Ghoom Jorebunglow SC into Herlihy Cup Semis

Defending champions Ghoom Jorebunglow Sporting Club (GJSC) advanced to the semi-finals of the 109th Herlihy Memorial Challenge Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Nepal's Red Horse Ilam FC at Gorkha Stadium, Lebong, on August 10, 2026

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The result keeps alive GJSC's bid for back-to-back titles after they lifted the 2025 edition by beating the 107 Territorial Army (TA) 2-1 in last year's final

. Red Horse Ilam had entered the fixture in strong form, having earlier posted an emphatic 7-2 win in the tournament and also getting past UKFC Kurseong in an earlier round

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The Herlihy Memorial Challenge Cup is one of India's oldest football tournaments, dating back to 1917, and is widely regarded as the sixth-oldest football competition in the country

. The silver trophy, standing 26 inches tall and weighing around 3.4 kg, was donated in memory of Mrs. Herlihy by Jack O'Mahogany. This year's edition began on August 3 and is scheduled to conclude with the final on August 15, 2026, at Gorkha Stadium,

Semi-Final Lineup Confirmed

The 109th Herlihy Memorial Cup 2026 semi-final draw is set: Ghoom Jorebunglow SC (defending champions) will face Sasonian FC Kalimpong, while the other semi-final pits Darjeeling Police against Taranjubari FC.

1 Darjeeling Police vs Taranjubari FC Played Aug 9, 2:00 PM, Gorkha Stadium — ended 1-1 in regulation before going to penalties

2 Ghoom Jorebunglow SC vs Sasonian FC Kalimpong Confirmed matchup will be held on wednesday 12 august at 2pm after GJSC's 1-0 win over Red Horse Ilam and Sasonian FC's win over Kanchenjunga FC on penalties

How Each Team Got Here

Darjeeling Police cruised through the earlier rounds, beating 2/11 Gorkha Rifles 3-1 in the quarter-final before their tense semi-final against Taranjubari FC that finished 1-1 and had to be settled on penalties.

Taranjubari FC made a strong run too, including a 4-0 win over North Bengal Police Brigade and a 4-0 result over North Bengal Armed Police en route to the semi-final.

Ghoom Jorebunglow SC, the reigning champions who won the 2025 title by beating 107 TA 2-1 in the final, dominated U.K.F.C. 2-0 in the quarter-final before their 1-0 win over Nepal's Red Horse Ilam sent them into the semis .

Sasonian FC Kalimpong had the more dramatic route, edging Kanchenjunga FC 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, following an earlier 2-1 win over Sankata FC.

Tournament Timeline

The 109th Herlihy Memorial Cup kicked off on August 3 and runs through August 15, 2026, with the Grand Final set for Independence Day (August 15) at Gorkha Stadium, Lebong . The tournament, organized by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Sports Association (DGHSA), traces its history back to 1917, making it one of the oldest running football competitions in India .

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