The Derriaghy CC name has been appearing a lot in sports headlines recently but not for cricket related matters.  The Northern Amateur Football League Division 1A side Derriaghy CC Football Club have created a piece of history of their own by reaching the 6th round of the Irish Cup where on 11 February they will travel to face Irish League Premiership side Ballymena United.

It's 30 years since the football club was formed by both playing and social members of the cricket club who had the idea of keeping 'the lads together' outside of the summer cricket season. They joined the 2nd Division of the Lisburn District League in 1982 and remained there until they were accepted into the Second Division of the NAFL in 1987.  They remained there and continued to play on council owned grounds at Fullerton Park and Lisburn Recreation Centre until just over 5 years ago.  During all of this time they used the Cricket Club premises for meeting and socialising before and after games.

Around 2004 a piece of land in the Seymour Hill Estate which had been owned by the NI Housing Executive was transferred to Lisburn City Council who then, with assistance from various sources, developed a football pitch and ground of Intermediate league standard.  The club got a lease on this ground and immediately made progress advancing to Division 1A by the start of the current season.  By mid January the club were top of the league with a 100 per cent record from 11 games played and had defeated higher level opponents Queens University and Dergview in the two previous rounds of the Irish Cup before being drawn against Ballymena.

Although only a few of the current Derriaghy Cricket Club players are involved with the football team nowadays John Torrans and Davy Skelton have been there from the start and still retain a very close association with the footballers.

A large Derriaghy support is expected at the Ballymena Showgrounds on the 11th (kick off 3 pm) and best wishes go out to manager Michael Lamont and his players.  Here's hoping DCC FC can spring another great result on the day.