Milk Cup Elite Section Final
Northern Ireland 1
Canada 0

Aaron McEneff, Mikhail Kennedy, and Sean Mullan.  Add them to the prestigious list of Milk Cup champions.

The Derry men didn't just play their part in the international U20s squad this week in Ballymena, they were front and centre of Northern Ireland's success as the home side rampaged to Milk Cup glory winning all three of their games.

And, to top it all off, things got even better than that dramatic game against Mexico on Wednesday night when the Derry strikeforce of Kennedy and Mullan bagged a goal each to drag them from behind, because Aaron McEneff joined in on the fun against Canada on Friday night when his penalty was the difference in a tie the Irish men needed just a point from to secure the honours.

Mullan was so close to grabbing another one for his tally though when, in the first half, he latched onto a squared ball from the energetic Kennedy and thought he had squeezed one inside the 'keeper only for the post to deny his cheeky left-footed effort.

But Kennedy soon forced the issue after the break when a darting run saw the Charlton player speed his way into the area to leave the Canadian backline at sixes and sevens as his lightning burst was cut short with a flailing leg, giving the referee no option but to award the spot kick.

Set up in Derry, knocked out of the park in Derry when Aaron McEneff stepped up confidently and stroked a delicious penalty tight into the bottom left hand corner, a goal which would ultimately seal the fate of the Milk Cup and deliver deserved glory for the three Derry youngsters.

Speaking to the trio in the build-up to the final, they all admitted that this would rank as the finest achievement of their careers to date and, as Sean Mullan, Mikhail Kennedy, and Aaron McEneff return from international duty, they return with a little piece of history.

They return with three very bright futures.

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