JERSEY came from a goal down to win the Junior Muratti 3-2 in Guernsey yesterday afternoon following a hat-trick from St Paul’s striker Declan Sowney.
Guernsey dominated the early stages at The Track and they took the lead through Wayne Bishop inside 20 minutes only for the visitors to hit back with a brace from Sowney.
Matt Loaring scored a peach of a goal to level the scores after the interval only for Sowney to grab his third for what turned out to be the match winner ten minutes from the end.
It was Jersey’s third successive win in Guernsey and the way it was achieved delighted victorious manager Dave Walsh.
‘The match was another terrific advert for junior football - just like last year,’ said Walsh.
‘I felt we deserved to win overall. Yes, we did start slow and Guernsey were quick off the mark, but once we adjusted to their system we got better and better as time went on.
‘The whole team played well; we’ve worked hard with Dave Kennedy on the training ground linking defence to midfield and midfield to attack and it paid dividends.
‘No one was overawed by the occasion and that was pleasing because it happens so often. Just two players ‘Declan Sowney and Calum Brennan’ have not played in an under-16 or under-18 Muratti before so we did have a lot of Muratti experience.
‘Guernsey started better than we did and we had an awful job living with them. But we slowly got back into the match and we played our game.
‘Overall it was a tremendous team performance and the players deserve it because they have worked so hard this year.’
Jersey captain Jack Boyle was awarded the man-of-the-match trophy; the midfielder was the best player on the pitch. Boyle had so much time on the ball and was integral in everything Jersey did.
Jersey: Max Jouan; Liam Walker, Mark Chipperfield, Sam de la Haye, John Borg; Chris Mourant (Fabio De Jesus, 88), Michael Weir, Jack Boyle, Jay Reid; Calum Brennan, Declan Sowney.
Guernsey: Scott Rowe; Simon Shaw (James Mullen, 73), Miles Pengelley, Brady Lesbirel, Garry Dodd (Robbie Williams, 87); Matt Loaring, Kieran Mahon, Matt Le Prevost (Jack Domaille, 73), Tom de Garis; Scott Bougourd, Wayne Bishop.
Article posted on 31st March, 2008 - 12.00am
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