The Year 10 football team began their season in September, training consistently and entering the Coleraine District League. While league results were mixed, and the team ultimately finished at the bottom of their group, the real story of the season was their impressive and memorable run in the Northern Ireland Cup.
The first round of the cup took the team on the road to face Strabane Academy. LGS produced a dominant performance, winning 6–0 in what was a confident and composed display of attacking football. It set the tone for what would become a historic campaign.
In the second round, the team hosted Lagan College on a day of perfect football conditions, with both teams contributing to a high-quality, end-to-end match. LGS held a narrow 3–2 lead as the final moments of injury time were played out. Nathan and Jack with 2 provided 3 quality finishes after some tremendous build-up play. However, with what turned out to be the last kick of the game, Lagan equalised from a corner, sending the tie to a penalty shootout. Year 9 goalkeeper Lewis made a crucial save low to his left to give LGS the advantage, and it was Year 9’s Norrie who calmly converted the winning penalty to send the team through to the last sixteen.
That set up a challenging home tie against Boys’ Model School, a highly respected side with a strong footballing reputation. The match proved to be the team’s standout performance of the season. LGS started brightly and played with confidence and quality throughout the first half. Norrie was outstanding, scoring a hat-trick before half-time in a display of skill and determination with Colm providing two assists of the highest quality. The second half saw Boys’ Model push forward, but the LGS defence and midfield remained disciplined and well organised. Jack added two more goals to extend the lead, and although Boys’ Model scored late on, the match ended 5–1. It was a proud moment for the school, as the team progressed to the quarter-finals of the NI Cup — the furthest any LGS team has reached in the competition.
The quarter-final took place away to Bangor Academy, with the players facing a long trip and a difficult opponent. Despite their hard work and effort, the team fell to a 4–0 defeat. It was a disappointing result, especially as the players themselves knew that they didn’t reach their usual high performance standards that got them to this stage of the competition. Nevertheless, the achievement of making it to the last eight of a national competition should not be underestimated, and the team can reflect on a season of growth, effort, and real progress.