Portstewart F.C.

Last updated

Portstewart
Full namePortstewart Football Club
Nickname(s)The Seahawks
Founded1968
GroundMullaghacall, Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Capacity1,500
ChairmanEamonn Murray
ManagerMo Mahon
League NIFL Premier Intermediate League
2023–24 NIFL Premier Intermediate League, 12th of 14

Portstewart Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club from Portstewart, County Londonderry. The club was founded in 1968 [1] and currently plays in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club's main colours are sky blue and navy. Portstewart are nicknamed "The Seahawks". Portstewart Reserves play in the Coleraine and District Morning League. [2] In 2019, Portstewart introduced an Under 20s team, to play in the Championship/PIL Development League. [3]

Contents

History

Although there are records of teams playing under the name of Portstewart as far back as 1926, Portstewart Football Club was founded in 1968, to play in the Castlerock and Coleraine District League afternoon section. Led by Tony McKeague, Portstewart won the league and the Doherty Cup in their debut season. The next season the club progressed into the North West League Division 2 and earned promotion to the North West Division 1.

Portstewart took another stride forward in 1979, when they applied to join the Northern Ireland Intermediate League (NIIL). The most defining moment in the club's history came when they appointed Frankie Moffatt, for the first of two spells, as manager in 1984. Moffatt delivered the league title in his first year in charge and followed this up with success in the NIIL Challenge Cup and NIIL League Cup. Following spells at Ballymoney United and then Coleraine, Moffatt returned as manager in 1991.

Portstewart created history in 1994, when they defeated Limavady Utd 1–0 in the William Youngers Intermediate Cup final, becoming the first junior team in over 100 years of the competition to lift the trophy. In 2003, Portstewart were accepted into newly created Irish league Division 2.

Moffatt's decision to step down as manager resulted in his assistant Trevor McKendry taking charge of team affairs, and under his leadership Portstewart continued to grow. McKendry led the team to the North West Cup final in 2004 when they were narrowly defeated by Tobermore United. In the 2005/06 season, when Portstewart gained promotion to second tier of Irish League football for the first time in the club's history. Portstewart won the 2007/08 Craig Memorial Cup beating Tobermore United, 2–1.

In 2016, the club was relegated from the Northern Ireland Football League, but was promoted back after only one season. [4] The 2016/17 season saw Portstewart win the Northern Ireland Intermediate League, Intermediate Challenge Cup and Intermediate League Cup. The club also reached the fifth round of the Irish Cup where they got defeated by Glenavon. [5]

The 2017/18 season, saw Portstewart get to the final of Craig Memorial Cup, losing 2–1 to Maiden City. [6] On 17 July 2018, the club announced the resignation of long-serving manager and former captain, Gary Taylor. 3 days later, Johnny Law was appointed as the new manager.

During the 2018/19 season, a match between Portstewart and Sport & Leisure Swifts was abandoned after 70 minutes when a fan joined a "mass brawl" between players and coaches. [7] Further controversy followed when Portstewart lost their place in the Irish Intermediate Cup final, following a protest from Queen's University about the eligibility of one of Portstewart's players. [8]

Portstewart beat Moyola Park 1–0, to win the 2019 Craig Memorial Cup. [9] The 2019/20 season was disrupted in March by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the club still unbeaten in the league and sitting 2nd after 14 games.

Stadium

The club's home ground, Mullaghacall, was officially opened in 1997 by Harry Gregg MBE. A revamp in the Irish league saw a number of clubs demoted in 2008 into an interim league until ground improvements were completed. A new stand was built at Mullaghacall in 2009 and the club once again entered into the reformed Irish league.

Mullaghacall is a regular host of the SuperCupNI.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
— GK Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Billy McDowell
— DF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Johnny Watt(captain)
— DF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Lee Forgrave
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Tony Tumelty
— DF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Luke Bradley
— DF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Nicky Hudson
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Aaron Doherty
— GK Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Glenn McMullan
No.Pos.NationPlayer
— FW Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Pierce Quigley
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Taylor McBride
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Glenn Law
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Jason Peden
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Joseph Morgan
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Ryan Doherty
— MF Ulster Banner.svg  NIR Scott McDonald

Honours

Intermediate honours

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballymena United F.C.</span> Association football club in Northern Ireland

Ballymena United Football Club is a semi-professional football club from Northern Ireland. Based in Ballymena, County Antrim, the team competes in the NIFL Premiership and plays home matches at the Ballymena Showgrounds. The club has been managed by former captain Jim Ervin since 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coleraine F.C.</span> Association football club in Northern Ireland

Coleraine Football Club is a professional Northern Irish football club, playing in the NIFL Premiership, the highest level of the Northern Ireland Football League.

