Success for McKinstry’s

A local father and son are making names for themselves in their respective sports.
Head Coach Johnny McKinstry at the Leone Stars Training Camp. Pic: Darren McKinstryHead Coach Johnny McKinstry at the Leone Stars Training Camp. Pic: Darren McKinstry
Head Coach Johnny McKinstry at the Leone Stars Training Camp. Pic: Darren McKinstry

Billy McKinstry and his son Johnny have had recent success in each of their sporting fields.

Billy runs McKinstry racing and saw his racers achieve success at the recent North West 200, before going on to the Isle of Man TT.

Meanwhile, Johnny is the Head Coach of the Sierra Leone national team and Academy Manager at the Craig Bellamy Foundation Football Academy in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

Johnny’s Sierra Leone side have recently been taking part in crucial qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Morocco in 2015.

Johnny saw his Sierra Leone team secure a 1-1 draw with Swaziland two weeks ago, having had only six hours training, due to issues as they travelled in Nigeria.

They will now play host to the Swaziland national side this weekend as they attempt to qualify for the main international association football competition in Africa.

Speaking on Twitter, Johnny said: “1-1 draw away to Swaziland, overall not a bad result.”

On Thursday May 18, he added: “Back in Sierra Leone and completing a review of the 1st Leg encounter with Swaziland. Training camp starts again on Monday.”

Through his work with the Craig Bellamy Foundation, Johnny has overseen the development of the Academy site into the leading sporting facility in Sierra Leone, as well as the graduation of several student athletes to scholarships to the USA and UK, as well as training placements with some of Europe’s leading clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester City.

As well as his work as Academy Manager of the Craig Bellamy Foundation, Johnny was appointed as Head Coach of the Sierra Leone National Men’s Football team in April 2013, becoming the youngest active Head Coach in international football.

At only 27 years of age, this achievement is surpassed only by former Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham Manager Andre Villas-Boas who was 22 when he lead the British Virgin Islands.

Johnny will be back in Northern Ireland this summer when he leads Craig Bellamy’s young stars from the CBF Academy to the Milk Cup.

Meanwhile, Billy, who has been sponsoring racing for over 30 years, saw his rider Ivan Lynton finish second in a recent race at the North West 200, whilst they finished sixth in the big race on the Saturday.

Sierra Leone will host Swaziland in the second league of their qualifying match on Saturday, May 31.