Clontarf boys from across New South Wales travelled to the Central Coast for the 2026 Ross Kelly Cup Carnival, one of the Foundation’s biggest sporting events of the year. With 42 teams representing 58 academies, the day brought together hundreds of young men for football, travel, teamwork and plenty of regional pride.
Tuggerah Sports Complex was full of energy as teams from across the state took to the field. Seven fields ran throughout the day, with six teams playing on each field across a packed schedule of matches. Many academies combined to form teams, giving boys from smaller and larger communities the chance to pull on a jersey and take part in the carnival.
For many of the boys, the journey to Tuggerah was a big part of the experience. Academies travelled from every corner of New South Wales, including the north coast, northwest, western region, Riverina, South Coast, Illawarra and Greater Sydney. Long before the first game began, Clontarf staff had worked hard to organise buses, accommodation, meals, playing squads and travel plans to get everyone safely to the Central Coast.
In the days before the carnival, each Clontarf region hosted a Ross Kelly Cup Dinner at a local RSL. The dinners gave the boys a chance to come together, receive their playing jerseys and reflect on what it meant to represent their academy and region. For some boys, it was their first time travelling outside their community or playing alongside Clontarf members from another academy.
There was plenty of strong football played and plenty of pride shown by every team involved. In the end, Chatham claimed the 2026 Ross Kelly Cup after defeating Endeavour in the final. While the result was a proud moment for Chatham, the carnival was about much more than the scoreboard. It gave Clontarf boys the chance to travel, meet new people, represent their communities and be part of something bigger than their own academy.
A huge thank you goes to Clontarf partner Woolworths for helping keep the boys fuelled throughout the carnival. Woolworths team members prepared more than 1,600 wraps and sandwiches, making sure players and staff were well fed across a very busy day.
