Argyle were defeated 3-0 by St Patrick’s Athletic in the Boys’ Junior SuperCupNI final on Friday afternoon.
Despite not coming away as victors at the Coleraine Showground, Head Coach Dan Thompson’s side made all of those within Home Park extremely proud, reaching the final stage for the first time in the Academy’s history.
It was clear that the challenge was going to be tough from the get-go, with a strong St Pat’s side applying immediate pressure after kick-off and taking the lead in the eighth minute.
A ball across the Argyle defence, along with a tidy touch, created space for a player in red, who slotted home into the bottom corner past Harry Woodruff.
The Greens’ goalkeeper, however, soon made an acrobatic diving save to push a long-range effort from Ahmed Ali Mussa over the bar, keeping the scoreline as it was.
Just after the quarter-mark in the fixture, the Irish side doubled their lead. Woodruff again made a strong initial save to stop a shot at goal, but the follow-up was turned home.
Freddie Lewis, who returned to Thompson’s side after suspension, came close through a long-range free-kick attempt that smashed into the crossbar, but that was all for Argyle in a frustrating opening 35 minutes of play.
Mussa continued his confident play for St Pat’s in the second half, quickly attacking and catching Argyle on the counter on multiple occasions, but he was still unable to test Woodruff with a wild effort in the 42nd minute.
In the 59th, however, he tapped a cross home at the back post to score their third goal of the game and take the result away from Argyle.
Although the Greens fought on until the last kick of the game, St Pat’s came away as victors in Northern Ireland.
We’re so proud of you lads and all you achieved whilst representing the club at the SuperCup, and you should be too.
