Northern Ireland’s Under-16 team produced an excellent display to sweep aside Gibraltar in their first game in the inaugural Gary Speed Cup in Wales.
Competition
Cwpan Gary Speed (Gary Speed Cup)
Scoreline
Northern Ireland U16s 8-0 Gibraltar U16s
Scorers
Northern Ireland: Odhran McHugh (3), Jayden Doyle (2), Liam Kelly, Harry Hughes, Jay Forsythe
Venue
Ruthin Town FC, Ruthin
Date
26 August 2025
Team News
Kris Lindsay, head coach of the U16 boys' team, has selected a 22-strong squad for the inaugural Gary Speed Cup where Northern Ireland are taking on Gibraltar, Japan and host nation Cymru.
The Cwpan Gary Speed is a new invitational U16 football tournament being held in North Wales to honour the legacy of former Wales international and manager Gary Speed, a pivotal figure in Welsh football who tragically passed away in 2011.
The Northern Ireland squad is largely made up of players from the Irish FA JD Academy.
How it happened
Northern Ireland dominated from the start. In the early stages Preston McKeown found Michael Mulholland but he headed wide.
McKeown and Harry Hughes linked up well and caused the Gibraltar defence plenty of problems.
On 16 minutes Northern Ireland opened the scoring through Jayden Doyle. Gibraltar failed to clear their lines and Doyle spun on a loose ball and stroked it home.
Northern Ireland captain Adam Nelson drove the team forward. They forced a series of corners, however the Gibraltar defence held firm.
Hughes pounced on a loose ball only to fire his shot over the top, however a second goal arrived on 39 minutes. McKeown was involved again before Hughes clipped the ball to the back post where Liam Kelly headed home.
Mulholland headed straight at the keeper before Hughes just failed to connect with another fine McKeown delivery.
Half-time: Northern Ireland U16s 2-0 Gibraltar U16s
Northern Ireland made it three not long after the restart. Gibraltar again failed to clear the ball and it eventually fell to Hughes inside the area and he coolly slotted it past the keeper.
On 59 minutes Doyle was hauled down as he was about to let fly inside the area. He got up, dusted himself down and slammed the resulting penalty into the bottom corner to make it 4-0.
Substitute Cillian Murray fired over the top as Northern Ireland kept pressing and then his low drive was well saved by the Gibraltar keeper.
Goal number five was scored after more good build-up play. Nelson started the move and it was eventually finished by substitute Odhran McHugh (pictured) who scored with a tap-in.
Lindsay’s side increased their lead further when substitute Jay Forsythe scored direct from a free-kick.
Another sub, Rory Prenter, had a header tipped over the bar before McHugh netted his second of the game. He latched on to a ball over the top and slotted it into the corner of the net.
The final goal came when Murray floated a free-kick to the back post where the ball was headed back across goal by Alfie Mulvenna and tucked home by McHugh for his hat-trick.
Northern Ireland will face Japan in their second game in the tournament. It is being staged on Thursday (28 August) in Ruthin, with an 11am start.
Full-time: Northern Ireland U16s 8-0 Gibraltar U16s
Line-ups
Northern Ireland U16s: Matthew Belshaw, Alfie Pollock, Alfie Mulvenna, Daniel McCarron, Conor Wilson, Adam Nelson (captain), Preston McKeown, Liam Kelly, Michael Mulholland, Harry Hughes, Jayden Doyle.
Substitutes: Phoenix Blayney, Cohen Ennis, Jude Crawford, Rory Prenter, Bailey Magee, Cillian Murray, Jay Forsythe, Mason Ayre, Odhran McHugh, Rocco Devlin, Noah Vaugh.
Gibraltar U16s: Julian Guillem, Filipe Hill De Oliveira, Leon Martinez (captain), Edward Purdy, Ryan Casciaro, Julian Lima, Aaron Cordon, Joshua Villa Lopes, Liam Payas, James Pincho Rios, Iles Achoud Amziane.
Substitutes: Ashley Choza Walker, Alberto Leite De Mendonca, Callum Goldwin, Jace Ramirez, Jaxsen Ramirez Alman, Kalon Drakes, Lucas Becerra Lopez, Matthew Ghio, Robert Gulling.
