Belfast Star at Blackwater Steelers (February 15th) - Steelers 28 Star 43
The start of a two game road trip away to the ever competitive Steelers was always going to be a massive challenge, but a challenge to which the young guns were equal.
The boys jumped out of the blocks quickly with Conor Cooke rebounding and running the floor very well to get on the end of dimes dropped by CJ Fulton. Mattie Mulholland was playing the passing lanes on defence and Star led by 12 after 7 minutes.
The second unit took a little more time to get into their stride offensively but Conn Doherty, who has improved tremendously this year kept Gavin McPhillips of Steelers quiet which was a big bonus. Conor Ryan began to up the tempo and Star eased out to a 15 point half time lead, 24-9.
Steelers came back hard at the start of the 3rd with McPhillips and Karl Gallagher to the fore. Star regained their composure with valuable contributions from Ronan O'Neill and Connor McWilliams. The second half was a little scrappy but any day you can walk out of St Macartan's with a win is a good day.
Belfast Star at Letterkenny Blaze (February 22nd) Blaze 24 Star 39
The U14 team made the long trek north to play Donegal's finest, and faced a match up with one of the leagues finest players in Padraig McGettigan.
Star hit the ground running and Mattie 'the glove' Mulholland did a great job on McGettigan which allowed CJ Fulton to conduct proceedings from the point. Ryan Scott, a candidate for MIP, knocked a couple of jumpers down and Star led by 10 early on.
The second quarter saw more of the same and Star broke the game wide open with Liam 'smarts' Brady, Niall Hurson who is playing with more confidence at the offensive end and the conductor Conor Ryan running the show. With Conn Doherty and Ryan 'Gilfer' Gilfedder rebounding and running the game was effectively over at HT. Blaze, primarily through Padraig McGettigan, kept competing and made some in roads but Star were always in control and ran out winners by 15 points.
