Southampton clinch Premier prize at SuperCup NI as one goal enough to topple Manchester United

Belfast Telegraph

01-08-2025

That's how the 2025 SuperCup NI ended as the Saints marked a first, not just by winning the Premier tournament but tasting success in the competition for the first-ever time.
The kids from the south of England celebrated on Northern Ireland's north coast after a performance that mixed coolness and composure with pace and quality in attack – although all they could muster was a single goal.
Jude Daniels did the trick eight minutes into the second-half to win the Final and that was enough to give them the trophy.
The Saints' front three of Kynan Duffy, Daniels and Marley Parry created constant problems for the United defence without being able to find the space to get too many shots in on Darlington Osuchukwu's goal.
It was that type of game with few chances, and one goal was always likely to win it.
When it came, Daniels' strike was worthy of winning any Final. The build-up, the final pass and the finish were all of an extremely high standard for players in their mid-teens.
The move really got going with a beautiful exchange of passes between Archie Lovatt and Max Little, who was hugely impressive in midfield.
Little laid the ball off to Parry on the left of the box and, with one touch, he found Daniels on the six-yard line, and he also only needed one touch to divert the ball into the net.
United had their chances, the best of them in the first-half. The impressive Edson DeJonge-Seiros broke through on the left after a great pass by Emmanuel Ziro, and after beating George Wells, his shot went across the face of goal inches ahead of the line.
The Southampton defence parted as Samuel O'Brien ran through and George Moloney had to make a good save, and then early in the second-half, Jacey Carrick's shot from distance was pushed to the side and Ziro could only send the rebound wide of the far post.
Those who came to see if Kai Rooney could outdo his famous father Wayne and win the competition he graced 25 years previously weren't treated to a goal, but there were moments in which he showed why it's not just his name that makes him so highly rated.
He brought a huge cheer from the crowd early on with a twist, turn and shot that many thought had found its way in, but the ball had instead ruffled the netting after coming off the advertising boards.
Rooney then hit the side netting just after Southampton scored, screwed a shot high and wide and then, with his best move of the match late in the game, tricked past the Saints defence and pulled the ball back diagonally across the box – but agonisingly, nobody could latch onto it.
United did have two more big chances to force a penalty shoot-out. Southampton goalkeeper Moloney produced a superb save to deny Ziro from point-blank range and then, from a corner deep in injury-time, Gazimagamed Ibragimov headed just over the bar.
The sound of 'When the Saints go marching in' filled the air above the Coleraine Showgrounds as the Southampton youngsters lifted the trophy, and when they went marching in towards the changing room, they did so as winners.
County Down took third place after a 1-0 win over Hamilton Academical, while Ichifuna defeated Intercontinental 6-1 to take the Globe competition.
County Londonderry were 2-0 winners against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Vase, and County Armagh won the Bowl Final, beating County Antrim 3-2.