Progressive Mayo soccer club to host special academy tournament
AbbVie United Park, the home of Westport United, will host the inaugural Westport Summer Cup next week.
The very first Westport Summer Cup will take place at Abbvie United Park, from Wednesday, July 22, to Friday, July 24.
The tournament will welcome U15 and U16 teams from Xamax FC (Switzerland), Coleraine FC (Northern Ireland), Sligo Rovers, Galway United, Straide & Foxford United, Castlebar Celtic and host club Westport United.
Close to 200 players will compete in approximately 30 matches over the three days, with the tournament concluding on Friday evening with the semi-finals and finals.
The tournament was the brainchild of Kevin McIntyre, a native of Kilmeena who now lives in Neuchâtel with his wife, Niamh Browne, from Westport. Their three sons are all members of the Xamax academy, and it was during a visit home last year that the idea for the tournament first took shape.
Xamax FC embraced the concept from the outset and has committed to a multi-year partnership. Organisers also hope to establish a reciprocal arrangement, with Westport United teams travelling to Switzerland in future years.
Football fans of a certain vintage will remember Xamax with affection. Legendary Irish striker Don Givens spent eight years with the club, helping them win their first league title in the 1986/87 season, before later managing the club for two seasons.
The event will also provide a welcome boost to the local economy. More than 40 players and coaches from Xamax will be based in Westport for a two-week pre-season training camp at AbbVie United Park, while both Coleraine and Sligo Rovers will also stay in the town for the duration of the tournament.
Westport United chairman Richard Grady said everyone in the club was eagerly anticipating the inaugural competition. “This is exactly the type of event we envisaged when we moved to Abbvie United Park. We now have the facilities to host a tournament of this calibre, and we believe it can grow bigger and better every year. It’s really exciting to welcome teams from different jurisdictions to Westport. They each bring their own identity and culture, and everyone involved will learn from the experience.
“For our young players, the opportunity to test themselves against academy teams from professional clubs will be invaluable. On behalf of everyone at Westport United, I’d like to pay tribute to all those who worked so hard to make this tournament happen. It promises to be a fantastic few days of football and, just as importantly, a wonderful opportunity to build new friendships.”
