There was a weekend to remember for the boys of the Ards under 11 squad, who competed in the annual Blackpool Challenge Cup last weekend and returned home with the silverware.

The eagerly awaited annual Easter trip for the Under 11s and their band of supporters finally took off on Good Friday when the party of 35 flew out of Belfast for what was to be a memorable weekend at the Blackpool International Tournament. Without a hitch Archway Coaches conveyed the party from Liverpool's John Lennon airport to Team headquarters at the Alumhurst Hotel, Blackpool where they were made very welcome. It was early to bed for the boys in preparation for the business end of things which started with the first game at 9.00am on Saturday morning against Alva Swifts from Scotland.

The Under 11s started strongly and never really let the opposition settle into any routine. The Ards side moved the ball effectively and the quick fire 15 minute each way matches left no time for any complacency. Jonathan Norton opened the scoring with a well taken chance midway through the first half and then Caolan Bailie scored a sensational goal from outside the area which was greeted by enthusiastic applause all round. Alva Swifts tried hard to come back into the game in the second half but Stuart Muldrew ended their hopes when he scored two very important goals to end the match 4-0 to Ards Youth. 

The group also included two other teams from Scotland, Claremont BC and Carluke Utd, and Grosvenor Boys from Belfast completed the five teams.

Ards Youth's second match at 3pm must have been brilliant to watch for the neutral as both teams threatened to score at every opportunity in a first half that ended 0-0. During the match Conor Beattie made a couple of good saves while all the defenders put in tremendous efforts to keep Claremont out but with five minutes remaining Claremont were awarded a free kick which their midfielder converted in style. In the last few minutes Ards pushed three up front and nearly drew level but the final whistle sounded in favour of Claremont.

Sunday was a new day and Grosvenor Boys were Ards Youth's first opponents. Once again the Ards Boys played some terrific football but on balance the 1-0 final score in this match seemed somehow easier to take than the previous match. Conor Beattie had a particularly good game in goals.

With Ards facing only a slim chance of qualification to the Challenge Cup they made sure of three points in their next match against Carluke Utd. Mark Armstrong bagged the first goal, and Stuart Muldrew got the second after 12 minutes. 2-0 at half-time and the boys knew that their goal difference would be crucial if they were to have any hope of progressing. Mark Armstrong made it 3-0 in the second half after he ran on to a great pass from Gary McBride who had moved into midfield.

Coaches Mike Moore and Gary Crawford had covered every mathematical equation possible and were sure the boys had plenty of goals FOR compared to the rest of the teams in the other Under 12s sections. The news came through at about 4pm that Ards Youth would play Celtic Juniors in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup at 4.20pm so it was a case of getting the boys warmed up and ready to compete again in relatively short time.

The game started furiously and Mark Armstrong had scored after only 12 seconds when he and Stuart Muldrew caught the Celtic boys cold at the kick-off. They quickly rallied and after five minutes were awarded a free kick which was converted into the top corner giving Conor Beattie no chance. Then Stuart Muldrew's close quarter header made it 2-0 and at half-time Ards ran in 2-1 up. Celtic came out as expected like 12 men in the second half but Ards' back four withstood everything Celtic had to offer right up to when the whistle blew at 2-1 to Ards Youth.

If you think that was tense then read on because in a matter of a couple of hours the Under 11s had gone from celebration, to despair and to celebration and on to the final of the Challenge Cup.

The opposition was Windsor Youth from Belfast and as in the semi-final Ards got off to the perfect start when Mark Armstrong scored within a minute of the kick-off and midway through the first half he made 2-0. Windsor certainly hadn't thrown in the towel and at the beginning of the second half piled on the pressure and were rewarded with a goal after five minutes. They pushing hard after that to force the match into penalties and they scored with two minutes to go sending their supporters into a frenzy and ours back into despair.

So this incredible roller coaster ride stopped two minutes later, but only temporarily for the referee to end the match and officiate over the penalties. Windsor went first and scored but Captain Paul Kirkwood drilled in Ards first penalty to level. Windsor missed their second and Mark Armstrong scored to make it 2-1. Windsor scored their third, 2-2, Gary McBride made it 3-2 to Ards Youth then Windsor missed their fourth which left Stuart Muldrew with the chance to give Ards Under 11s the silverware and Striker Muldrew sent Ards into dreamland and celebration once more with a confident spot kick which made the final result 4-2 to Ards Youth on penalties.

Now whatever level of football you play at, it can't be any more exciting than that, can it? The Windsor boys and coaches were genuinely congratulated and consoled by the Ards Youth contingent and it was great to see handshakes all round at the end.

At the Ards Youth presentations at the hotel on Sunday night Gareth Baxter, Andrew Flack, Matthew Ferguson and Stuart Bleakley all received opposition team pendants in addition to their medals while Caolan Bailie, who through sickness, could not play in the final was presented with the match memento from Celtic along with his medal. All the Ards boys received medals and the award winners were as follows:

• Top goalscorer: Mark Armstrong
• Parents Player of the Tournament: Nathan Crawford
• Manager's Player of the Tournament: Conor Beattie

All the medals and trophies were kindly sponsored by Patterson Donnelly Solicitors. On Monday morning the Challenge Cup was presented to Ards Youth at the tournament venue by the Mayor of Blackpool Mr Phil Dunne.

PHOTO: Ards Youth

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