Antrim Rovers Centre of Excellence continued again on Saturday morning from 10.30 to 12.00 With just over 100 kids, boys and girls aged from 5 to 11 attending, it looks to be yet another successful season for the Rovers Youth Academy. Places are still available and can be pre-registered on our website. Some of today's pictures from COE on a beautifully warm day. Great turn out again this week, don't forget to tell all your friends that we are open right through the season for new registrations, everyone is welcome.

Well done to everyone who attended today, you are all wee superstars

See you all next Saturday, same time same place...

YOUTH

U11’s Antrim Rovers v Carniny
Rovers travelled to a very sunny and warm Carrick to play a young and tricky Carniny side who previously beat rovers 4 0 today happened to be the day the young rovers boys and girls turned on their style cruising to 4 1 victory with some cracking goals with a stunner from young Richard.

Rover's kids were all over the moon to seal their first victory over a close rival team.
Goalscorers – Devine, Lindsay, Tim and Richard
Moes grill man of the match Richard (awarded by the ref)

U13’s – 9 Aside Antrim Rovers 3 v 4 Ballymena All Stars
A beautiful sunny Saturday morning for a game of football with a great squad of lads. Looking at how tall the girls were against us and how small the pitch was going to be a daunting task. Nevertheless, we started and were dispossessed very quickly and as quick as a flash we were one nil down. Gathering our composure we hit back with Ben Smith gathering up the ball, sprinting down the field and shooting straight past their keeper 1-1.

The boys were shooting from all angles of the pitch but only found the side netting and then the same thing seems to be happening at the other end of the pitch with Jack Moorehead pulling off some great saves to keep us in the game. Then a lapse of concentration found the tall Ballymena striker with a 1v1 situation who kicked the ball and a fumble by Jack found him picking the ball out of the net. Back to the middle to start off again and Ben Smith drove the ball forward to then spot Jon Wells to his left, who he slipped the ball to and then Jon finished off in style to the bottom left corner 2-2.

The second half saw the girls putting in some ghastly tackles and next thing we found ourselves 3-2 down. Trying to gather momentum again we found ourselves with a corner. Up stepped Jack Doole who floated the ball in and found the head of Reece McKinstry who knocked it in for us to go level again 3-3.

Then a Ballymena striker came flying into the box with feet up took out our keeper and the ref let the goal stand to give them the win against us, unfortunately. Not even a free kick awarded for the tackle. We had to get Ben Davidson to fill in for Jack and then as soon as play resumed another terrible tackle saw Jack Doole brought down. Some unfortunate decisions went against us but all of the boys kept their cool and I am proud to say played well.
MOTM was Jack Moorehead who pulled off some fine saves to have kept us in the game.

U13’s – 11 Aside Antrim Rovers 1 – 0 Ballyclare Colts
Rovers dominated the game from the beginning in what was at times a scrappy and tense game. Despite Rovers’ dominance, they did not test the keeper out enough. In midfield Ethan Sherwood, Kyle Sylvester and Lewis Vance controlled the game and seen a lot of the ball. When Rovers lost the ball both Lewis Vance and centre-half JJ Rainey was excellent in winning it back. The Rovers back line of Ryan McCreight, Cody Balmer, JJ Rainey and Stuart Gibson were excellent in keeping Ballyclare at bay. Rovers keeper Marcus Lee had one of his quieter days although he dealt well with several crosses into the box in his usual assured manner.

The front three of Sean Grant, Daniel Watson and Josh McCrea were seeing plenty of the ball in and around the box but they could not get their shots away. Both Sean Grant and Daniel Watson put in some great crosses in the first half but again Rovers could not get on the end of them. Skipper Ethan Sherwood tested the keeper from long range on two occasions. Just before half time Rovers were denied a clear penalty when Sean Grant, who’s trickery always causes problems, was clearly fouled but the ref failed to see it.

