Castletown MFC’s under-14s enjoyed a memorable weekend in Stockport, walking away with the Greater Manchester Cup after a string of solid performances and a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the final.
Strong group showing set the tone
The southside side finished the group stage with three wins and one draw from four games in the third-tier section of the summer tournament held in Stockport. That solid start earned them a semi-final meeting with Denton Youth.
Semi-final and final decided the cup
Castletown beat Denton Youth 2-0 to reach the final, where they faced Lancashire’s Junior Hoops — the only other team to reach the final without defeat. After a goalless 40 minutes in the decider, the cup was settled from the spot; Castletown converted three penalties while keeping a clean sheet in the shoot-out to claim the trophy.
Sunday friendly showed character
The team stayed in Stockport to play a friendly on Sunday morning against Winsford Saxons of Cheshire. Castletown found themselves 2-0 down at the interval but rallied in the second half to win 4-2. The goals came from Layton Duggan, Arthur Fick and a brace by Junior Keggen.
"A really successful trip, with both the players and management taking a great deal from the experience," said coach Tony Duggan.
- Group stage: 3 wins, 1 draw
- Semi-final: 2-0 win over Denton Youth
- Final: 0-0, won on penalties 3-0 against Junior Hoops
- Friendly: 4-2 comeback win vs Winsford Saxons
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Semi-final vs Denton Youth | 2-0 |
| Final vs Junior Hoops | 0-0 (won 3-0 on penalties) |
| Friendly vs Winsford Saxons | 4-2 |
The victory will be welcomed by families and coaches across Stockport’s grassroots football scene as evidence of the strength and resilience in the town’s youth game. For the Castletown group, the weekend combined competitive success with a learning experience — turning a semi-final win and a tense final into silverware, before demonstrating fighting spirit in their comeback on Sunday.
Organisers and spectators in Stockport will hope to see similar under-age fixtures continue to draw teams from across the region, offering local youngsters regular opportunities to test themselves and develop in front of home crowds.
