From the early Fifties one of the most successful Summer Cups in the North West was run in the Orchard Park every Summer. Some of the best teams in Sligo, Derry and Donegal attracted large attendances twice a week i.e Tuesdays and Friday evenings. Teams like Derry Celtic, Sea Eagles, Rathmullan, Fanad, Letterkenny Rovers and Sligo Rovers played out some very exciting matches.
In these early years people like Magnus Gallagher, Jimmie Lindsay and the late Joe Henderson formed the main thrust in running the competition. From the late fifties, Convoy Hoops began to enter a team for the Summer Cups that were being run in letterkenny, Milford, Fanad, Strabane, Castlederg and in many other areas including their own in Convoy.
In 1978 due to the Orchard Park being unavailable, the Summer Cup lapsed for a time. It was not until April 1981 that it was decided that a more formal arrangement was needed in setting up a club and to resume the Summer Cup again. Kevin Harkin, Mickey Sweeney, Michael Breen and Manus Harkin were the initial driving force behind the plan, agreement was reached with the owner of the Park for letting the field. A General meeting was called shortly after that in which about 20 people attended, agreement was reached with the Old Committee about the formation of a new club. It was also stated by the Old committee that if the Orchard Park became available for purchase that they would make funds available for this purchase.
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The following was the new committee that was elected:
President: Jimmy Lindsay
Chairman: Michael Breen
Secretary: Sidney Gibson
Treasurer: Allistar Henderson
Committee members: Kevin Harkin, Manus Harkin, Laurence Sweeney, Michael Sweeney, Liam Mailey, Alfie Bates, Aiden Doherty, Eunan Kelly and John Gibson.
After some discussion on what name the club should take, it was proposed by Michael Sweeney and seconded by Liam Mailey to call the club Convoy Arsenal. This was agreed by all, this was a good working committee and went on to organise numerous fund raising for the next few years. In 1982 the club organised a few friendly matches with Finn Harps, Derry City and the most memorable of all was the game against Sligo Rovers who had just won the F.A.I Cup that year. Sligo narrowly beat the Arsenal after a great game of football. In 1986 the club entered the Donegal League for the first time, that same year they purchased the Orchard Park and in 1989 they won promotion from division three as runners up in the league.
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The club again was re-structured in 1991 and under the new chairman, Kevin Harkin, and his new committee they introduced an under-age policy and it was not long before they had success in the Lifford and District League.