Ballymoney lad finds the net - from his own goal!

PETER Schmeichel, Paul Robinson, Andy Goram, Pat Jennings...and now Louis McIlveen.

Ballymoney lad Louis added his name to the illustrious list of goalkeepers to score during a match after hitting the onion bag during a recent game for his hometown side.

The Ballymoney United Youth Academy Under 14s’ goalkeeper went one better than his hero - Rangers goalie Alan McGregor - who has yet to get his name on the scoresheet.

The ace stopper scored against league rivals Oxford United Stars when he launched the ball from his own box during the game in Londonderry.

The young Rangers and Chelsea fan gathered the ball during the match before arrowing it the length of the full-sized pitch.

Much to the delight of 13-year-old Louis and his team-mates the ball bounced over the opposition ‘keeper and into the hosts’ goal.

And he almost repeated the feat - another trademark blast came back off the post.

Unfortunately Ballymoney lost the game 2-1 but all the talk after the game was of Louis’ amazing goal.

“It must be one of the few times a goalkeeper has scored from his own box anywhere in Northern Ireland,” said Louis’ proud dad Darren, himself a former goalkeeper with Glebe Rangers.

“I did goals myself and I never came close to scoring.

“I couldn’t believe it when the manager Davy Cunningham told me.

“I asked him the score and he said that Louis had scored. I asked him if he had been playing out and he said he had scored from his own box.

“Later on in the game he hit the post with another effort.

“He has always had a good kick.

“But he is a very down to earth lad and when he came in after the game he just said he had scored.

“It’s a big achievement and very few goalkeepers have done it other than the likes of Pat Jennings and Paul Robinson.

“I just don’t know how he did it.”

Ballymoney High School pupil Louis is an integral member of the Ballymoney Youth Academy set-up and has played regularly at the Foyle Cup.

He has also played at County level in the past and is tipped to have a big future ahead of him in the game.

Unfortunately it will be a couple of weeks before Louis is back between the sticks for United.

He sustained a suspected sprained wrist last Tuesday which is expected to keep him out of action for the next fortnight.

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