‘It was the best feeling ever’ says local lad after history-making Milk Cup win

It’s a tournament that has traditionally attracted the greats of world football.
Thomas Roscoe wheels away after putting Antrim 2-0 up against Strikers in their opening game of the Milk Cup.Thomas Roscoe wheels away after putting Antrim 2-0 up against Strikers in their opening game of the Milk Cup.
Thomas Roscoe wheels away after putting Antrim 2-0 up against Strikers in their opening game of the Milk Cup.

Barcelona, Manchester United and a host of English Premiership clubs have sent Academy sides to Northern Ireland’s Milk Cup. Radamel Falcao, Sergio Busquets, Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney have all had a go at winning it.

And now an Aghalee lad has matched the achievement of them all.

Thomas Roscoe netted three goals on route to the final as County Antrim lifted the title and it all proved to be five days of football that will live long in his memory.

“It was a class week overall,” he told the ‘STAR.’

“Whenever we realised we had won it though, it was the best feeling ever. Words can’t even describe what it was like.

“I got to the final with the County Antrim junior team last year but, going into that final, we didn’t really think that we could win because we were up against a very strong Corinthians side. This year, though, it was different. We knew we could do it and we did.”

Roscoe says the secret to their extraordinary success was the relationships between the team:

“We all had a very good bond this year. We met up as a team in April and we knew each other from playing in the same league but as soon as we got together, we all got on so well.”

Roscoe was an unused substitue in the final but not even that could dampen his spirits - his own goal-scoring exploits earlier in the competition enough of a lasting memory.

He said: “Unfortunately, I had a tight hamstring from the semi-final game and, in the final, the coach said he wasn’t going to risk bringing me on.

“My personal highlight though was scoring my second goal in that opening game at the Ballymena Showgrounds.”