Jumping with joy… Foyle Futsal in international action after being crowned National League champions

Derry’s Foyle Futsal Club are in Belfast this weekend to represent Northern Ireland after being crowned the first ever National Futsal League champions.

In the first event of its kind, which took place at Lagan Valley LeisurePlex, Foyle came from three goals down at half-time to defeat Sparta Belfast 13-12.

The Derry side had booked their place in the final with an impressive 7-1 semi-final victory over Amigos LT of Armagh.

They now compete against teams from England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland in the Futsal International Cup taking at Lagan Valley LeisurePlex today and tomorrow,

Founder Shane Martin is excited about the journey his team have taken in such a short period of time.

“Last year we opened a Futsal centre in Derry which was the first of its kind in Ireland,” he recalled.

“At the same time the Irish Football Association began to give it more backing. It seems that a lot more senior clubs have futsal leagues at younger levels.

“Futsal goes back to the 1930s when it started in South America, and after Uruguay won the World Cup you had Brazil go on to win it five times.

“Research would show that any of their most famous players grew up playing Futsal, and even in the recent European Championship, the last eight all were countries with Futsal leagues.”

As well as Foyle, the other teams competing this weekend are Saints and Scholars Futsal Club (Republic of Ireland), University of Nottingham Futsal (England) and Wrexham Futsal Club (Wales).