Local footballers off on Milk-y way

The teenagers will have even more incentive to do well than the rest of their County Antrim team-mates, with the finals of the world-famous competition being played in Ballymena for the fourth successive year.

Ballymena Showgrounds will again play host to the eagerly-awaited finals night and the new champions in three age sections will be crowned at the Warden Street venue next Friday evening, August 2.

There are three players in the Junior (under-15) panel - goalkeeper Chris Simpson, a pupil at Cambridge House, and Cargan lad Eamon Fyfe (st Louis), both of whom play their club football for Cliftonville. They are joined by Slemish College student Josh Corry, who plays for Crusaders.

In the Premier (under-17) section, Ballymena United have four representatives - goalkeeper Kyle Rowe and defender Jack Graham, who are both from the town, and Belfast boys Eoin Kane and Craig Gardiner, who play their club football at the Showgrounds.

The local link is completed by Michael McKenna and Jack Martin, who play for St Oliver Plunkett and Cliftonville respectively.

Aside from the progress of the four local boys, there will be plenty of action locally to keep football fans entertained during the week, with the Showgrounds, Broughshane and Clough hosting more than 20 games between them.

Don’t miss our Milk Cup feature on pages 46-47.