Minister for Social Development, Mervyn Storey MLA and members of the club’s Academy at the official opening of the new facility at Town Arena

Minister for Social Development, Mervyn Storey MLA, has officially opened a new £513,000 sports and community facility at Lurgan Town Football Club. The new facility includes a clubhouse and a 3G youth football pitch, with upgraded lights and car parking facilities. It will be used both by the Club and also by schools, youth clubs, sporting, voluntary and community organisations within the Lurgan and Brownlow Neighbourhood Renewal areas.

Minister Storey said: “Lurgan Town Football Club is an excellent example of a sporting organisation which is at the heart of its community. It provides opportunities for young people regardless of their background or ability. With 400 members and 40 volunteers, Lurgan Town Football Club is a key player in the local community and these new facilities will enable them to continue to deliver even more programmes to improve social and community regeneration.”

Since March 2007 the Department has invested over £8.7million in a range of projects and programmes in the Lurgan and Brownlow Neighbourhood Renewal area to help enhance the physical… Continued on Page 2

Lurgan Town Arena, 83 Glenavon Lane, Lurgan, Co , BT66 8TN

NEWS IN BRIEF

ARENA OFFICIALLY OPENED AUGUST RESULTS Continued from Page 1… environment, and also improve the health, 31st August 2015 education and employability of its residents. U16 NL 3-1 Ballymena Utd (Ryan Finlay, Adam Loughran, Nathan Hamilton)

The Minister added: “I fully appreciate the importance of sport in 29th August 2015 our community and the role it has to play in helping to address 1st Team 5-1 St Marys (Geoff Greenaway) disadvantage. The links between sporting activity and improved health and well-being are clear, but there are also other benefits 28th August 2015 which help create structure and discipline for those who might U19 MU 11-0 Bournview Mill (Philip Bingham otherwise become disengaged from society. x5, Adam Wing, Scott Wilshire, Josh Law, Sid Tavares, Eamon Coleman, Harry Wilson) “Sport helps contribute to community pride and promotes and U13 NL 1-7 Ballymena Utd (Rhys Emerson) nurtures volunteering; something which has been exemplified by 26th August 2015 Lurgan Town Football Club and their community partners.” U19 MU 7-0 Youth (Philip Bingham GIRLS ACADEMY x3, Tom Brown x2, Matthew Hagan, Jake Kerr)

As numbers continue to grow at the Lurgan Town Girls Academy 22nd August 2015 and with girls coming back from holidays and numbers expecting 1st Team 0-1 Wellington Rec to get bigger, we are currently looking for coaches and volunteers U19 MU 2-5 Cookstown Youth (Philip who would like to come and give a hand so we can coach the girls Bingham, Matthew Hagan) in their different age groups. Anyone interested in getting involved please send a private message to the Lurgan Town 19th August 2015 Facebook page or email [email protected]. 1st Team 1-1 Oxford Sunnyside (Matt Irvine)

15th August 2015 Any new players that are interested joining it is currently for 5 1st Team 5-0 (Matt Irvine x2, years old up to the age of 14. We train from 6pm to 7pm every Andrew Houston, Sammy Wright, David Thursday at the Lurgan Town Arena. Hamilton)

11th August 2015 1st Team 4-0 Seagoe (Nathan Crozier, Kyle Cousins, Matt Irvine, Andrew Houston)

8th August 2015 1st Team 1-1 Markethill Swifts (Sammy Wright)

SENIOR MATCH SPONSORS 1s Team v St Marys - Gilford Tae Kwon Do

1st Team v Wellington Rec - Nigels School of Motoring

1st Team v Oxford Sunnside - DM Laser Fab Ltd

1st Team v Laurelvale - Lurgan Darts Distributions

1st Team v Seagoe - www.anfieldtrophies.co.uk

1st Team v Markethill Swifts - www.thebeautifulgame.eu

Want to sponsor a game? Get in touch. £20 per match. Email [email protected]

McDONALDS REGIONAL AWARD

The year of 2015 just gets better for Lurgan Town FC as we recently found out we are to receive the award for McDonalds Regional IFA Accredited Community Club of Year. Lurgan Town FC representatives received their award from legend and McDonalds Ambassador Pat Jennings on Friday 7th August.

