Feast of football thrills Foyle Cup crowds

The O'Neill's Foyle Cup players enjoyed another exceptional day of football as the sun shone on the crowded venues across Derry, Strabane, Coleraine and Donegal on Wednesday.
Trojans Nathan McCrudden races away with the ball in the Foyle Cup game against Ballymena United.Trojans Nathan McCrudden races away with the ball in the Foyle Cup game against Ballymena United.
Trojans Nathan McCrudden races away with the ball in the Foyle Cup game against Ballymena United.

The organisers are predicting their biggest ever spectator attendances and believe by the end of the week more than 100,000 spectators will have witnessed the festival of football.

At the end of the third day of the event more than 900 games have been played so far this week.

Ballymena United lost 0-1 in a thrilling game of football against local side Trojans at Leafair Park last night in the U16 O’Neills Foyle Cup.

A very good attendance witnessed some excellent free flowing football from both sides with defences being tested aerially and from the wings.

Trojans threatened twice early on through the neat footwork of Ryan McCaul and the dangerous Aaron McClafferty up front.

Indeed, it was McClafferty who tucked away the only goal of the game midway through the half, when a cross from the left found him unmarked and from 12 yards he tucked the ball under the advancing keeper.

Both teams had good chances in the second half with a rasping 30 yards shot from Ballymena’s Jason Magee being closest to an equaliser.

However, despite constant pressure by The Blues in the last ten minutes, the Derry side held out to collect another three points to add to Tuesday night’s defeat of America’s Rochester Youths.

In the under-14 O’Neills Foyle Cup clash at Brooke Park, Foyle Harps and South Donegal were inseparable for most of the game.

Donegal Schools centre backs Kyle McGeoghan and Aiden McKelvey were resolute in defence and were only troubled on a few occasions.

It was the Donegal side that capitalised in the last ten minutes, centre forward Aaron O’Shea picking up a cross from the left on the edge of the area before slotting past a helpless Caomhan McMenamin in the Harps goal.

It finished 1-0 to the Donegal side. McGeoghan and McKelvey best for them while Harps Darragh McCloskey stood out for the men in green.

A slick Ballyclare Colts under-12s picked up another three points with an easy 8-1 victory over Raphoe Town at the Brandywell.

Playing some tidy football, the Colts knocked in five goals in the first half and added to their tally of six points as well as another eight goals and now stand top of their group after victories over Foyle Harps and Coleraine respectively.

Raphoe’s only score came through their striker and the only girl in the game, Ella McHugh, who cut in from the left and neatly tucked past keeper Dylan Owens from close range.

The Colts will fancy their chances in going to the finals of this year’s competition.

Tournament sponsors include Derry & Strabane District Council, Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council, The Executive Office, Tourism NI, Department for Communities, Seagate, Inner City Trust, Brunswick Movie Bowl and Derry Credit Union.

FULL ROUND-UP OF RESULTS:

Under 9

Maiden City 1 v 3 Aileach, Bertie Peacock 3 v 3 Phoenix Athletic, Carn FC 4 v 2 Trojans, Bright Stars 0 v 11 Illistrin, Buncrana Hearts 6 v 0 Culmore FC, Ballinamallard Colts 0 v 3 Bonagee Utd, Phoenix Athletic 3 v 1 Maiden City, Kildrum Tigers 0 v 4 Portstewart, Culmore FC 0 v 14 Magherafelt SB, Ballinamallard Colts 2 v 1 East Donegal SBY, Coleraine Colts 3 v 1 Buncrana Hearts, Bright Stars 2 v 4 Limavady Utd, Bertie Peacock 0 v 1 Hillsboro Boys, Aileach 3 v 5 Kildrum Tigers, Don Boscos Colts 1 v 5 Carn FC, Bonagee Utd 4 v 2 East Donegal SBY, Trojans 1 v 5 Coleraine Colts, Limavady Utd 1 v 4 Don Boscos, Hillsboro Boys 5 v 0 Portstewart, Killea 2 v 4 Ballinamallard, Don Boscos Colts 0 v 19 Magherafelt SB, East Donegal Colts 2 v 1 Ballymoor, QPS 0 v 5 Eglinton Eagles, Illistrin 2 v 0 Don Boscos, Tristar Colts 0 v 1 Ballyraine Utd, Ballinamallard 0 v 3 Ballymoney, Carniny 0 v 4 Tristar, Kilmacrennan Colts 0 v 0 East Donegal Colts, Hillsboro Boys Colts 6 v 0 QPS, Coleraine 1 v 3 Foyle Harps, Ballyraine Utd 1 v 3 Sion Swifts, Glen Rovers 1 v 6 Killea, Hillsboro Boys Colts 1 v 1 Oxford United, Letterkenny R 2 v 1 Foyle Harps, Finn Town Harps 0 v 4 Tristar, Kilmacrennan Colts 1 v 2 Swilly Youth, Sion Swifts 1 v 0 Tristar Colts, Ballymoney 6 v 0 Glen Rovers, Eglinton Eagles 2 v 2 Finn Town Harps, Swilly Youth 0 v 0 Coleraine, Oxford United 2 v 2 Carniny, Ballymoor 2 v 1 Letterkenny R, Strabane Ath 0 v 5 Carryduff Colts, Kickstart 3 v 0 Kilmacrennan FC, Newell 0 v 0 Clooney SS, Milford 0 v 9 Dungannon, Portrush FC 4 v 1 Glen Rovers Colts, Strabane Ath 0 v 1 Top of the Hill, Newtown 6 v 1 Newbuildings, Limavady Colts 1 v 1 Clooney SS, Carryduff Colts 6 v 0 Kickstart, Glen Rovers Colts 2 v 1 Kilmacrennan FC, Dungannon 10 v 0 Limavady Colts, Newbuildings 2 v 3 Newell

