Irish League duo face off for shot at Minor crown

THERE will be a high noon showdown at the Coleraine Showgrounds today as Dungannon United and Glentoran shootout for STATSports SuperCupNI Minor title.

Dungannon booked their place in the final thanks to a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Ballymena United at Anderson Park, while the Glens defeated League of Ireland academy side Finn Harps 1-0 in Portstewart.

It’s only the second edition of the Under 13 tournament, which featured 13 local teams as well US side Global Premier Soccer and Chinese outfit Beijing BFA.

Dungannon United’s Head of Academy Dixie Robinson is a big fan of the SuperCupNI’s new section.

“Even as coach, it’s hard not to get excited. You say to yourself it’s kids football and it’s not about results, but when the games kickoff you want to win.

“It’s great that the Minor section has brought the Irish League back to the SuperCup. It would be nice if there were a few more foreign teams like Beijing, but it’s certainly a great addition.”

Looking ahead to today’s midday kick-off at the Coleraine Showgrounds, Robinson said: “The boys have played four games in four days, so they’re shattered. After we beat Ballymena we took the boys to the beach so they could cool down in the sea and relax.

“We will prepare for the final by talking about our tactics and the way we want to play. Rodney McAree is with us and he has really helped the kids.

“Rodney’s father Joe deserves a lot of credit for the work he has done with both Dungannon United and Dungannon Swifts. All of this starts with him.

“Thanks to the reputation he built, we can attract good players to this club and that is good for both United and the Swifts.”