenders and scored a goal and two points.

Many onlookers were tipping the Castlewellan outfit for victory before the game.  However, it was evident from the second minute that La Salle had a different idea of what was going to happen on the Vocational Schools final day. Kieran Curran slotted a free-kick over the bar from 21 metres following a foul on Christopher Armstrong. Both sets of players appeared nervous and spent the next few minutes exchanging passes with neither defences being breached. In the fifth minute Kieran Curran had the ball in his hands again but this time three defenders were hounding him. Jinking and weaving, he somehow managed to hook a shot over his shoulder and between the posts to give La Salle a two-point lead.

St Malachy’s were desperately trying to play bright prospect Cillian Laverty into the game but La Salle had obviously done their homework. Full-back Liam Curran never left his side throughout the entire game and can be proud of his defensive display to shut Laverty out. St Malachy’s scored their first point in the seventh minute when Colm Maginn played a magnificent cross-field pass to pick out Sean Kane. The speedy corner forward composed himself before curling a beautiful score over the bar to get his team off the mark.

La Salle regained their two-point lead only a minute later when Malachy Crangle dispossessed Conor McCusker as he ran with the ball out of defence. Crangle’s attempt from distance flew over the bar and this score emphasised La Salle’s desire for victory and sent the crowd into rapture.

A further seven minutes passed with both teams playing attractive football but yet failing to add to the score-line.

Then in the 14th minute up stepped that man Nathan Curran. The La Salle hero received a pass from Stephen Tierney and quickly brought the ball into his chest while under pressure. Despite close attention from several St Malachy’s defenders, Curran swivelled before firing the ball into the bottom corner of the net from 12 yards out. The powerful shot was quick and had a surprise element, which left goalkeeper Ruairi Laverty rooted to the spot. The Downpatrick school kids were celebrating wildly in the main stand and those celebrations continued throughout the next few minutes. Just when the crowd had begun to regain their breath, Curran was at it again. This time he received a pass from David Kearney in a position where it didn’t seem possible to attempt a shot from. However, Curran thumped a shot from wide on the left hand side of the pitch and it sailed between the posts. This score was undoubtedly the pick of the day’s scores and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands once more.

St Malachy’s were now six points behind and needed to respond quickly and positively. Urged on by their fantastic following, P.J McGee’s side listened to the cry of the fans and were back in the game within a ten-minute spell. Captain Ciaran McClean stepped forward from the half-back position to score with a free-kick and he certainly led by example throughout the game. McClean then started another fine St Malachy’s move and his pass found an unmarked Ollie McClean beyond the 21-metre line. Ollie stepped inside a challenge from Liam Curran before calmly slotting his effort over the bar. The Castlewellan players and supporters were now beginning to believe that a fight-back was possible and those views were strengthened on the stroke of half-time. It was captain marvel McClean who was leading the charge again. St Malachy’s best player on the day collected a pass from Cillian Laverty as he raced goal wards. McClean drove his shot low into the corner of the net leaving Stephen Moore with no chance. They were back in the game and going into the interval they trailed La Salle, 1-4 to 1-3.

The second half started just as the first-half did with La Salle taking a two-point lead following a fine Liam Parkinson strike. However, St Malachy’s remained determined to stay in touching distance of their opponents and Ollie McClean narrowed the gap to just one point. Ten minutes into the second-half La Salle’s lead was no more.
For the first time since the second minute, St Malachy’s had levelled the scores and it was Ciaran McClean again. This time he scored with a free-kick from close range. Not to be upstaged, Nathan Curran matched McClean’s free-kick with one of his own and La Salle’s lead was restored. Midway through the second half things turned nasty. A mistimed tackle by Shea O’Hanlon sparked a brawl with players from both sides involved. However, both managers reacted quickly to break up the unsavoury scenes that threatened to dampen a bright game of football.
Marty Kelly then levelled the scores once more with a splendid long distance free-kick that bounced over via the cross-bar. The game had now entered the final three minutes and both sides again appeared nervous and did not want to risk giving anything away. St Malachy’s Paddy Boyle and Ollie McClean then got in each others way before the ball bounced into the path of Liam Parkinson. He remained composed as he fired a shot goal-wards and the ball flew narrowly over the crossbar to give his side a crucial one-point lead. St Malachy’s desperately tried to get the ball down field in a bid to score a late equalising point but it was not to be. Crangle did very well to intercept a pass in the midfield area and Christopher Laverty caught his long punt up the field brilliantly.
He then skipped away from his marker before lashing over the final score of the game to assure De La Salle of a magnificent victory.

DE LA SALLE: Stephen Moore, Liam Curran, Stephen McMullan, Owen Curran, Malachy Crangle, Stephen Tierney (capt), David Kearney, Stephen Rooney, Nathan Curran, Chris Laverty, Liam Parkinson, Conor Doyle, Kieran Curran, Chris Armstrong, Brendan Cunningham, (subs) C Mathers, C Curran, A Denvir, T McKendry, M McMullan, J McLaughlin, C Mageean, M Leathem, G Tumelty, S McConvey, M Fitzpatrick, A Maginn, N Magee, P Russell, A Martin, R Sharvin, R Connor, E McConville, T Darragh, C Sharvin.

ST MALACHY’S: Ruairi Laverty, Daithi O’Hanlon, Conor McCusker, Colin Devlin, Shea O’Hanlon, Ciaran McClean (capt), Paul McVeigh, Colin Maginn, Ruairi Laughlin, Martin Kelly, Paddy Boyle, Cillian Laverty, Ollie McClean, Darragh O’Hanlon, Sean Kane, (Subs) N Kane, D Savage, C Morgan, D Grant, F Toner, C Rice, Brian Morgan, Brendan Morgan, E Ward, J Lennon, P McGrady, M McCabe, D McCusker, D McAleenan, C Cunningham, B McVeigh, JP Savage, D McKay, H Flannagan, D Burns, M Corrigan, C McCartan, H McMullan, S Greenan, C Burns, T Rice.

Referee: Neil Cousins

Match report and images courtesy of The Down Democrat - www.downdemocrat.com

Further pictures of the match and celebrations can be viewed in our gallery.