FOYLE CUP: Dundee United claim U16 title after shoot-out victory over Ballymoney United

Dundee United 2, Ballymoney United Youth Academy 2

(Dundee Utd win 4-2 on pens)

Dundee United were crowned O'Neill's Foyle Cup U16 champions after Jack Johnstone's penalty proved decisive in a shoot-out victory over a luckless Ballymoney United Youth Academy.

The Co. Antrim men twice came from behind against their illustrious Scottish Premier League opponents and will feel hard done by after more than matching the Scots for the 60 odd minutes.

But penalties are a lottery and despite gaining an early advantage in the shoot-out when Dundee's Ryan Rutherford-Handforth saw his penalty brilliantly saved by Ballymoney keeper Lennon Blair, it wasn't to be.

Rutherford-Handforth's was his team's third spot-kick but Blair's Scottish counterpart, Donald Awa, immediately levelled the playing field by saving from Ballymoney's Nathan Burrows and when the Irish League side's next penalty cleared the crossbar, the scene was set for Johnstone to fire home the winning spot-kick.

A cruel end for Ballymoney after some excellent displays all week and a match of the finest margins. Ballymoney's desire and work rate give Dundee United problems all afternoon. Twice the Scots looked to have taken a grip and twice Ballymoney wrestled their way back into the final. Indeed had Brajan Jankowski's 35 yard free found the net instead of the inside of the Dundee United post with only eight minutes left, then the history books would be recording a very different outcome. Those were the margins.

Dundee United hit the front on 22 minutes when their dangerous left winger Uvie Ugbehe was brought down by Carter Laird inside the box, Lewis Mathers the man to step up and score 12 yards.

Ugbehe saw another effort strike the post but Ballymoney were giving as good as they got and deservedly drew level two minutes before half-time when good work by Cormac Coyles teed up Pavlenkov to score.

Ballymoney found themselves behind again on 44 minutes when Oliver Mess' good cross was turned home by Isaac Ayeni for a lead that lasted all of two minutes as Ballymoney bounced back once more.

Jankowski's free-kick would have been the dream finale for Ballymoney. Instead it was penalties and Dundee United who were celebrating.

Ballymoney United Youth Academy: Lennon Blair, Ciaran Kirgan, Carter Laird, Noah Mackle, Zac Parkhill, Zac Garett, Kael Donnell, Cormac Coyles, Timothy Pavlenkov, Brajan Jankowski, Nathan Burrows. (Subs) Dillon Graham, Daniel Armstrong.

Dundee United: Donald Awa, Harry Menmuir, Bryan Aisueni, Lucas Maxwell, Charlie Russell, Kai McDougall, Liam Shields, Jamie Foster, Uvie Ugbehe, Lewis Maters, Oliver Mess. (Subs) Jack Johnstone, Yiosa Aigbekaen, Harry Forsyth, Isaac Ayeni, Ryan Rutherford-Handforth).

Referee: Kieran Connor