Norn_Iron_Man
27 Apr 2007, 05:31 PM
From the irishfa (Northern Ireland)
I saw this on the Northern Ireland National team website, I thought that it was very interesting, the the Celtic Boys U13 club of Belfast are going to represent Northern Ireland in the UK finals. I original thought that this was a feeder club of Donegal Celtic, an Irish Prem League team, but was told that they are a direct feeder club of Glasgow Celtic, I haven't been able to verify either, maybe you bhoys can help?
TESCO JOY AS HOOPS HEAD FOR MANCHESTER
23/04/2007
By Spike Hill
CELTIC Boys U13s will represent Northern Ireland at the UK wide Tesco Finals at the City of Manchester Stadium on 20 May, after their victory over near Grosvenor Youth on Saturday at Stangmore Park.
Adding to a sizeable crowd in Dungannon were IFA Chief Executive Howard Wells and Tesco Football Ambassador for Northern Ireland, Bryan Hamilton who were introduced to the two teams prior to kick off.
The ex Northern Ireland boss had the unenviable task of picking the Man of the Match, he told irishfa.com "What a tight game, it was very tense even watching in the stands, I thought Celtic just shaded it in the first half, but Grosvenor took the second half," Hamilton continued, "As usual its about scoring goals, one team took their chance and the other team missed theirs, but that's football."
The first talking point was on 10 minutes when Referee Basil Marshall awarded a penalty to Grosvenor, up stepped Eugene Gallagher who looked to have beaten the Hoops keeper McKenna to his right hand side, only to see the ball agonisingly hit the post and roll across the goal to safety.
In a very nervy game it took a moment of magic to conjure up what proved to be the winning goal, Celtic left back Daniel Carlin found Man of the Match Paul George wide on the left flank, George skipped past two challenges before crossing to the far post, where Joe McKinney brought the ball down and hit a right foot shot back across the goalkeeper McGurk, giving him no chance. It was a goal befitting of such an occasion, but was really the only clear cut chance of the whole afternoon.
A beaming Hoops boss Michael McKee was pleased for his young boys, but was quick to praise the opposition, "I want a word or two for Grosvenor, their was so much at stake today, it probably wasn't too pretty, but it was a hard fought game played in an excellent spirit, credit for that must go to both teams and the officials."
On the upcoming finals McKee and Coach Con Rodgers have a lot to ponder, "Linfield were beaten in last years semi finals at the Reebok in Bolton, We hope to go one better than that and get to the final itself, and then we can look at going on and winning the thing."
The competition, was organised by the Northern Ireland Boys Football Association in conjunction with Tesco, it's in its second year and has seen a massive increase in the Northern Ireland entry, but only one team can qualify, the Hoops of Celtic Boys will go forwards to Manchester and we will of course keep you posted on their progress
I saw this on the Northern Ireland National team website, I thought that it was very interesting, the the Celtic Boys U13 club of Belfast are going to represent Northern Ireland in the UK finals. I original thought that this was a feeder club of Donegal Celtic, an Irish Prem League team, but was told that they are a direct feeder club of Glasgow Celtic, I haven't been able to verify either, maybe you bhoys can help?
TESCO JOY AS HOOPS HEAD FOR MANCHESTER
23/04/2007
By Spike Hill
CELTIC Boys U13s will represent Northern Ireland at the UK wide Tesco Finals at the City of Manchester Stadium on 20 May, after their victory over near Grosvenor Youth on Saturday at Stangmore Park.
Adding to a sizeable crowd in Dungannon were IFA Chief Executive Howard Wells and Tesco Football Ambassador for Northern Ireland, Bryan Hamilton who were introduced to the two teams prior to kick off.
The ex Northern Ireland boss had the unenviable task of picking the Man of the Match, he told irishfa.com "What a tight game, it was very tense even watching in the stands, I thought Celtic just shaded it in the first half, but Grosvenor took the second half," Hamilton continued, "As usual its about scoring goals, one team took their chance and the other team missed theirs, but that's football."
The first talking point was on 10 minutes when Referee Basil Marshall awarded a penalty to Grosvenor, up stepped Eugene Gallagher who looked to have beaten the Hoops keeper McKenna to his right hand side, only to see the ball agonisingly hit the post and roll across the goal to safety.
In a very nervy game it took a moment of magic to conjure up what proved to be the winning goal, Celtic left back Daniel Carlin found Man of the Match Paul George wide on the left flank, George skipped past two challenges before crossing to the far post, where Joe McKinney brought the ball down and hit a right foot shot back across the goalkeeper McGurk, giving him no chance. It was a goal befitting of such an occasion, but was really the only clear cut chance of the whole afternoon.
A beaming Hoops boss Michael McKee was pleased for his young boys, but was quick to praise the opposition, "I want a word or two for Grosvenor, their was so much at stake today, it probably wasn't too pretty, but it was a hard fought game played in an excellent spirit, credit for that must go to both teams and the officials."
On the upcoming finals McKee and Coach Con Rodgers have a lot to ponder, "Linfield were beaten in last years semi finals at the Reebok in Bolton, We hope to go one better than that and get to the final itself, and then we can look at going on and winning the thing."
The competition, was organised by the Northern Ireland Boys Football Association in conjunction with Tesco, it's in its second year and has seen a massive increase in the Northern Ireland entry, but only one team can qualify, the Hoops of Celtic Boys will go forwards to Manchester and we will of course keep you posted on their progress