We are looking for a set of net that we can either borrow or purchase so if you can help please contact Tony Sinton.

In it’s place the Cyclones played ECL in a friendly game coming out 7-5 winners at the final buzzer.

The first game of the day saw the Cyclones face off against the Stars in a game that was greeted with a lot of excitement. Having drawn in the preseason, both sides were determined to prove themselves as the better team.

Armagh drew first blood 75 seconds into the game as a pass by Glover ricocheted of the fore checking Stars player and into the Cyclones goal.

Despite dominating much of the position in the first period the Cyclones struggled to find an equalising goal. Some fluid passing and smart movement allowed the Cyclones a number of goal scoring chances however they were unable to see the puck over the goal line.

The Cyclones finally got onto the scoreboard with 1.10 left in the first. After a period of dominant pressure the Cyclones hard work finally paid off as Clark Caughey picked up a rebound from Richard Grace’s shot and blasted it through Szabe’s five-hole.

As the second period started, the Cyclones took the lead of the game for the first time. With Jaroslav Kerri serving a penalty for interference Mark Synnott put the Cyclones 2-1 up as he put home a pass from Dave Nicolai on the powerplay.

The Cyclones lead was to be short lived however as two strikes, 20 seconds apart, from Martin Olas and Tiago Lima respectively put Armagh in the driving seat once again.

At the mid point of the second drama exhumed as Stephen Mallon suckered Dave Nicolai. Chaos followed as both sides scuffled but after dishing out penalties referee Sandy Turner gave the Cyclones another powerplay opportunity. This chance was not wasted as Mark Synnott found Clark Caughey in the slot for his second of the day to tie the game at 3-3.

A minute later Mark Synnott put the Cyclones in the lead once again as he buried the puck over the netminders glove on a breakaway before adding his 4th point of the day… an assist on Richard Gault’s first and the Cyclones 5th.

Final Score: Armagh Stars 3-5 Northern Cyclones

After an hour break the Cyclones returned to the rink for their second game of the day, this time against old rivals East Coast Blaze.

As in the prior game the Cyclones found themselves chasing the game early as ECB took the lead 35 seconds in as Alec Rubbins lifted the puck over Brian Morrow’s blocker.

Falling behind early did not shake the Cyclones game plan however as 3 minutes later the Cyclones opened their account with a beautiful tic-tac-toe play involving Richard Gault and Mark Synnott that was finished at the back post by Clark Caughey as he tipped the puck through Mark Barritt’s five hole.

The Cyclones then took at lead at 5.10 as Dave Nicolai converted from Tony Sinton’s set-up play.

The flood gates where soon to open as Clark Caughey notched a further 2 goals, the first a wrap around and the second coming on the breakaway, for his hat-trick with only 11 minutes gone.

Stuart Fleck added a goal for the Blaze at 12.06 but this was soon canceled out as Tony Sinton’s unassisted effort ended the period at 5-2 to the Cyclones.

The second period followed a similar vein to the first as the Cyclones continued relentless pressure with goals from Tony Sinton, Richard Gault, Clark Caughey and Jonny Knox adding to the Cyclones comfortable lead.

Eamonn Denny added a consolation goal for the Blaze in the second however it was not enough to claw back a convincing performance from the Cyclones who finished the game as 9-3 winners.

Final Score: Northern Cyclones 9-3 East Coast Blaze

Under12: Northern Cyclones 14 – Armagh Stars/Bangor Chiefs 0

Captain Stephen Eccles tallied 6 goals and 3 assists, and 5 goals from Nathan Dorrian stamped their mark on the Under 12 age group again as the two finished one and two in the league scoring last season. Matthew Groves added 2 goals and an assist, Karl Ewen netted his first ever competitive goals and Matthew McRoberts and Ben Murdoch also chipped in with 2 assists each.

Christopher Boyd recorded his first shutout of the season turning away the handful of scoring chances that came his way.

Under14: Northern Cyclones 14 – East Coast Blaze 2

Dispite East Coast Blaze netting twice in the first period through Constantine and Ryan White the Cyclones shrugged off their opposition and took maximum points from this weekend.

4 goals from Nathan Dorrian and hat tricks from Stephen Eccles (3+4) and Martyn Bothwell (3+4) knocked the stuffing from East Coast Blaze as the Cyclones Under14 players outshot and outplayed their opponents. Darren Gordon netted his first competitive goal and Ben Murdoch and Matthew Mc Roberts grabbed their first points playing up in the Under14 age group each notching one goal.

In a tight game neither side found it easy to find the back with strong defensive play at each end. It was the Cyclones however who stuck first as defenceman Richard Gault stepped up and fired home a wicked wrister from the point.

Depsite dominating the game the Cyclones we unable to add to their lead going into the intermission with only one goal to show for their efforts.

In the second period the Cyclones continued to pile on the pressure but a few excellent saves from David Stewart in the Badgers goal kept them at bay. At the other end of the rink Brian Morrow had a relatively quiet day as the Cyclones defensive lines of Glover/Nicolai and Gault/Grace broke up the Badgers attack without them getting many goal scoring chances.

Eager to get back into the game the Badgers were able to claw a goal back in the final minutes as number of bodies and some confusion infront of the Cyclones goal saw former Cyclone Gerrard Spence scramble the puck over the line to level the score.

The game looked as if it was heading for a tie until the 54 second mark when Clark Caughey’s hard work behind the Badgers goal allowed him to break free and attempt a wrap around to seal the game. The puck slid across the crease and it looked as if the chance was wasted until Mark Synnott, who returns to the Cyclones after missing the majority of last season due to injury, drove hard to the net and hammered the loose puck into the bottom right corner of the net to give the Cyclones the victory.

Kev is no stranger to the club or its players. He is the father of defenceman Richard Grace and has played alongside forwards Clark Caughey and Dave Nicolai in the 2008 Northern Ireland Challenge Cup winning Erne Eagles side.

Kev begins his role as head coach on Wednesday 29th July and with big plans in mind, he is looking forward to the challenge this forthcoming season.

Voting was carried out by all team members and non-playing staff and after the votes where tallied up the following people came out as winners:

Best Defenceman: Tony Sinton
Best Forward: Dorinda Foot
Most Improved Player: Jonny Knox
Players’s Player: Dave Nicolai

Many thanks to everyone who showed up and to Sterling & Grace Groves for their hospitality, we had an awesome night.

We would like to say thank you to all the kids who have played this year, to the coaches James Glover and Steven Ewen for taking the time week in week out to pass on their knowledge and to the parents who help run the club on a day to day basis.

Here’s looking forward to more success next season….

After a successful playoff campaign in the 2007-08 season the Cyclones will be hoping to retain both the Senior and U12’s titles while the U14’s go for their second piece of silverware after lifting the league trophy aloft only a matter of weeks ago.

For the seniors the top four teams in the league will battle it out in two semi final legs, 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd. As ECB still have league games remaining to play the final league positions are yet to be decided however it is likely that the Cyclones will face their rivals the Belfast Bruins, the team they beat in last years final, in the first semi while East Coast Lightning and East Coast Blaze will likely meet in the second semi.

In the U12 division it’s an all Cyclones semi as the league champion PeeWee’s face the younger Squirts side while the Bangor Chiefs face East Coast Blaze.

Due to the U14 league only having 3 teams competing this season, the U14 division will be played in a round robin format with the top two teams playing each other in a winner takes all final.

One thing is for sure, its going to be an entertaining weekend of hockey. Weather or not the Cyclones can leave with a clean sweep of trophies again this season remains to be seen.