Paddy Leonard, 14 Jul
Football-mad Meaghan McCallion is gearing up for an emotional return to
her hometown of Derry as she prepares to compete in the O’Neills Foyle
Cup, 14 years on from a family move to Liverpool.
When the youngster discovered where her family would be moving to, she
was over the moon due to her footballing allegiance. Meaghan recalled:
“I found out at around Christmas when I was in P5 that we would be
moving to Liverpool. I had grown up as an obsessive fan of the Reds, so
I was ecstatic at the thought of living in the same city as my
favourite team, and of course the chance to see them in action more
often.”
Meaghan, who is now a primary school teacher in the northwest English
city, is especially excited at the prospect of playing in a tournament
she vividly remembers from her childhood in the Walled City.
The Foyle Cup is very much a family affair for the McCallion clan.
Meaghan’s grandmother, Carmel, works at the tournament office, with the
young football fan alongside her never too far from the action.
She said: “I used to go along with my granny to help out at the
tournament in any way I could, and I got a chance to watch so many
matches as the event continued to grow. I also remember the first
ladies’ games taking place and being inspired to one day take part
myself, so it’s great to have come full circle.”
The 23-year-old is settled as a goalkeeper for Merseyside-based Upton
Ladies Football Club, after switching between several clubs in her teen
years.
However, Meaghan has been competing in the beautiful game since the age
of four.
[Foyle_Cup_3_22395350-1657194981262.jpg--foyle_cup_participation_for_de
rry_man_marty_walker_a__no_brainer_.jpg?1657194981000]
Foyle Cup participation for Derry man Marty Walker a ‘no-brainer’
She explained: “As a child, I used to go to all the Derry City football
camps and got a lot of experience playing for Groarty Sky Blues and
school teams. As a teenager, I actually got put in goal initially
because my time playing Gaelic football made me a lot braver than most
of my teammates!”
Upton Ladies have been grouped with Derry City, Strabane Athletic and
Sea Rovers in the ladies’ draw, and they are aiming to make a real
impact in the tournament given their recent good form.
Meaghan said: “We are undefeated in the league this season, only
drawing two games – and we were weakened for those as a result of
Covid-19. We have also recently been promoted to a higher division, so
we are quietly confident of being competitive against anyone.
"The manager has been looking at social media clips to try and get a
flavour of what’s to come, but we also know every game at the Foyle Cup
is difficult, especially with so many games in such a short period of
time.
[23-07-19_foyle_cup_parade_04%5B17407%5Dx-1657125780155.jpg--record_num
ber_of_entries_as_foyle_cup_parade_confirmed.jpg?1657125781000]
Record number of entries as Foyle Cup parade confirmed
The parade will see competing teams march through the streets of Derry
“I also can’t wait to show the girls around! We already have an
itinerary with the likes of the Giant’s Causeway, Derry Walls and Foyle
Maritime Festival on our list. I’ve really been bigging up how
brilliant it is back home, so everyone is really looking forward to our
time in Ireland.”
Grateful
The talented goalkeeper was also keen to highlight that the trip across
the Irish Sea would not have been possible without the kindness of
sponsors. A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for travel and
accommodation, and a local bar generously hosted a charity night for
the club.
“The Willows Pub in the Wirral was fantastic,” Meaghan remarked.
“They allowed us to hold a fundraiser complete with karaoke, games and
craic, and after we invited family, friends and locals, we were
delighted to raise almost £1,000. Ray Parker, who owns the pub, has
always been brilliant to us and we always make sure to visit there on
Sundays after our matches.”
[IDNT_14-7-22_Back_Page_2-1657795855296.jpg--ruaidhri_higgins_believes_
derry_can_make_history_in_riga.jpg?1657795856000]
Ruaidhri Higgins believes Derry can make history in Riga
Foyle Cup Secretary Philip Devlin commented: “Meaghan’s Foyle Cup story
is fantastic. Upton Ladies may never have had the opportunity to
compete in this tournament were it not for a Derry girl, which proves
how much it means to the people here. Meaghan may have moved to
Liverpool a long time ago, but she has never forgotten her home.
"On behalf of everyone at the Foyle Cup, we wish Meaghan and her
teammates the very best of luck in this year’s competition.”