Milk Cup heading to Drumahoe

Premiership giants Liverpool come up against County Armagh in the Premier competition on Monday, July 29 (8pm) followed by the Elite game between Northern Ireland and the US two days later and Leonard feels Londonderry is the perfect setting for those games.

“Everybody knows that Derry is a football mad city, so we were delighted that Institute approached us about taking the Milk Cup to the city,” stated Leonard.

“With Derry being the UK City of Culture then we felt this year would be a great year for us to come up and what two massive games we have coming to the Riverside Stadium.

“Liverpool are bringing their whole academy with them from U14 right up to U17 age group and their Premier squad at U17 level will be playing at ’Stute against County Armagh.

“We only got Liverpool back last year and prior to that the last time they had played in the Milk Cup it 20 odd years ago when Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler were in their squad, so that’s the type of standard Liverpool are bringing to ’Stute.

“Then two days later Northern Ireland take on the USA and I know that Michael O’Neill will be in attendance that night, so it’s really two terrific matches coming to Drumahoe.”

Mr Leonard also admitted that if things work out well, then a return to the city may happen.

“You never say never in football and that’s certainly the case as far as the Milk Cup coming back to Derry,” he added.

“As I said we were delighted that ’Stute first approached us and then we got the full support from the council, so yeah we’ll see how it goes this year and then we’ll do our wee debrief, which we always do and then we’ll speak to both the council and the ’Stute committee and see what they think.

“While we have nothing set in stone we will certainly see how things progress and not rule anything out.”