U16 Crusaders - Division 1 Champions
Letterkenny Crusaders 1 - 3 Lagan Harps Colts
Letterkenny Crusaders suffered their first defeat of the season last night, falling 3-1 at home to Lagan Harps Colts. After going into the break 2-0 down, Letterkenny Crusaders came out stronger in the second half and played some impressive football. Their efforts were rewarded midway through the half when Alexander McLaughlin pulled one back. Despite pushing hard for an equaliser, it wasn’t to be, and Lagan sealed the win with a third goal in the final five minutes.
Alexander McLaughlin was named Player of the Match for his standout performance.
Despite the result, there was still reason to celebrate as Letterkenny Crusaders were officially crowned Division One League champions and received the trophy following the final whistle.
Earlier in the week the u16 team had a great 2-0 victory away to Bonagee in goose green. We started off the first half on the front foot with some excellent play from our midfield creating some good chances for our front men but it wasn’t till near the end of the first half before we broke the deadlock with a well deserved goal from Blu jay with shot from outside the box second half saw a lot of substitutions so it took us a bit to get going again but we did half way through the half when Cristian stepped up with another long range shot which found the bottom corner to make it 2-0 and that’s how the game ended great team performance was the winner tonight
U16 Rovers
Bonagee United 2 - 1 Letterkenny Rovers
Bonagee United claimed a narrow victory in a hotly contested match at Dry Arch Park.
In challenging conditions, it was Letterkenny Rovers who started the brighter. Thalji Al Daher came closest early on when his powerful strike rattled the crossbar. Calum McLaughlin and Ronan Ward dictated the tempo in midfield, though Bonagee posed a constant threat on the counterattack.
The home side broke the deadlock when a high ball into the Rovers box wasn't properly cleared, allowing the Bonagee striker to slot home from close range.
Rovers responded positively and were denied what appeared to be a clear penalty when McLaughlin was taken down in the area, but was waved on by the referee. Moments later, McLaughlin was fouled again in the box, this time a penalty was awarded. Adam Dwyer stepped up and coolly converted to level the score.
Jamie Gorman had a golden opportunity to put Rovers ahead before halftime but dragged his effort wide. Bonagee came close as well, with a header cleared off the line by Martin Ward.
After the break, Bonagee grew into the game and created more chances, forcing Rovers goalkeeper James Toner into several fine saves. Rovers were unlucky once more when they struck the crossbar.
A Bonagee attack with the ball coming over the top with a striker the Rovers bench called for offside before colliding with the onrushing Toner. The referee allowed play to continue, and the striker rolled the ball into an empty net to give Bonagee the lead. The Rovers bench protested vehemently, but the goal stood.
The remainder of the match was scrappy, with limited chances. Rovers were reduced to 10 men late on, further hampering their chances of a comeback.
Despite the defeat, Rovers had standout performances from Ronan Ward and Calum McLaughlin, while James Toner was named Player of the Match for his outstanding efforts in goal.
Letterkenny Rovers 2 - 1 Kilmacrennan Celtic
Rovers came out on top in an entertaining game at Leckview on Tuesday evening. Colm Og Breathnach raced clear in the first minute only to be denied by Charlie Gallagher in the Kilmacrennan goal. Rovers dominated the early exchanges with Calum McLaughlin and Marcin Pirch controlling midfield.They created numerous chances, but a mixture of poor finishing and excellent goalkeeping from Gallagher kept the sides level at the break.
The second half was a more even affair, and it was Kilmacrennan who took the lead despite strong appeals from Rovers for offside ten minutes in. The game got quite scrappy as Kilmacrennan looked content to try and hold their lead however Rovers equalised with fifteen minutes to play when McLaughlin, who was a judged to have gotten the faintest of touches to a Finn Campbell long throw. Rovers pressed for the winner, and minutes later, they were awarded a penalty when Evan Abraham was taken down in the box.
Adam Dwyer made no mistake from the spot to put Rovers in front. Kilmacrennan desperately pushed for an equaliser in a frantic finish. However, Rovers held on for a deserved victory. Ronan Ward and Marcin Pirch were outstanding for Rovers alongside man of the match Calum McLaughlin in midfield, while Charlie Gallagher was excellent for Kilmacrennan
U14 Rovers
Keadue Rovers 0 - Letterkenny Rovers
In a tightly contested League match held on July 12, 2025, under warm conditions in Keadue, U14 Rovers managed to secure a narrow victory against Keadue Rovers, ending the match with a scoreline of 1-0.
The first half was challenging for U14 Rovers as they struggled to create significant scoring opportunities. However, they broke the deadlock just before halftime, thanks to a long free kick delivered by James McCormick, which was spilled by the Keadue keeper.
