Killyleagh Youth Football Club

Mention Killyleagh and many people will automatically associate soccer with the name. Few amateur soccer teams in the country can match Killyleagh Youth Football Club's record in recent seasons.

For the past four seasons, from 1999, they have won the Northern Amateur League’s Premier Section title but it is their performance on the bigger stage that has made the club famous. In 2002 they became the first amateur side to reach the semi-finals of the senior Irish Cup competition before falling to Linfield.

The club began in humble surroundings in 1960, formed as a youth club outlet for young boys in the town. It was open on a cross-community basis in an enlightened policy of taking young people off the streets, well ahead of a model that would be used in other areas years later. A key component was the formation of a football team and it played its first match in the South Belfast Youth League in September 1960. The founder officials were: Sam McCullough (Chairman), Billy Ferris (Secretary), Jim Farson (Treasurer), Gerry Green, Barlow Matthews, Frank Houston and Rev J. C. Boggs (President).

After winning the South Belfast League title in its first season, the club progressed to the Amateur League where it has remained ever since. Since the then manager Andy Cranston took it into the top flight in 1979, it has remained there since.

Under the managership of former player Dee Heron, the trophy cabinet has rarely been empty. In his first season in charge in 1992/93, he won the Premier Section title. In 12 years in charge he has won 12 trophies including the Steel and Sons Cup at Christmas 2002.

For four successive seasons up to February 2003 Heron and his assistant Michael Murray have led out a Killyleagh team against Irish League opposition in the sixth round. Heron took his team to Windsor Park for a sixth round game in February 2000 where they were only defeated 1-0 by Linfield. Home fans generously applauded Killyleagh from the pitch. Twelve months later and they held Glenavon 1-1. They shocked their hosts thanks to a Mark Holland goal in the first half before Gary Haylock earned his side a replay. There was no chance of a shock second time around as Glenavon coasted to a 4-0 victory. In 2002 they made it to the semi-finals defeating Irish League sides Larne and Ballyclare on the way, before losing to Linfield. In 2003 they were defeated by Ards in the sixth round.

Killyleagh has a strong Irish Cup pedigree. The club has taken to the big-time stage in the Irish Cup on other occasions, with creditable performances against Ballymena United (lost 0-2) in 1985 and Crusaders (lost 1-2) in 1997. In the past the amateur side has claimed the scalps of Irish League sides Portadown, Bangor and Carrick Rangers in the Co Antrim Shield.

In 2000, in the year in which it celebrated the 40th anniversary of its foundation, the club retained the Amateur League's Premier Section title and picked up the League's main knock-out competition, the Clarence Cup. This earned them a summer-time trip to Sweden to compete in the Carlsberg European Pub Cup.

Playing in Europe, and in Irish football’s premier cup competition, is a long way from its humble beginnings.

However, the history of football in Killyleagh goes back much further. The town has produced many fine teams down the years, with football first played at The Showgrounds on the Comber Road after they were first opened in 1912. In that time Killyleagh has turned out three international players – David Healy (Manchester United and Preston), Terry Cochrane (Burnley and Middlesbrough) and Hugh Henry Davey (Reading).

Training takes place each Tuesday and Thursday at The Showgrounds or Bridge Community Centre, 7pm to 8.30pm.

Matches each Saturday at 2pm at The Showgrounds, Comber Road.

The club also runs soccer skills training courses and fun soccer for boys and girls of primary school age each summer.