Rovers made a change at half time introducing David Johnston up front and his pace and energy immediately caused Ballyclare problems. On several occasions, David Johnston got the ball and switched the play to release Sean Grant who set up skipper Ethan Sherwood who’s drive clipped the outside of the post. Rovers continued to press forward and with JJ Rainey and Kyle Sylvester switching positions JJ set both David Johnston and then Josh McCrea through only for them to see their shots blocked when a goal seemed certain. Ballyclare’s keeper then made an excellent save from Sherwood’s free kick.

Both full-backs Ryan McCreight and Cody Balmer were able to get forward in the second half and it was Balmer who linked up well with Lewis Vance to set up David Johnston, his shot was blocked only to fall to Josh McCrea to slam the ball home. Rovers went in search of their second with David Johnston, Daniel Watson and Josh McCrea all coming close to scoring with decent efforts. Ballyclare pressed forward in the dying minutes and they can count themselves unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty otherwise Rovers defended stoutly to hold out for the win.

Moes Grill Man of the Match went to Josh McCrea who scored against his old club and caused Ballyclare problems throughout the game.

U14’s – A Team Antrim Rovers 2 v Ards 1
Games between these two teams are always close and this was no exception rovers start the better on a very poor pitch with Ben Killough controlling game with some nice pass long and short and it was his pass that found Spencer Robinson who cut nicely inside and picks out the deadly Darragh Morgan with a classy finished to put rovers one up rovers pushed for a second with Kean Martin showing his quality that the Rovers faithful love to send Morgan one on one with the keeper but it was a case of too much time for Morgan and he fired just wide but with Ards starting to get a foot hole in the game it need a world class save from Brandon Oliver to keep rovers one up there is no getting away how important it was but that's what this young man does week in week out but this did not wake rovers up and with Ards pushing hard rover's seen the half out one up this was because of some hard work from Marshall Murdock, Bailey O’Loan and Josh Moore with some words at half-time rover got going again with a real good team goal with Martin, Killough, Morgan and Joel Moore all involved to set Leeroy Maushe to finish with a calmness that Rovers had not had in order stages of the game but with Brandon Oliver going off injured Mark Davis showed what this team is all about volunteering to go into nets with Ards getting one back that Davis could do nothing about, Rover's seen the game out with Murdock being calm and controlled at the back and Oisin Kennedy, Ross Smilie, Jack Hamilton, Ben Spiers all showing great fighting spirit

Captain Ross Smilie want to thank Mark Davis for his display for what he did for his team today
Man of the match: Marshall Murdock

U14 Supplementary Cup. B Team Bangor Rangers 4-0 Antrim Rovers
On a beautiful spring Saturday morning with the temperature rising to 14 degrees, Antrim Rovers B Team wilted in the heat. Slow to close down, too quick to release the ball, no cohesion between the defence midfield and attack.

Bangor Rangers have come a long way from the start of the season when the Rovers had a good win. Today they were organised and hungrier the Rovers. With only a possible 2 cup games left this season, let's hope the boys show a bit more eagerness and leadership for the last games of this season.

Moe's Grill Man of the Match as voted by the players goes to Chris Duffy.
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⁠⁠U17’s Antrim Rovers 0 v 2 Larne
Rovers travelled to Larne to face Larne in a must-win game to keep their title hopes alive, we knew that this would be a physical encounter they always are. We started off brightly and were competing all over the pitch we were restricting Larne the long range shot which Jamie dealt with. We weren't creating many chances as our final ball was very poor. Jay had a snapshot which the keeper saved but no one was following it up. HT 0-0.

Larne came out fort the second half more fired out and played with more urgency. We never got going, Adam Foster struck the bar then Larne went up the pitch and took the lead when a long ball caused confusion and the ball was lifted over the advancing keeper and put it into the empty goal. There had been so very late tackles going in without any punishment then in a real flare up William was caught late and then was kicked as he lay on the ground which again went unpunished by the ref which made matters worse when the player who had kicked outscored their second again mistakes in defense and we were punished. We never looked like scoring which was disappointing as we have the players. Larne were reduced to 10 men when a player punched Matty Houston. Final score 0 - 2 to Larne.

