17th August 2025

Letterkenny United faced Illistrin Allstars at the Aura today in the U14 Division 2. Illistrin began brightly, putting the Rovers’ defence under pressure, but goalkeeper Ronan Fallon produced two fine early saves to keep the score level.

United then took the lead through David Muller, who struck from the edge of the box. Their advantage doubled shortly after when Jonathan Niju’s cross was deflected into the net by an Illistrin defender. Jesse George Gbagi made it three, winning a penalty after being brought down in the box and calmly converting from the spot.

The fourth and final goal came courtesy of Thomas Muller, capitalising on a defensive mix-up to finish well. Muller was also named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance on the left wing.

Letterkenny Rovers 2–3 Lagan Harps
It was a real tale of two halves at Leckview today as Letterkenny Rovers faced Lagan Harps in the U14 Premier Division.

Rovers started the brighter of the two sides, pressing high and forcing mistakes at the back. That early pressure paid off when Cayden Crossan pounced on a loose ball after the Harps goalkeeper was caught out, coolly slotting home to give the home side a 1–0 lead.

Rovers continued to dominate, creating numerous chances and playing some excellent football. Their efforts were rewarded shortly before the break when Filip Niewiadomski struck brilliantly from the edge of the box to double the advantage, giving Rovers a deserved 2–0 lead at half time.

The second half, however, belonged to Lagan Harps. They came out firing and pulled a goal back 10 minutes after the restart, before quickly finding a second just two minutes later to level the game at 2–2.

Both sides pushed hard in search of a winner, but it was Lagan who completed the turnaround nine minutes from time, netting what proved to be the decisive goal to seal a 3–2 victory.

Despite the result, Filip Niewiadomski was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance and crucial first-half strike.

Letterkenny Athletic - Division 2A Champions 🏆

Letterkenny Athletic secured the Division 2A League title in style, overcoming a determined Swilly Rovers side at Swilly Park in near-perfect conditions.

Athletic started brightly, with Shay McLaughlin having several early chances before finally opening the scoring, finishing off a fine passing move. The visitors continued to press, and James McLaughlin doubled their lead midway through the half with a clinical finish.

The pressure didn’t relent. Josh Duffy McLaughlin was brought down in the box, and Shay calmly converted the resulting penalty. Kacper Niewiadomski added a well-deserved goal before Josh got on the scoresheet just minutes later. Shay then completed his hat-trick right before the break after a sweeping move involving six Athletic players.

After the restart, James grabbed his second of the game with a well-placed header, before Shay’s perfectly struck free-kick.

Swilly, to their credit, kept battling and were rewarded midway through the half with a well-taken goal. However, the final word belonged to debutant Ryan McLaughlin, who marked his first league appearance with a stunning strike from the edge of the box.

It was another superb team performance, with every player playing their part. Shay McLaughlin and Josh Duffy McLaughlin shone in attack, but player-of-the-match honours went to James McLaughlin for his commanding display in midfield.

A dominant display from the U12 Crusaders this morning at the Aura, with the team securing a convincing win in ideal conditions.

The Crusaders started brightly, with Josh Muller opening the scoring in the early minutes. That early goal set the tone for a confident performance, as the team took control and maintained momentum throughout the match.

There was excellent teamwork on show, with quick one-two passing, strong communication, and smooth transitions between attack and defence. The players worked well together to keep possession and dictate the pace of the game.

Folarin Abolaji and Anthony McGarrigle both scored hat-tricks, while Josh Muller, Noah Carr, Tiarnan Connolly, and Caleb Bomah each added to the tally with well-taken goals.