Foyle Harps Y.F.C.
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Foyle Harps Youth Football Club is a youth football team based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The club is currently one of the most successful youth football clubs in Northern Ireland and is renowned for producing many talented professional footballers.
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[edit] History
The club was formed in 1918 by players from the Brandywell Bogside area of Derry but over the years this has changed and its base of players now comes from the Shantallow and Galliagh areas of Derry. In 2001 the club amalgamated with Moorfield FC after the latter could no longer sustain its Derry and District League status.
[edit] Success
In August 2006 the Foyle Harps under-14 team visited China and played against some of the top Chinese youth teams. In recent years, the current under-14 team has been a tight-nit community, and they have won countless trophies, including the Derry and District League and the Mallusk NI tournament. Players from this talented batch of youngsters to have been offered trials include Denim Wray, Shane Duffy, and Robert Hume. Players, Shane Duffy, Robert Hume and Patrick McElheny were recently selected to play for Northern Ireland in the Victory Shield Tournament, which is televised by Sky Sports. After the first game against England, Duffy was spotted by no less than 20 different teams. Sunderland, Southampton,Bolton, Celtic,Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool expressed strong interest, but Duffy opted to sign for Everton. Patrick "Fats" McElheny has also been linked with a move to Goodison Park, and the player has expressed a strong desire to join up with his international team-mate, Shane Duffy. The current U15 team have won the league again this year for the 5th time in a row. Last summer the team had 4 players (Shane Duffy, Conor O' Doherty, Denim Wray and Patrick "Fatts" McElheny) selected to represent Derry in the prestigious Milk Cup competition, as well as 4 players (Gareth Brown, Lee Martin, Ray Kelly and Darryl Brown) representing the Derry and District select side in the Foyle Cup. This shows the quality in young talent that the club has. The club has high hopes that the current u16s bunch of players could well go on to do brighter and bigger things within football.
[edit] Notable former players
The club is noted for producing players Patrick McCourt and Eddie McCallion, both currently playing in the FAI League of Ireland for Derry City, and present Finn Harps striker Seamus Browne. Northern Ireland Under 23 star and Institute captain, David Ogilby, also had a spell at the club.