Under 10

Culmore 0 v 4 Ballyraine Utd, Ballinamallard Colts 0 v 1 Carn FC, Top of the Hill 1 v 2 Letterkenny Rovers, Glentoran Colts 9 v 0 Lifford Celtic, Foyle Harps 2 v 0 Glen Rovers, Magherafelt Colts 1 v 1 Aileach, Oxford United 2 v 1 Clonmany Shamrocks, Limavady Utd Colts 0 v 4 Westport Utd, Moyola 1 v 2 Antrim Rovers, Ballyraine Utd 1 v 4 Carn FC, Northend 0 v 3 Mountjoy Utd, Letterkenny Rovers 7 v 0 Lifford Celtic, Phoeni 2 v 2 Ardstraw Youth, Glen Rovers 3 v 3 Aileach, Portstewart 1 v 4 Coleraine, Clonmany Shamrocks 0 v 4 Westport Utd, Antrim Rovers 2 v 1 Culmore, Moyola 0 v 0 Ballinamallard Colts, Mountjoy Utd 1 v 1 Top of the Hill, Northend 1 v 4 Glentoran Colts, Ardstraw 0 v 8 Youth Foyle Harps, Phoenix 0 v 3 Magherafelt Colts, Coleraine 2 v 2 Oxford United, Portstewart 1 v 3 Limavady Utd Colts, Strabane Ath 0 v 1 Cockhill Celtic, SOPYC Colts 1 v 0 Ballyraine Colts, Ballymoor 0 v 1 Lagan Harps, Glen Rover Colts 0 v 7 Don Boscos, Newell 0 v 6 East Donegal SBS Oxford Colts 2 v 4 Illistrin, Clooney SS 0 v 4 Kilmac Ac, Hillsboro Boys Colts 1 v 5 Mulroy Ac, Magherafelt SB 2 v 2 Hamilton Ac, Cockhill Celtic 3 v 0 Ballyraine Colts, Larne Youth 0 v 0 SOPYC, Lagan Harps 3 v 1 Don Boscos, Bertie Peacock 0 v 3 Hillsboro Boys, East Donegal SBS 0 v 2 Illistrin, Limavady Utd 0 v 1 Ballymoney Utd, Kilmac Ac 3 v 0 Mulroy Ac, Hamilton Ac 8 v 0 Strabane Ath, Magherafelt SB 6 v 0 SOPYC Colts, SOPYC 7 v 2 Ballymoor, Larne Youth 10 v 0 Glen Rover Colts, Hillsboro Boys 6 v 0 Newell, Bertie Peacock 3 v 0 Oxford Colts, Ballymoney Utd 3 v 1 Clooney SS, Limavady Utd 1 v 0 Hillsboro Boys Colts, Don Boscos Colts 1 v 6 South Donegal, Maiden City Colts 0 v 3 Tristar, Tristar Colts 1 v 1 QPS, Maiden City 1 v 1 East Donegal Colts, East Coast Strikers 0 v 2 Ballymena Utd, South Donegal 2 v 1 Tristar, Glentoran Ac 0 v 3 Hamilton AC Colts, QPS 0 v 4 East Donegal Colts, Ballymena Utd 2 v 1 Don Boscos Colts, East Coast Strikers 0 v 0 Maiden City Colts, Hamilton AC Colts 8 v 0 Tristar Colts, Glentoran Ac 4 v 3 Maiden City, Trojans 1 v 4 Milford Utd, SOPYC Juniors 0 v 1 Lagan Harps Colts, Dungannon Utd 8 v 0 Tummery Ath, Magherafelt Sky Blue Ath 0 v 1 Sion Swifts