Institute Football Club is a Northern Irish semi-professional association football club playing in the NIFL Championship. The club, founded in 1905, currently play their home matches at the Brandywell Stadium, Derry. Club colours are sky blue and maroon. The club is managed by Kevin Deery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrick Rangers F.C.</span> Association football club in Northern Ireland

Carrick Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in NIFL Premiership. The club, founded in 1939, hails from Carrickfergus, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Taylors Avenue which is known as the Loughview Leisure Arena due to sponsorship reasons, which is owned by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Carrick Rangers main rivals are Larne, with matches between the sides being known as, "The East Antrim Derby." Ballyclare Comrades are also local rivals.

Glenavon Football Club is a Northern Irish semi-professional football club that competes in the NIFL Premiership. Founded in 1889, the club hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park. Club colours are blue and white. Glenavon's bitter rivals are Portadown, with their matches known as the "Mid-Ulster Derby". The club is currently managed by Stephen McDonnell, formerly of Warrenpoint Town and Shelbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moyola Park F.C.</span> Association football club in Northern Ireland

Moyola Park Association Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1880, hails from Castledawson, near Magherafelt, County Londonderry, and plays its home matches at Fortwilliam Park with the club groundsharing with Tobermore United following the closure of Mill Meadow. Club colours are royal blue and yellow. The club won the inaugural Irish Cup in 1881. The club is managed by Kenny Shiels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dergview F.C.</span> Association football club in Northern Ireland

Dergview Football Club is an intermediate-level, Northern Irish football playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobermore United F.C.</span> Association football club in Northern Ireland

Tobermore United Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.

Geoff Ferris is a Northern Ireland former footballer and football manager..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Jones (footballer, born 1928)</span> Irish footballer (1928–2014)

James Jones was a Northern Irish footballer who played as a forward. He is the leading goalscorer in the history of Irish League football with a total of 647 goals. According to RSSSF, he scored more than 809 goals in official matches, which makes him one of the most prolific goal scorers of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CLG Eoghan Rua</span> Derry-based Gaelic games club

CLG Eoghan Rua Cúil Raithin is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Despite some of the club's catchment area being in County Antrim, the club is a member of the Derry GAA. Eoghan Rua currently cater for Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie, and Ladies' Gaelic football and also compete in Scór and Scór n nÓg. The club's name commemorates Eoghan Rua Ó Néill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ciarán Martyn</span> Irish footballer

Ciarán Martyn is a midfielder for Ballinamallard United of the NIFL Premiership.

The Craig Memorial Cup, also known as the William Craig Memorial Cup is an intermediate football competition in Northern Ireland run by the North West of Ireland Football Association. The competition culminates in the final which has traditionally been played on Boxing Day. The current champions are Limavady United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Shiels</span> Northern Irish footballer and manager

Kenneth Shiels is a Northern Irish football manager and former player who is currently manager of NIFL Premier Intermediate side Moyola Park.

The 2014–15 Irish Cup was the 135th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 23 August 2014 with the first round, and concluded on 2 May 2015 with the final. For the first time since 1995, the Oval was chosen as the final venue following the discovery of damage to a stand at Windsor Park during the stadium's redevelopment.

The 2015–16 Irish Cup was the 136th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 18 August 2015 with the first round and concluded with the final at Windsor Park on 7 May 2016. The cup was sponsored by Tennent's Lager, the competition's first title sponsor since 2012.

The 2016–17 Irish Cup was the 137th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 19 August 2016 and concluded with the final at Windsor Park on 6 May 2017.

The 2017–18 Irish Cup was the 138th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 19 August 2017 and concluded with the final at Windsor Park in May 2018.

The 2017–18 NIFL Premier Intermediate League was the second season of the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, the third tier of the Northern Ireland Football League - the national football league in Northern Ireland. It ran from 12 August 2017 to 4 May 2018 and Dundela were crowned as champions, winning promotion to the 2018–19 NIFL Championship.

The 2018–19 Irish Cup was the 139th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knockout cup competition in Northern Irish football. The competition began on 11 August 2018 and concluded with the final at Windsor Park on 4 May 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Northern Ireland - Portstewart FC - Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news - Soccerway".
  2. ↑ "Pitchero League Websites - Manage your league and create an awesome website".
  3. ↑ "Home".
  4. ↑ "FOOTBALL: Three and easy for Portstewart".
  5. ↑ "Holders Glenavon end Portstewart's cup dreams". BBC Sport.
  6. ↑ "Maiden victory highlights the magic of Cup in festive final". Belfasttelegraph.
  7. ↑ "Portstewart-Sport & Leisure Swifts match abandoned after fan attacks player". Belfasttelegraph.
  8. ↑ "Portstewart lose Intermediate Cup final spot after Queen's protest".
  9. ↑ "Portstewart claim this years BetMcLean Craig Memorial North-West Cup at a rain drenched Fortwilliam Park on Boxing Day morning – Causeway Coast News". Archived from the original on 26 October 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.