Coalisland Athletic will be aiming to get their hands on more silverware in the Presidents’ Junior Cup final tomorrow (Saturday 14 January).
Last year’s winners of Northern Ireland’s Irish Junior Cup are set to face Waterford side Villa FC, the winners of the equivalent competition in the Republic of Ireland, in the decider in Armagh (2pm kick-off).
The cup final is being staged at Holm Park, home of Armagh City, and will be attended by representatives from both the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland.
Last May Coalisland, who operate in Mid-Ulster League Division One, deservedly secured the fonaCAB Irish Junior Cup with a 4-1 win over Bangor Young Men in the final at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.
Two goals from Patrick John (PJ) Lavery, a superb strike from Daryl Magee and a Sean Corr penalty saw the Tyrone team win the trophy for the first time in their history.
And Villa FC secured the FAI Junior Cup for the first time back in May when Conor Kilgallon's goal was enough to see off Limerick outfit Pike Rovers in the decider at Turner’s Cross Stadium in Cork.
Villa are the reigning champions in the Premier League section of the Waterford and District Junior League, and are going well again this season, while Coalisland won the Mid-Ulster League Division One title last term and currently sit in second place in the league, three points behind leaders Ballyoran but with two games in hand.
The annual cross-border Presidents’ Junior Cup competition - featuring the winners of the IFA Junior Cup and FAI Junior Cup - was established in 2018 by the then Irish FA President David Martin and the then FAI President Donal Conway.
There is free entry to tomorrow’s cup final in Armagh.
Image: Coalisland Athletic celebrate their fonaCAB Irish Junior Cup success – and they will be hoping to lift another trophy tomorrow.
