New York and Rathmullan Celtic form an unlikely alliance at the Foyle Cup

The president of US-based Lansdowne Yonkers FC, William McGrory, is excited to bring a group of talented young American footballers all the way across the Atlantic to this year’s highly anticipated O’Neills Foyle Cup.

William, a Rathmullan native, is bringing his U-13 team to Derry and the Northwest to seek high-level competition and, uniquely, they will partner with another club from his homeland for the duration of the tournament.

William explained: "This is our third year competing in the Foyle Cup, and we're overjoyed to team up with my old friend Mark Curran and Rathmullan Celtic for the first time. 

“The opportunity to compete both alongside and against players from so far away promises to be an amazing experience for all involved.”

William has been involved with Lansdowne Yonkers FC in New York for 14 years. His journey with the club started as a coach, and now, as president, William is thoroughly enjoying the challenge of expanding the organisation and inspiring as many young people as possible to take up soccer in downstate New York.

“We all know about the large Irish community in the United States, and particularly in eastern cities like New York and Boston. 

“The club is dedicated to providing opportunities, and playing the beautiful game with us offers fantastic incentives, including the chance to earn college scholarships and also embark on overseas trips, which is exactly what we’re doing for the Foyle Cup.”

Returning to Ireland for the prestigious Foyle Cup in 2024, which will be the largest ever with over 700 teams confirmed, excites everyone at the club. 

Closer to home, Mark Curran is well known in footballing circles in the Northwest, with a distinguished playing career at the likes of Finn Harps Reserves, Bonagee United, Milford United, Swilly Rovers and, of course, his beloved Rathmullan Celtic. 

Now a youth coach at the seaside outfit, Mark is delighted to be reunited with his colleague William at the Foyle Cup and is confident the mini merger between Rathmullan Celtic and Lansdowne Yonkers will be a resounding success.

He said: "We'll be welcoming the Americans to Rathmullan on Sunday for a meet and greet with our players before the Foyle Cup kicks off. 

“There'll be a barbecue and a bit of music, but they've all been keeping in touch via the likes of Snapchat, so they'll be pretty familiar with each other already. 

“I’ve seen names such as O’Reilly and Cavanagh on the list of players William is bringing, which shows the extent of the Irish connection in New York.

"This collaboration just made perfect sense, and we've even managed to get customised kits with the badges of both clubs included. 

“The clubs both have a Celtic connection and the colours are pretty similar, so the players will definitely look the part when they step onto the field and I’m sure they’ll be really competitive.”

As for Lansdowne Yonkers’ downtime, William is keen to get the American visitors to see as many of the sights as possible: 

“The best thing about the Foyle Cup is where it’s situated, it doesn’t get any better. We already have a few tourist activities set up - we’ll be visiting Giants Causeway, learning about Derry, and of course, travelling around Donegal. 

“At the end of the day, we’re here to play a football tournament, but that cultural aspect of the trip is really important for us as well.

The O’Neills Foyle Cup takes place from 15-20 July 2024.