The Northern Ireland Over-60s walking football team won the silver medal at this year’s World Nations Cup.
The Northern Ireland team, managed by Gary Barclay, delivered some outstanding performances during four days of intense competition at the Nations Cup tournament staged in Torrevieja, Spain.
The six-a-side international tournament, organised by the Federation of International Walking Football Associations (FIWFA), featured teams from 12 countries, with matches played over two 20-minute halves.
Northern Ireland were placed in a challenging group but rose to the challenge with determination, skill and teamwork.
Their campaign began with a win over one of the tournament favourites, Italy, thanks to an early goal from Paul Black. The second game on day one saw Northern Ireland draw against Australia, with Michael Mahood converting a crucial penalty.
Day two brought a hard-fought draw against Canada - Reggie Dornan netted with a superb long range strike - and a 1-0 defeat to hosts Spain.
The third day began with a must-win clash against Czechia in which Northern Ireland produced an excellent performance, cruising to a 3-0 victory with goals from Ken Armstrong, Michael Haddock and Anthony Cafolla.
A third-place finish in their group set up a quarter-final clash with one of the seeded teams, France. With neither team able to score it was penalties to determine the winner. And strikes from Michael Mahood and Anthony Cafolla saw Northern Ireland progress to the semi-finals.
The semi-final was a repeat of the first game against Italy and it was another closely fought battle.
Mahood scored a penalty to ensure the game stood at one apiece at the end of regulation time.
Another penalty shootout was necessary to separate the teams and Anthony Cafolla, Paul Black and Jackie Fenton all converted as Northern Ireland won the shootout 3-2. Goalkeeper Ray Ritchie, who was magnificent throughout the tournament, delivered heroic saves in both shootouts.
The final against England was a tightly contested affair. It was ultimately decided by a single goal after Northern Ireland were controversially reduced to five players.
Despite the loss, the team’s journey was marked by resilience, sportsmanship and outstanding performances, according to the manager.
Afterwards Barclay praised his team’s efforts. He said: “Every player gave their all in intense heat over four days of competition.
“To reach the final and compete with such determination is a testament to their character and commitment. Following our success on the world stage I hope the team’s achievement will inspire more players across the country to participate in the game."
The Northern Ireland Over-60s walking football squad included: Ken Armstrong, Ray Ritchie, Ian Bustard, Jackie Fenton, Reggie Dornan, Paul Black, Anthony Cafolla, Gary McKeown, Michael Mahood, Danny McCann and Michael Haddock.
The players were supported by Gary Barclay (manager), Jim Morgan (coach), Johnny Miskimmin (coach), Will Smyth (admin) and Ray Hunter (admin).
Anyone interested in taking up walking football should contact David Lemon (squeezy.lemon@btinternet.com) for details.
