Aspiring young footballers from Greenisland FC 2014s are gearing up for a pre-season tour of Dublin as they transition to 9-a-side football next season.
Greenisland FC 2014s will compete against some of the Republic of Ireland’s top youth football teams and take part in professional training sessions, providing the promising young footballers with the opportunity to have fun and develop their skills in a camp-style setting.
The tour will also aim to instill a sense of excellence, teamwork, camaraderie, and personal growth among the young players, as well as build lasting friendships with teammates through shared experiences.
The 2014 squad will be kitted out for the Dublin tour with the support of local businesses. M O’Kane Electrical Ltd, an electrical fit-out company, and iGen Autos Ltd, a top-quality used car dealership, have come together to provide the young athletes with bespoke training kits and boot bags. Fleet Financial have also supplied water bottles for the players and sustainable coffee cups for the coaches.
The tour will kick-off with a visit to the world-class Sports Ireland Campus with former West Bromwich Albion defender Kevin Healy putting the players through their paces with a coaching session on the covered synthetic pitch at the Campus’s National Indoor Arena.
The squad will then attend a workshop on the Importance of Mindfulness in Sports Performance, led by Seán Townsend, Sport and Exercise Science Coach at Sport Ireland, before enjoying a visit to AquaZone Waterpark with its variety of high-speed and thrilling water slides.
The competitive action will start with a 9-a-side Blitz Tournament on Saturday 10th August 10th hosted by Leicester Celtic FC at their Damian Duff Facility. Both Greenisland sides will face-off against top-quality Dublin-based opposition in Leicester Celtic, Mount Merrion, and Knocklyon United who compete in the highly competitive Dublin and District Schoolboys’ League.
They will then take on Crumlin United, winners of the recent ABP Craigavon Cup 2024, in exhibition 9-a-side fixtures on Sunday 11th August. This test against quality opposition will highlight the Greenisland squad’s strengths and areas for improvement as they move into the demanding format of 9-a-side football next season.
The tour will feature a trip to Footee, a hybrid sports game experience in the Dublin mountains, where the team will take part in activities such as FootGolf, Combat Laser Tag, Bubble Football, and Human Foosball, and the weekend will conclude with a visit to Dublin Zoo.
Andy Forsythe, Head Coach of Greenisland FC 2014s, said: “This tour is a fantastic opportunity for our young players as we prepare for a new season. The matches against top Dublin teams will be a valuable test for us, and the range of activities planned will help build team spirit and create lasting memories for the young players.
“We wanted to create a professional and camp-style setting where players can improve their skills through competitive matches and professional training sessions, as well as have lots of fun and develop essential life skills such as independence, resilience, and responsibility.
“We’re excited to see how the boys rise to the challenge of the competitive matches and grow as players and individuals as they navigate new environments and handle responsibilities in ways that will benefit them both on and off the pitch.
“We are grateful for the support from our local sponsors, M O’Kane Electrical Ltd and iGen Autos Ltd, who have ensured our players are well-equipped for the trip.”
For more information on Greenisland Football Club visit: https://greenislandfc.clubforce.com/
