NI is 'first-class' sports venue says McGimpsey

Sports Minister Michael McGimpsey has said that the Milk Cup youth soccer tournament has established Northern Ireland as a "first-class venue for world-class tournaments".

The Minister was speaking at the final game in this year’s competition in Coleraine last night. He praised the success of the tournament and said that the event did much more than provide a platform for young soccer talent.

“This week we have shown that Northern Ireland is a first-class venue for world-class tournaments. We have also shown visitors some of the many positive sides to this Province. And we have once again provided a showcase for the best up and coming soccer talent in the world," he said.

Over the course of tournament, 52 teams from 19 countries, and representing five continents, have played 126 games to a spectator audience of over 100,000. He said that the tournament was now recognised as "one of the most prestigious and highly regarded events in international football".

Mr McGimpsey described the scale of the event was a "magnificent feat of planning and logistics".

He added: "This tournament has provided the opportunity for us to show what Northern Ireland is capable of, in terms of our ability to attract and to organise such events.”

The Minister emphasised that the process of creating a better society in Northern Ireland included a willingness to look outwards to other cultures and societies, to encourage a mutual exchange of ideas.

The tournament, which was eventually won by Paraguay, was part-sponsored by the Northern Ireland Events Company and the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland.

(GMcG)