Under 11

IFA Girls Dev 1 v 0 Phoenix, Tristar Colts 0 v 2 Oxford Utd, Limavady Colts 2 v 0 Magherafelt SB, SOPYC 2 v 0 Eglinton Eagles, East Coast Strikers 0 v 3 Limavady Utd, Newtowne 0 v 3 Don Boscos, Trojans 0 v 0 Oxford Colts, Clooney SS Colts 2 v 0 Aileach, Phoenix 0 v 2 Oxford Utd, Kick Start 0 v 1 Mulroy Ac, Sion Swifts 4 v 0 Magherafelt SB, Rosario Colts 0 v 2 Illistrin, Eglinton Eagles 0 v 2 Limavady Utd, Illies Celtic 0 v 7 Inishowen Youth, Don Boscos 1 v 1 Oxford Colts, Aileach 0 v 1 IFA Girls Dev, Clooney SS Colts 2 v 0 Tristar Colts, Kick Start 0 v 3 Limavady Colts, Illistrin 0 v 3 SOPYC, Rosario Colts 1 v 0 East Coast Strikers, Inishowen Youth 8 v 1 Newtowne, Illies Celtic 0 v 8 Trojans, Hillsboro Boys 0 v 1 Tristar, South Donegal SBY 2 v 0 Warrenpoint Town, Ballymena Utd 1 v 0 Top of the Hill, Maiden City 0 v 0 Armagh City, Mountjoy 3 v 0 Culmore, Coleraine 3 v 0 Northend, Rosario 12 v 0 Foyle Harps, Ballinamallard Colts 2 v 2 Bertie Peacock, Don Boscos Colts 1 v 1 Ballyraine Utd, Tristar 1 v 0 Warrenpoint Town, Institute 2 v 1 Milford Utd, Top of the Hill 1 v 0 Armagh City, Coleraine Colts 0 v 2 East Donegal SBS, Culmore 1 v 1 Northend, Dungannon United 2 v 0 Letterkenny R, Foyle Harps 0 v 1 Bertie Peacock, Ballyraine Utd 2 v 1 Hillsboro Boys, Don Boscos Colts 1 v 2 South Donegal SBY, Milford Utd 1 v 7 Ballymena Utd, Institute 1 v 2 Maiden City, East Donegal SBS 4 v 0 Mountjoy, Coleraine Colts 0 v 9 Coleraine, Letterkenny R 2 v 5 Rosario, Dungannon United 1 v 0 Ballinamallard Colts, SOPYC Colts 2 v 0 Clooney SS, Ballymoor 2 v 2 Oxford Sunnyside, SOPYC Jun 1 v 1 Strabane Ath, Draperstown Celtic 0 v 3 Ballinamallard, Magherafelt SB Colts 0 v 3 Lagan Harps, Clooney SS 0 v 3 Oxford Sunnyside, Tummery Ath 2 v 2 Glen Rovers, Strabane Ath 0 v 4 Ballinamallard, Lagan Harps 1 v 1 SOPYC Colts, Magherafelt SB Colts 1 v 7 Ballymoor, Glen Rovers 1 v 0 SOPYC Jun, Tummery Ath 1 v 7 Draperstown Celtic

Under 12

Ballyclare Colts 8 v 1 Raphoe Town, Cliftonville 4 v 0 Bonagee, Inishowen Youth League 9 v 0 South Donegal SBY, Donegal SBY 1 v 0 Larne Youth, Ballymena Utd 5 v 1 Lifford Celtic, Ballinamallard 4 v 1 Ballycastle Youth, Limavady Utd 2 v 2 Hillsboro Boys, Glentoran 2 v 1 Maiden City, Tristar 4 v 1 Lisnaskea Rovers, East Donegal SBY 6 v 0 Strabane Ath, Mountjoy Utd 4 v 0 Bright Stars, Dungannon 8 v 0 Northend, Dergview 3 v 2 Portrush, Eany Celtic 0 v 0 Newtowne, Draperstown Celtic 0 v 4 Letterkenny & District, Derry Colts 3 v 2 Ardoyne, Coleraine 1 v 6 Foyle Harps, Sheff Utd 2 v 2 SOPYC

