Northern Ireland v Belarus (15/11/2024)

HARRY IS A RECORD BREAKER The manager of Northern Ireland’s amateur international team is a record breaker. Harry McConkey has been in charge of Northern Ireland’s UEFA Regions’ Cup squad for almost 20 years. And he is now officially the longest serving manager in the history of the competition. In October he was in charge of the Northern Ireland team at a Regions’ Cup intermediate round (Group 4) mini tournament staged at Centre Sportif de Colovray in Nyon, Switzerland. Western Region represented Northern Ireland in the competition for the first time since 2016; they won a play-off game against Eastern Region earlier this year. After suffering narrow defeats against Swiss side Vaud (1-0) and the Republic of Ireland’s Munster FA (2-1), the boys from the west defeated Football School Bridge from Georgia by a goal to nil at the centre next door to UEFA HQ. However, it was not enough for McConkey’s team to make it through to the next stage of the competition.

WORDS: NIGEL TILSON

The game against the Georgians was his 47th in charge of the Northern Ireland amateur international team, which is made up of players who operate at either NIFL Championship or intermediate level. With 47 games under his belt, he now holds the record as the manager who has been in charge for the highest number of matches in the history of the UEFA Regions’ Cup. Previously the record was held by his friend Gerry Smith, former manager of the Republic of Ireland, who had 46 games at the helm. McConkey, who was appointed as junior international manager in January 2005 and had his first Regions’ Cup campaign the following year, said: “I have been truly honoured to have served my country for so many years.” A former Ballinamallard United and Dergview boss, the man whose roots are in the village of Magheraveely in Co Fermanagh was also previously an interim player-manager with Larne and an assistant coach at Dungannon Swifts.

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