SuperCupNI: Manchester United U18s seal 6-3 aggregate win over Northern Ireland U18s

Two early goals helped Manchester United Under-18s beat Northern Ireland U18s 3-1 in the second Elite Challenge game between the sides at SuperCupNI.

United, who won Monday's game 3-2, raced into a two-goal inside 11 minutes thanks to a Sam Mather double.

Rio Morgan pulled a goal back for Northern Ireland with a spectacular drive from distance.

However, Manni Norkett's 68th-minute strike sealed a 6-3 aggregate win for United at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

Northern Ireland led 2-0 at half-time in Monday's encounter but it was United who dominated the opening exchanges of Wednesday's second encounter.

Mather fired United into a seventh-minute lead with a superb right-footed free-kick before pouncing on a mistake from NI goalkeeper Kai McClean to double the English side's lead.

Norkett fired wide and Dan Gore struck a post as United pressed for a third before the break.

Rio Morgan scored a wonderful goal for Northern Ireland

After McClean produced a couple of excellent saves to deny Mather and substitute Maxi Oyedele, Ipswich youngster Morgan handed NI a lifeline on 59 minutes when he picked up the ball on the halfway line, drove forward and sent a ferocious right-footed effort beyond United keeper Elyh Harrison.

While that sparked hopes of an NI comeback, United added a fine third halfway through the second period when Norkett got on the end of a glorious Marcus Lawrence pass to slot low into McClean's net.

Eoin Kenny, the son of Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, spurned a gilt-edged chance to pull a goal back for the hosts 10 minutes from time when he fired over from 12 yards out after being picked out by Leon Boyd.

The SuperCupNI youth football tournament is being staged for the first time since 2019 after being cancelled for two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.