It all ‘kicks off’ this Saturday, when the annual Christopher Hendrie Memorial match returns yet again to raise money for a worthy charity.
Chrissy was a knee footballer from a young age and at 16 joined local Ballymoney team Riada FC where he would remain throughout his football career and where he was fondly thought of and well liked & loved in equal measures by fans and teammates.
Unfortunately just under six years ago at just aged thirty, Chrissy passed away after a short illness, having only received a cancer diagnosis nine weeks previous. His death on 31st October in 2014 hit not just his close family and friends hard, but also sent shockwaves throughout the local football community.
Since the first charity tournament on 26th November 2014, local teams have met every year at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney where they would take to the pitch for a game of 5-aside to see who comes out on top.
Initially the money raised went towards Chrissy’s young family, but in more recent years the family now chose a worth charity each year to benefit from the money raised from the Memorial football match and this year the family have chosen Marie Curie Cancer.
Normally the match would take place at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre, but this year there is a change of venue, moving to Magaw Park, where this Saturday (August 12th) – Riada FC will take on the Riada Old boys, with a 1pm Kick off.
All donations are welcomes, and 100% of monies raised will go to the above mentioned charity.