Under 13

Inishowen YL 2 v 0 Dragons de la Vaucouleurs, Letterkenny NW 7 v 0 Dorchester Youth, IFA Girls Dev 2 v 1 Newhill, Tristar 1 v 0 SOPYC, Oxford Utd 4 v 2 Red Star Roe Valley, Carniny Youth 0 v 6 South Donegal SBY, Tristar Colts 2 v 5 Sion Swifts, Bertie Peacock 0 v 4 Sheffield Utd, Craigavon City 3 v 1 Institute, Draperstown Celtic 2 v 2 Dergview, Altrincham 3 v 0 Limavady Utd, Eglinton Eagles 2 v 4 East Donegal SBY, Donegal SBY 2 v 0 Maiden City, St Patricks 1 v 5 East Coast Strikers, Coleraine 0 v 4 Trojans, Dungannon Utd 1 v 1 GLOBAL Premier Soccer

Under 14

Cookstown 5 v 1 Sion Swifts FC, South Donegal SBY 1 v 0 Foyle Harps Colts, Carniny 0 v 10 Hibernians, Keadue Rovers FC 1 v 0 Donegal SBY, Limavady 1 v 4 FD Suomi, St Marys FC 1 v 4 Inishowen Youth League, Tristar 1 v 0 Coleraine, Creagagh Wanderers 0 v 3 Newell, Ballymoney 0 v 2 Glenavon, East Donegal SBY 5 v 2 Shankill United, Phoenix Swifts 0 v 2 Derry Colts, Maiden City v SOPYC, Newhill v Mountjoy Utd, Foyle Harps 1 v 3 Finn Harps FC

Under 15

Derry Colts 1 v 2 Newcastle FC, Ballymoor FC v St James, Colleyville SA - Evolution v Phoenix FC, South Donegal SBY v St Marys, Letterkenny Rovers v Newbuildings, Right to Dream v Roe Valley, Drumkeen Utd 3 v 0 Sion Swifts, Partick v Maiden City, Willowbank v Culmore, Derry City FC v Greenisland, First Choice Soccer B v Foyle Harps, Oxford United v West Florida Flames

Under 16

Inishowen YL v Tristar, Maiden City v West Chester FC, Tristar Colts v Strabane Ath, Trojans v Ballymena United, Ardstraw Youth v Everton America, Bertie Peacock FC 1 v 4 Institute, St Marys v Dorchester Youth, Kildrum Tigers v Hearts, Dergview v Don Boscos

Girls Under 9

Crusaders FC 1 v 5 Donegal WL, Milford Utd 4 v 0 Dungiven Celtic, Linfield Girls 6 v 0 Crusaders FC, Linfield Girls 2 v 2 Donegal WL (Dongeal won 3-1 on pens), Sion swifts 3 v 0 Dungiven Celtic, Sion swifts 1 v 12 Linfield Girls, Donegal WL 5 v 0 Milford Utd, Crusaders FC 3 v 0 Milford Utd

Girls Under 11

Linfield FC 5 v 0 Derry City Ladies Colts, Linfield FC 3 v 1 Crusaders Strikers A, Donegal Girls L A 1 v 0 Foyle Belles, Donegal Girls L A 7 v 0 Cliftonville L, Donegal Girls C 7 v 0 Sion Swifts, Donegal Girls L B 1 v 5 Crusaders Strikers A, Derry City Ladies Colts 5 v 0 Donegal Girls L B, Crusaders Strikers B 1 v 1 Cliftonville L (Cliftionville won 3-2 on pens)

Girls Under 13

Foyle Belles 1 v 0 Inishowen YL B, Cliftonville L 2 v 3 Ballymoney Utd, Killen R 3 v 1 Inishowen YL A, Crusaders Strikers 1 v 1 Sion Swifts (Crusaders won 3-2 on pens), Donegal WL A 1 v 0 Donegal WL C, Ballinamallard FC 2 v 3 Sion Swifts Colts, Donegal WL B 6 v 0 Coleraine FC, NISGL 3 v 0 Derry City Ladies Colts, Cliftonville L 4 v 1 Sion Swifts, Ballymoney Utd 2 v 0 Crusaders Strikers, Inishowen YL B 1 v 4 Inishowen YL A