Preview | 2025 SuperCupNI

The time for Argyle’s annual trip to the SuperCupNI has arrived, with the Northern Ireland based tournament starting on Monday, 28 July.

Argyle’s mixed squad of Under-14s and -15s are led by Niall Cully in this season’s competition and have been drawn into a group alongside West Ham United, County Down and St Patrick’s Athletic. The results in the group stages will determine the latter part of the week for the Pilgrims.

In last year’s competition, in the age group Argyle are competing in this year, West Ham were crowned as champions, after also winning the year prior, beating County Down on penalties.

It is an intense period of football, with Argyle’s young squad living in a residential setting and experiencing tournament football with decent-sized crowds, as the competition is always well supported by people in the local area.

Cully, who is leading the trip, cannot wait to get stuck in upon arrival in Northern Ireland, and the experiences that the players will gain whilst representing Argyle away from home.

“I’m very excited,” Cully told Argyle TV. “It’s my second year in a row going out. I was there a few years ago with an Irish team. It's a great tournament and one that the club puts a lot of value on, so the players and staff are looking forward to it.

“There’s obviously the football side of things, and then there's a lot of learning on the social side as well. Some people are away from their families for the first time, and getting them together as a group split across age groups, we put a big emphasis on the social side, as it is important for them. We can see different parts of their character, and face other little challenges as well.

“Dan Thompson and I work well together across the Under-13s and Under-14s. It’s the same group of staff who went out last year, so we know all the players well and work well together.

“We've had a lot of good preparation over the last three to four weeks. It's really important to gel the group together because they're coming across different age groups. We’re really justtrying to bring that together and get a style of play that's going to suit the group to help us compete and be competitive there.

“We've had some good preparation games as well, playing Wolves and Sunderland, for example, last weekend, which has provided a good opportunity to see where we're at really.

“We’re in a good group with West Ham, County Down, and St. Pat's, which is my former club. The games will be good but tough, but that's what we want for our Academy players. We want them to be tested, and I think that's important for them. We embrace that rather than shy away from it, and I think the players will relish it and feel that as well.

“It’s nice to be drawn against St Pat’s and it can be the first time I’ve ever celebrated a goal against them! Overall, though, everyone's together, we stay in a lovely place and are well looked after. It's a nice thing to be involved in, but we want to do really well, compete and do the badge proud.”

SuperCupNI fixtures

Monday, 28 July - West Ham United, Broughshane, 7pm

Tuesday, 29 July - Co Down, Scroggy Road, 3pm

Wednesday, 30 July - St Patrick’s Athletic, Scroggy Road, 3pm