Grosvenor In View Magazine 2025

118

SPORTS TEAMS

1st XI Boys Football

Back Row (L-R): R Whyte, Z Anderson, L Young, S Logan, J Marshall Middle Row (L-R): Dr F Vasey, B Greer, W Kingham, A Rodgers, Z Leeman, Mr P Thompson, Mr M Winters Front Row (L-R): J Drennan, J Irwin, R McKnight, P Simpson, R Hall

The start of the season brought with it great excitement as we had the amalgamation of the two year groups who had reached the Northern Ireland Schools’ Cup Final at Under 16 level two years previously. As always, we would compete on three fronts: the Under 18 Belfast Grammar Schools’ League, the Northern Ireland Cup and the Belfast Cup. In the Belfast Cup, we were drawn into a ‘group of death’ with four of the strongest teams in the district, including ourselves, being drawn into the same group. The season started with a home match to Bangor Grammar School in the opening game of the Grammar School League at the fortress: Dixon Park Playing Fields. Despite dominating the game, we were behind 1-0 for the majority of the game, but two late goals from ‘The Assassin’, whose goals we dearly missed the season before, saw the team through to an opening win. The following game was our opening group match in the Belfast Cup, and it was important in such a difficult group to make a strong start. We played against Belfast Met at Ulster University, Jordanstown. It was a feisty affair, but two goals from Zach Anderson, one of the most talented players to come through the school in

recent years, and a goal from Jake Drennan, led to a 3-1 victory. We followed this up with another win in the league at home to Belfast Royal Academy. Despite racing ahead to a 3-0 lead, our opponents made it a cagey contest and the game finished 5-3 to us. Phil Simpson scored a hat-trick, and Ben Greer and Ryder Whyte both got off the mark for the season also. The next week turned out to be the league decider, as we played away against the reigning league champions - Regent House School. Calum Anderson, who has represented the school amicably across the past three years despite his extensive commitments at club and international football, bolstered the side with his calmness and composure in defence. In a tight match, a red card against Regent proved to be the difference, as the numerical advantage allowed our captain (and Head Boy) Reo McKnight to score two goals, with Ryder Whyte adding his second goal of the season. The match finished 3-2, and it proved to be a crucial result in deciding the outcome of the league. The following week saw our Northern Ireland Cup

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