County Tyrone took on MS Select from New Zealand at Rugby Avenue in Coleraine , and it was the local side who started the better as Adam Young got down the right on two minutes. His cross picked out Finn Grimes but he lashed his strike wide of the target .
Tyrone looked in a fine mood coming out of the blocks quickly and it was they who created another opening inside five minutes as Ciaren Magee was through on goal but he was brought down by Boyd Curry at the heart of the MS defence. Adam Young was really impressing the spectators with his fine footwork and close control and he had a great chance to put the County side ahead as he had a low shot from just outside the box well saved by Declan Viljoen in the MS goal . On twenty nine minutes Vilijoen made another fine save, once again denying the same player Young from a sweeping free-kick.
MS Select’s first chance arrived a minute later as Issac Consedine broke free of the shackles to breeze past the County Tyrone defence before his shot was superbly saved by Finton Coney pushing the ball around the post . County Tyrone then broke with speed and were awarded a penalty as Grimes was brought down by the onrushing Viljoen and up stepped Young to lash it into the net despite the keeper guessing the correct way .
On the stroke of half-time it was the New Zealanders who nearly equalised as Coney punched away a swinging in cross from Finnian Rathbone, the ball falling to the feet of Hayden Aish but he ballooned his shot over the top. It was County Tyrone who started the second half on top when Marcel Marito was played through by Sean McDonagh but his shot was well saved by Viljoen once again.
Marito was playing some superb football in midfield for County Tyrone , a real dangerman and it was the same man who had another chance when he beat his marker at the back post following a low John Scott cross but his shot was once again expertly dealt with by Viljoen . Martio then created another chance for his side but this time his volley from the edge of the area sailed just wide of the upright .
MS Select then started to pressure their opponents as County Tyrone began to sit back and it should have been all square when Arzan Todywalla was played through one on one with Coney but he shanked his shot over the bar. Coney then had to be alert in the closing stages as he made an excellent save to deny an equaliser when Kris Naicher tried his luck from thirty yards out .
As the game came to a close it was County Tyrone who had the final chance to make the scoreline more convincing when Marito’s corner was headed goal-wards from Eoin Gallacher but it was hooked off the line by Oscar Browne, but County Tyrone made a winning start to their Supercup campaign.
By Josh Bunting