“This is an award everyone connected to the club can be proud of from committee, volunteers, players and parents,” said club secretary Philip McKinley. “The desire of the committee to make Lurgan Town FC a club for the community and wider areas is very much number one on the list. We have a commitment to provide a service that everyone can feel a part of and we also strive to provide facilities that shows the club’s ambition to keep moving forward. We would also like to thank McDonalds for this award in which it gives the club a feeling that things are being done the right way.”

The club will now go up against all other Northern Ireland regional winners later in the year to find out if we will be named the National winners.

MILK CUP REVIEW

Milk Cup Junior Squad: Tyler Boyce (GK), Ben Davison (right of GK), Darragh Gray (front left), John Lee McAfee (front row 2nd from right)

Junior Results Congratulations to Ben Davison, Tyler Boyce, Darragh Gray, Declan Group Games Swindon Town 1-3 Co. Armagh O'Neill (Junior Squad) and Tiarnan Judge (Senior Squad) on their Co. Tyrone 2-1 Co. Armagh selection to the Co Armagh Milk Cup Squads. The boys have taken time Co. Armagh 0-0 Right to Dream out to answer a few questions for WIE about their experience in Northern Irelands most prestigious youth football tournament. Dale Farm Bowl Semi Final GPS FC Bayern 1-1 Co Armagh (5-4 Pens) WIE: How did you find out you had made the squad? Ben Davidson: At the final trial I was told by the manager and coaches I had made the Dale Farm Bowl 3rd/4th Place Play Off squad. WIE: What team where you looking forward to playing against Co Armagh 0-2 North Dublin SL the most? BD: Right to dream. WIE: What was it like to play in the tournament? BD: A fantastic experience, living like a professional Senior Results footballer for the week. WIE: What was your favourite game? BD: Group Games Real Sociedad 1-0 Co. Armagh Swindon Town - it was a great win and a good start to the tournament. Co. Armagh 2-1 Alset Colombia WIE: What would you say was the best thing about playing in the Co. Armagh 2-0 Otago Academy tournament? BD: The challenge of playing against footballers from all over the world. WIE: As a player what did you learn? BD: That you have Dale Farm Vase Semi Final to give 100% for every second of every match. Co Armagh 0-0 Motherwell (5-4 Pens) New signing John Lee McAfee also answered a few questions. WIE: Dale Farm Vase Final How did you find out you had made the squad? JLM: There were 24 Co Armagh 1-6 Right To Dream players in the changing room and they called 6 out to let them know they didn't make the squad, then they came into Us and told us we made the final 18. WIE: What team where you looking forward to playing against the most? JLM: Right to Dream because they were unbeaten in 32 games. WIE: What was it like to play in the tournament? It was such an experience. We were treated like pro- fessionals, getting a massage before a match an a ice bath after the match, kids asking us for our autographs and getting photos taken, it was just unreal. WIE: What was your favourite game? JLM: Has to be Swindon town as I got a goal and played well. WIE: What would you say was the best thing about playing in the tourna- ment? JLM: The experience and meeting loads of new people. WIE: What did you learn as a player during the week ? JLM: I learnt a lot of things but the main one has to be, when you work as a team you will achieve.

MIK CUP REVIEW

WIE: How did you find out you had made the squad? Tiarnan Judge in orange Tiarnan Judge: We where sat in the changing rooms and they called out each player that was getting cut which was pretty scary. Then the coaches came in and told us we had made the squad. WIE: What team where you looking forward to playing against the most? TJ: Real Sociedad because they are a massive club around the world and were going to be a great footballing side. WIE: What was it like to play in the tournament? TJ: It was a great experience and I got to play against some of the best players in the world at my age group. WIE: What was your favourite game? TJ: Motherwell - it was played at a high intensity and winning on penalties was a great feel- ing. WIE: What would you say was the best thing about playing in the tournament? TJ: Seeing where you stand compared to the professional players around the world at your age. WIE: As a player what did you learn? TJ: The way in which different cultures player their football and how important it wad to adapt to playing against these different cultures. WIE: Tiarnan has recently joined FC following 3 years at the club including his debut season with the senior side. We would like to wish him all the best in this new challenge.