Keadue Rovers showcased better chances throughout the match, particularly due to defensive errors from U14 Rovers. They came close to equalizing with two excellent opportunities, one of which was cleared off the line. As the second half unfolded, U14 Rovers improved their play, generating several promising chances but failing to convert them into goals. Keadue continued to pose a threat on the counterattack until the final whistle.
Despite a somewhat fortunate outcome, U14 Rovers will be relieved to take all three points from a difficult matchup.
U12 Girls
Glenrea FC 2 - 2 Letterkenny Rovers
A thrilling clash unfolded at Glenrea Park as Glenrea FC and Letterkenny Rovers battled to an exciting 2-2 draw in the U12 DWL League.
The game kicked off with incredible intensity, with both teams showing strong intent from the start. Letterkenny Rovers struck first when Aoibhe Gibson reacted sharply to a deflected ball, bursting through the defence and calmly finishing to make it 1-0.
Glenrea responded with resilience and energy, quickly turning the scoreline around. Two well-taken goals in quick succession saw them surge into a 2-1 lead, sending the home crowd into cheers and raising the stakes for the visitors.
The midfield became the focal point of the contest, with Glenrea applying sustained pressure. Letterkenny, however, remained composed and continued to create chances on the counter.
Late in the game, Rovers found their equaliser through a moment of brilliance. Angel Abu, operating from the left wing, used her pace to break down the flank before finishing superbly to level the match at 2-2.
Both sides had opportunities to snatch a winner, but defences held firm, and the match ended honours even.
Despite the result, the game provided valuable lessons for both teams. Emphasis on communication, teamwork, and in-game awareness—especially terms like “goal side” and “release it!”—highlighted the importance of football fundamentals in a high-paced environment.
U12 Athletic
Ballyraine Celtic 0 - 2 Letterkenny Athletic
Letterkenny Athletic maintained their 100% record in the League against a determined Ballyraine side at Orchard Grove.Athletic started well and played some great football but could find no way past the Ballyraine goalkeeper who was in fine form. Ballyraine defended in numbers as Athletic continued to press but it remained scoreless at halftime.The scorching conditions slowed the game down in the second half but Athletic continued to play their passing game and got their reward when when Kacper Niewiadomski finished well from a James McLaughlin pass midway through the half. Jake Devlin got a second after another good passing move with ten minutes left to confirm the win for Athletic. Both teams must be commended for their performances in tough conditions. Hashim Chatha and David Voronin stood out along side player of the match James McLaughlin.
U12 United
Letterkenny United 2-2 Mulroy Celtic
The boys hosted Mulroy today at the Aura in sweltering conditions. The lads started well, playing with purpose from the first whistle. They created numerous chances in the first half but just couldn’t convert them. The broke the deadlock just before half time when Yehor Fedoriv delivered a pinpoint cross into the box which was headed beautifully into the net by Ryley Harkin. Mulroy equalised within seconds of the restart but to the boys credit they didn’t let their heads drop and hit the reset button and were ahead again soon after through a fine goal from Victor Ogunade. We kept pressing for a 3rd goal but just couldn’t manage to get it. With seconds left, Mulroy were gifted a penalty with 30 seconds left which was saved by Dominik Pyasetskky but Letterkenny were slower to react to the breaking ball and Mulroy converted the rebound just as the whistle was blown for full time. Best for Letterkenny were Ryan Carey, Isaac Joel and Yehor Fedoriv.
Youths
Keadue Rovers 1 – 2 Letterkenny Rovers
Letterkenny Rovers secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory away to Keadue Rovers in an entertaining, end-to-end encounter that could easily have yielded more goals for both sides.
The visitors took the lead after just 15 minutes in somewhat fortuitous fashion when a long-range free kick from Padraig Murphy took a deflection, looping over the Keadue goalkeeper and into the net.
Letterkenny doubled their advantage shortly before the break. A slick passage of play down the left flank saw Cory Oliver released into space. His initial shot was well saved low by the Keadue keeper, but Cory Oliver reacted quickest to tuck home the rebound, giving his side a 2-0 lead at half-time.
The hosts came out with renewed intensity in the second half and dominated large spells of the closing 45 minutes. Keadue created a number of clear-cut opportunities but were consistently denied by the alert Daniel McClafferty, who was quick off his line and made several crucial interventions.
Keadue’s pressure eventually paid off in the 84th minute when a high ball into the box wasn't dealt with by the Letterkenny defence, allowing a Keadue forward to finish neatly from close range.
Despite the late pressure, Letterkenny held firm to see out the win, with a composed and committed defensive display.
