Club a growing success story

With permission given from the widow of the late Dick Craig to use the name, Sunnyside Boys FC, was re-born.

During their first year five of their teams played in the Mid-Ulster League with the under 12s tasting success in the cup.

The club’s first major success came in 1997 when under the stewardship of the late, great Davy Murtagh, Sunnyside won the first ever Northern Ireland Cup at under 12 level.

Two more Northern Ireland Cups were won when Eugene O’Hagan’s under 12 team lifted the trophy in 1999 and Harry McAreavey’s under 12s won in 2003. Eugene O’Hagan’s under 13 team were also runners-up in 2000.

Later that year Sunnyside won the Champion of Champions tournament in Mallusk at under 14 and 15 level.

Another major step was taken in 2000 when Sunnyside joined forces with the top junior club in Northern Ireland, Oxford United, to form Oxford-Sunnyside FC.

In 2001 the club took its first steps into the Lisburn League with the under 15 and 16 teams but it wasn’t until 2004 that any success was achieved when the under 12 team won the Shield while the under 14s were losing finalists. Sunnyside were starting to find their feet in Lisburn.

In 2007 the under 10s, 11s and 12s all reached the Shield finals only to lose all three.

In 2009 the under 12s and 13s both won the Shield and Mark Jordan led the under 13s to the Lisburn League title, making it a great year for the side.

This season the club has entered six teams in Lisburn and five in the Mid-Ulster league as well as two senior teams.

Currently three teams, the under 11s, 13s and 14s, top their leagues while the under 13s have won the Shield.

Sunnyside are showing they are one of the top football sides in the country.

Oxford-Sunnyside FC would like to acknowledge the contribution made by Dessie ‘Bunker’ McGuinness to the club and his work over a lifetime with youth football.

They also thank Chris O’Connor and Noel Maginn for all their work with the younger age groups and all the coaches, parents and club volunteers who work so hard for football in the Lurgan area.