WIE: How did you find out you had made the squad? Darragh Gray: It was very nerve-wracking, after training they called us in 1 by 1 to tell us if we had been selected, then the next Saturday we were given a letter confirming this. WIE: What team where you looking forward to playing against the most? DG: After the draw had been made I think the whole squad were looking forward to playing against Right to Dream who were from Ghana. They are a football academy who scout over 20,000 players a year from across the African continent. WIE: What was it like to play in the tournament? DG: It was brilliant, the best experience of my life so far. WIE: What was your favourite game? DG: Drawing with Right to Dream, as everyone knew how good they were. They had played in 2 previous tournaments before arriving at the milk cup winning both (defeating Arsenal in one final and Benfica in the other). So not to get beat by them in front of a huge crowd at the Coleraine Showgrounds was amazing. WIE: What would you say was the best thing about playing in the tournament? DG: The best thing was scoring the opening goal in the first match against Swindon Town and having good craic with the other lads. WIE: As a player what did you learn? DG: That playing 5 matches in 5 days wrecks you!!

WIE: How did you find out you had made the squad? Tyler Boyce: We were all in the changing room and basically whoever was called out didn't make it and gladly I wasn't called out. WIE: What team where you looking forward to playing “… be against the most? TB: Probably Right to Dream because I had heard all about their success before the Milk Cup and I was confident looking forward to the challenge. WIE: What was it like to play in the tournament? TB: It was such a good experience to play in the at all tournament and I met some great people so it was a good week. WIE: What was your favourite game? TB: My favourite game was times on our first against Swindon, simply because we were brilliant and it was a great result for us. WIE: What would you say was the best the pitch” thing about playing in the tournament? TB: The best thing about playing in the Milk Cup is how professional the tournament set up Tyler Boyce is and the overall experience of playing in it. WIE: As a player what did you learn? TB: I learnt a few things over the week but the main thing I learnt was to be confident in my own ability and to be confident at all times on the pitch.

LURGAN TOWN CUP

Over 3 consecutive Saturdays in August, we hosted the Lurgan Town Cup at U9 Winners the Arena. Designed for U9, U10, U12 and U16 teams all 3 days where a great Lurgan Town Vapors - Plate success with some fantastic players representing their teams and some Lurgan Town Predators - Plaque fantastic goals scored. Of the 15 trophies on offer, Lurgan Town won 6 of Windmill Stars - Shield them including at least one trophy from each age group. Sion Swifts - Cup

U10 Winners Lurgan Town Vapors - Plate East Coast Strikers - Plaque Portadown Youth - Shield Lurgan Town Predators - Cup

U12 Winners Glenavon Academy - Plaque Lurgan Town - Shield Greenisland - Cup

U16 Winners Above: Under 10 Vapors - Plate Winners. Right: Under 9 Vapors - Plate Lurgan Town National - Plate Winners. Below: Under 12 - Shield Winners North - Plaque Carrick Rangers - Shield St Oliver Plunkett - Cup

Below: Under 10 Predators - Cup Winners. Bottom Left: Under 16 National - Plate Winners. Bottom Right: Under 9 Predators - Plaque Winners

MALLUSK FUN DAY

On Saturday 22nd August our U8, U9, U10 and U11 sides travelled to Mallusk to play in some fun filled games. The boys (and coaches) got to meet former Arsenal player Martin Keown and Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings.

Under 11: Played 6. Won 6

Under 9 Vapors: Played 5. Won 1, Drew 1. Lost 5.

Under 10 Predators: Played 6. Won 5. Drew 1. Under 8: Played 6. Won 2. Lost 4

Under 10 Vapors: Played 6. Won 3, Drew 2, Lost 1

Under 9 Predators: Played 6. Won 2. Drew 1. Lost 3

IN FRIENDSHIP: EAST BELFAST AND LURGAN TOWN

1.

The Lurgan Town U15s made the trip today (Saturday 29th August) to East Belfast for their annual Pre Season friendly where our Lisburn League team played their National League team and our Mid Ulster team played their South Belfast 2. League team. In two exciting and quality games our Lisburn

League team won 4-2 with East Belfast over coming the Mid Ulster team 7-2. A great day was had by players, coaches and parents and we would like to thank East Belfast for their hospitality. We will look forward to seeing them next year at the Lurgan Town Arena.

3.

Pic 1: Our Lisburn League side and East Belfast National League side. Pic 2: Our Mid Ulster League side and East Belfast’s South Belfast League side. Pic 3: Captains from all four sides exchanging commemorative trophies from the games.