Facing Larne in Larne was going to be difficult enough but when the ref is from Larne as well we were never going to get anything from this game it was the worst refereeing all season, this was a ref we put a complaint against him and we still get him. A penalty not awarded players hit late punched and kicked off the ball it was a disgrace.
Man of the Match for his first half performance was Ryan Worthington.

SENIORS

Antrim rovers 5 - Desertmartin 0
They say a week in football is a long time and it can be a even longer one with the previous week being one of the hardest weeks this young rovers side has faced it was a call of character and mentality from manager Ricky Shaw this week with hard work on key position at training it showed all over the park with rovers going one up in 10 mins with rogers and Sloan showing their quality in a tight area to pick out Glen Vance to send rovers one up again rovers took control through Connolly and McKelvey to find Rogers who just fired wide Desertmartin just could not get going with Staveley, McNeill and Macartney commanding at the back and Connor Murray playing like a true leader in midfield rover got their second and it was Vance again a third was not long after Vance again finishing nicely putting the ball through the keepers legs rovers were not finished yet and that man Vance got his fourth but it was the play up to it what impressed everyone a quick free kick from Murray to find rogers who pick out a fantastic run from Vance this is what the manager shaw has been looking from his players this week again Montgomery and Connolly cause Desertmartin problems but it was Rogers, Sloan and McKelvey who dictate what rovers did at times but it was to end on a bad note for Rovers with Matthew Montgomery suffering a bad head injury with half hour left with Jay Wood, Darren Adair, Tommy Bownes all return from injuries them selfs rovers got their last goal with jay wood showing what he brings to this team to find Adair who dropped the shoulder and played Rodgers in who dance by the oncoming defender to pick out Jordan McKelvey superb run to get his first goal of 2017

Man of the match Glen Vance

Everyone at the club would like to send their best wishes to Matthew Montgomery who was taken to hospital. Captain Johnny Rogers said Montgomery has been outstanding the last few games and hopes he will be back soon he will be hard to replace said Rogers who has challenged his team to continue today's performance to the end of the session win or loss we need to play with this calmness and mentality.

Swifts 3 – 3 Ballyclare Northend
In their final league game of the season, Antrim Rovers Swifts took on a much improved Ballyclare North End in an emotionally charged match at Allen park 3G. This match had everything. A win would guarantee the Swifts promotion to division 2 in only their second season.

A slow start saw the Swifts go one down early on when the Ballyclare number 4 scored a suspiciously offside goal the Antrim team having stopped awaiting the offside call that didn't come. Ballyclare scored a second soon after and yet again it had a look of offside about it. It looked like the Antrim lads had left themselves a mountain to climb and it got worse when an atrocious 2 footed tackle from the same player saw him see only yellow but the Rovers player sent off for his reaction, leaving Rovers to play with 10 men for over an hour. The sending off seemed to galvanise the Swifts and they pinned Ballyclare back in their own half, with the visitors having to resort to long ball tactics.

Still, 2 -0 at half time, the Swifts came out all guns blazing for the restart and pulled one back when Gaz Wilkinson crossed it into the box, Josh Graham squared it to Nathan Coyle for a tap in. A second goal followed soon after when Gaz Wilkinson scored a pinpoint header from Clerkin's corner. Rovers were very much on the up and the large home crowd were ecstatic when Rovers scored their third goal. Aaron Clerkin scored after a mazy run from his own half. The same player then hit the post with a thunderbolt shot, the keeper well beaten. It was all Rovers now but the 10 men were starting to tire. Ballyclare took advantage and managed to sweep the equaliser in from close range. There was still time for Wilkinson to test the Ballyclare keeper and for the same player to have what looked like a certain goal cleared off the line. 3-3 and a single league point for the Swifts. With rivals Whitehead being defeated it was enough to secure the richly deserved promotion.

There was no individual Man of the Match award, the whole team were simply outstanding in the second half.