Everton's academy lads are going to have to keep their fingers crossed a bit longer for that elusive piece of silverware. The Toffees youngsters made it all the way to the Liverpool Senior Cup final but won't be lifting any trophy before the summer break kicks in.

It's been a decent campaign for Everton's youth setup, truth be told. Their Under-21s made waves in the Premier League International Cup, reaching the business end of the competition, whilst the Under-18s gave a good account of themselves in the FA Trophy before bowing out at the quarter-final stage.

The breakthrough came in the Senior Cup, where they managed to see off Warrington Rylands in what sounds like a proper entertaining affair. Goals from Shea Pita, Luka Davis and Ademide Akarakiri sealed a 3-2 victory that booked their place in the final against Runcorn Linnets.

Originally pencilled in for May 9, that final date went out the window when it clashed with Everton's Premier League 2 play-off commitments. Fair enough really - you can't expect the lads to be in two places at once.

The real spanner in the works is the international commitments several of these prospects are now juggling. Braiden Graham, the 18-year-old who's been banging in crucial goals across both the Under-18s FA Trophy run and the Under-21s' various campaigns, has earned his first senior call-up for Northern Ireland. He's set to feature against Guinea on Thursday and France next Monday - not bad company for a teenager to be keeping.

Meanwhile, defender Odin Samuels-Smith has already tasted senior international football, making his debut for Jamaica in their win over India before earning a spot on the bench against Nigeria. These are proper achievements that put any cup final into perspective.

With summer breaks kicking in for Everton's academy and various international windows to navigate, new dates are being discussed for when this final can actually take place. Pre-season seems the most likely window, which means these youngsters will have to sit tight and hope the momentum doesn't fade over the coming months.

It's a strange situation really - having to wait months to complete what should be the culmination of a promising campaign. But with players scattered across different international setups and the natural rhythm of academy football grinding to a halt, there's not much choice in the matter.

For Graham especially, it'll be interesting to see how he handles the step up to senior international football and whether that experience gives him extra confidence when he finally gets the chance to help Everton claim some silverware. The lad's clearly caught the eye of the right people, and rightly so given his contributions across multiple competitions this season.

The delay might actually work in Everton's favour - a summer of international experience and proper rest could see their key players return even sharper for what remains a genuine chance to end the academy year with something tangible to show for their efforts.