The Ulster 13 squads got their 2025 UK U13 Regional Championships campaigns underway on Friday, but unfortunately they got off to a difficult start, losing their opening three games.
The Championship squad suffered a 5-0 defeat in their only game of the day, whilst the Trophy squad were dealt a 1-0 defeat before losing 2-0 later in the evening.
The first game of the afternoon saw the Championship side lose 5-0 to Tensworth, despite a performance which saw plenty of early positives.
The first chance of the game fell to Ulster when Teddie McCandless stood over the top of a penalty corner only to see his effort cleared off the line by the Tensworth post man.
Despite a period of pressure from the opposition, it was the young Ulster side who could’ve taken the lead with 12 minutes gone.
A crash ball into the circle was only cleared as far as Oscar Menary before his shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.
Just four minutes later, it was Ulster who won another penalty corner, and again McCandless went close as he saw his low driven effort well saved by the stick of the diving goalkeeper.
Despite the Ulster chances, it was Tensworth who took the lead on the brink of half-time.
Left unmarked in the circle, a forward was able to pick the ball up with his back to goal before spinning and flicking past Micah Moore into the corner to take the lead, before a second strike was fired in straight from the restart.
Having taken a 2-0 lead into the second half, things went downhill for the Championship side as their opponents added three second half goals with no Ulster response.
In the opening Trophy fixture, the side went into the half-time break 1-0 down despite a very even first half, which saw limited chances for either side.
It was a goal from a penalty corner which proved to be the difference between the two sides as an East Outlaws forward brilliantly flicked into the top corner, leaving Caleb Kinkead with no chance.
In the second half it was the Ulster Trophy side which started quickest, winning two early penalty corners only to see the East Outlaws defence come out on top on each occasion to maintain their slender advantage.
However, Ulster continued to push forward with Ben MacAfee seeing his flicked effort saved at point blank range before the side won a third corner of the half.
From the resulting set play, they went agonisingly close once more, after two blocked efforts, it was Ross Murdock who went closest but saw his effort go just wide of the near post.
Unfortunately, despite the second half pressure, there was to be no equalising goal for the Ulster side as they were condemned to an opening 1-0 loss.
The final game of the day saw two late goals from Tensworth to seal a late win against the Ulster Trophy side.
The first chance of the game fell to Tensworth after almost ten minutes of play when a reverse effort from the top of the circle was well saved by Kinkead before an Ulster defender cleared the danger.
Just seconds later, Tensworth went close once more as the ball was flashed across the face of goal, but luckily for Ulster, there was no attacker to get a decisive touch.
In a more positive start to the second half, Ulster began to grow into the game and began to look more of a threat on the attack.
However, midway through the second period, Tensworth were awarded consecutive penalty corners only for Ulster to clear the danger and remain level.
Eventually, the Tensworth pressure told, as seven minutes from the end of time, they were ahead.
Having broke down the right wing, the opposition winger was able to cut in and get a shot off on his reverse from the top of the circle, picking out the bottom corner to give his side the lead.
Just two minutes later the side were awarded a penalty stroke which the Tensworth player expertly dispatched into the top left corner, sealing a 2-0 win for his side.