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More silverware for the Academy

Mon, 28/07/2014 - 18:36

Members of the victorious Foyle Cup winning team turned up in the Glentoran boardroom on Saturday afternoon with their latest piece of silverware. Left to right in the main photograph are James McCarthy, Jonathan Cockcroft, David Lowry (manager), Kyle Toan, Glentoran FC Chairman Stephen Henderson, Josh Tipping, Matthew Anderson (back), Jack Henderson (front), Lewis Massey (GK coach) & Adam McAleenan.

Glentoran Academy's magnificent summer continued this week as our Under 14's won the Foyle Cup. The competition is notoriously hard to win and is one of the toughest tournaments in the UK.

This year's competition had added spice with the inclusion of Celtic, who had spent a reported £200,000 on their Under 14 side adding players to the squad and were firm favourites for the tournament. Hearts late withdrawal seen the inclusion of Finn Harps and with Donegal Schools Select Team and the current Holders, Inishowen Youth League back to defend the title they won last year after a shoot-out victory over Sheffied United the Glens knew it would be a tall order.

The Glens were handed a tough group as they were pitted against the holders and the host City's representative side Derry Colts - players chosen from the Derry and District Youth League. First up for the Glens though was Limavady - the team put to the sword by Glentoran in this past season's Northern Ireland Cup final.

The Glens made a comfortable start to the campaign when goals from Tipping (2), Henderson and Toan and sealed a 4-0 win. This set the team up well for arguably their toughest game of the group where they had to travel to Buncrana to face Inishowen in their own backyard.

Glentoran produced an outstanding performance in the searing heat of Donegal to seal a great 1-0win; the Glens displaying their passing class in the first half and most of the second before having to dig in and grind out the result against a very strong representative side. Caolan Boydmunce scored the decisive goal - his first competitive goal for the Academy since his summer signing as he curled a great free kick round the wall into the far corner of the net.

The third and final group game was against Derry Colts and after a frustrating week for Paul O'Neill he finally had a chance to make an impact and he duly responded by firing the Glens into the lead. Paul had suffered a bump to the head after 5 minutes of the opening game and was forced off and missed the Inishowen game as a precaution so he was very relieved to get his campaign up and running.

Caolan Boydmunce added to his tally as he scored a wonder goal from all of thirty yards into the top corner of the net before Ben Redpath capitalised on a defensive mix up to seal a 3-0 win.

So the Glens had topped their group without conceding a goal and qualified for the Foyle Cup proper. Their semi final opponents were the winners of Group D - Maiden City Academy.

Kyle Toan grabbed his second goal of the tournament just before half time to settle Glentoran nerves as he headed home from a corner before again Paul O'Neill made a big impact early in the second half grabbing the second goal of the game to give the Glens a two goal cushion.

Two minutes from the end Maiden City scored to cut the deficit in half and make for a tense finish but the Glens held out to break their semi-final hoodoo in the Foyle Cup and make the final - Glentoran had gone out at this stage in the previous two summers to Hearts and Sheffield United respectively.

All attention then turned to the other semi-final as we awaited the inevitable news that we would be going to the Brandywell to face Celtic but news gradually filtered through that the Scottish giants had been stunned by Donegal Schoolboys in a shock 1-0 result.

So it was off to the Brandywell on Saturday morning to face Donegal. Glentoran showed no fear of their giant killing opponents as they dominated the opening exchanges, playing some superb football and duly got the breakthrough they deserved mid way through the half when hit man Tipping pounced for his third of the tournament and fired home the eventual match winner from 6 yards after the keeper had parried a rasper from Lorenzo Dawkins.

Josh Tipping

Donegal came into the game strongly in the closing stages and a mixture of two fine saves from Matthew Anderson in goals and a colossal performance from 'Man of the Match', Adam McAleenan and his central defensive partner Callum Carson seen Glentoran safely to the final whistle and the cup itself!

Huge congratulations to all the players who had to compete with not only top opposition but roasting hot weather conditions all week and there were a lot of tired legs by the end of the tournament but once again these young lads have proved their quality and that the future of Glentoran FC is in good hands!

Adam McAleenan

Foyle Cup Squad:
Matthew Anderson (Many thanks to Ards Rangers FC for allowing Matthew to guest for us this week in the absence of our regular goalkeeper Oliver Webber)
Jonathan Cockcroft
James McCarthy
Callum Carson
Adam McAleenan
Gerard Maguire
Caolan McBrearty
Caolan Boydmunce
Padraig Slane
Caoimhin McConnell
Lorenzo Dawkins
Joseph McMullan
Jack Henderson
Ben Redpath
Kyle Toan
Josh Tipping
Paul O'Neill
Matthew Lee