The Super Cup NI 2025 kicked off with Coleraine in action at the Showgrounds vs Shankill Juniors, in the Boy’s Minor section.
Shankill Juniors had an early possession and attack, but momentum quickly shifted Coleraine’s way, with the first shot coming off a header from Coleraine’s Norrie Stewart.
Pressure continued on the Shankill defence with Christy Moore for Coleraine sending a long shot wide.
Shankill Juniors’ defence held strong, putting in strong tackles to stifle Coleraine attacks.
Shankill Juniors had sporadic counter attacks, with the closest chance coming off a defensive mistake from Harry McBride, Coleraine’s goalkeeper, who recovered well.
Coleraine continued the attacks with Joe Gray firing wide from deep, and Christy Moore doing the same quickly after.
Josh Adams showed good dribbling skill getting past 3 Shankill defenders in their box, but the ball trickled out of play with no shot for a goal kick.
Harry Blair crossed into the box which was collected by the Shankill goalkeeper. Gray had another cross that was close to a goal but nobody could get contact on it, and soon after had another good cross from deep that went all the way through with no contact.
The last attack of the half had Bair shoot over from range to bring us to the half at 0-0, with Coleraine having the majority of the attacks and Shankill’s defence warding them off.
Adams was the standout from the first half, with his dribbling skills proving tricky for Shankill to handle.
The second half started off with attacks from Shankill Juniors, and a foul committed by Joe Gray.
Shankill had their first shot from 20 yards, Kylan Morrison firing over. Soon after, Asher Cahoon took a shot from 30 yards, which was destined for the top right corner.
McBride picked it out of the air to keep the scores level. Coleraine had a free kick from 22 yards, taken by Adams and well saved by the Shankill goalkeeper.
Coleraine made a substitution with Christy Moore and Harry Blair making way for Cahan O’Kane and Callum Parke. A Coleraine attack after had Adams shoot twice, with his first shot blocked and the second going over.
After this, Shankill Juniors made their first changes, with Kylan Morrison and Ryan White coming off for Riley Black and Jamie Henderson.
Coleraine went on the offensive again with Harry Hunt having a shot saved, and Gray took a wild shot from 40 yards, going high and wide.
Coleraine made more substitutions, taking off Harry Hunt and Eoin McAleese and bringing on Ty McConaghy and Connor Kelly.
Right after this, Gray had a cross from a free kick defended. The pressure would remain for Coleraine, who finally had their breakthrough with Norrie Stewart being dispossessed in the Shankill box, and Adams collected the loose ball. Holding on through a tackle from Shankill, he had his chance and took it well from 12 yards, breaking through the stalwart defence to take the lead at 1-0.
Shankill had some attacks, but the next chance went again to Coleraine, with Stewart making it past the defence and shooting across goal from a tight angle, with nobody there to knock it in.
Shankill made changes with Toby Brashaw and Adam Dickson coming on for Asher Cahoon and Kyle Higginson. Coleraine soon after made more changes with Norrie Stewart and Josh Adams making way for Corey O’Neill and Daniel Caskey.
Shankill Juniors made attempts to level the score, with their shot coming from a header by Conor Daye going just wide.
The last chance of the game was for Coleraine, with Shankill defending valiantly and clearing off the line to keep the scoreline at 1-0.
Attempts to equalise late were stopped in the midfield, and the full time whistle was blown at Coleraine 1-0 Shankill Juniors.
Coleraine had the majority of the ball and the majority of the attacks, but a strong defensive performance from Shankill kept them to a single goal, taking a moment of real quality to break through the defence.
Mark Higgins reports.