Irish U-16 trials for five local girls

Clare were well represented at the Irish under 16 girls soccer trials held in Dublin last Sunday, with five players in total called up for the all day trial session at the AUL complex.

Having five players called up for national trials is an unprecedented achievement for Clare ladies soccer and reflects the success of the girls club scene and the Emerging Talent Programs (ETP) in the county, under the management of their head coaches Irene Hehir and Sean Cregan.

All five girls have also come through Munster Regional FAI and Munster Schools FAI (SFAI) specialised training programs since last autumn, which, in addition to their club commitments, has helped prepare them to this high standard.

Three of the girls involved last Sunday, Graine Nolan (Lifford) Rebecca Mahon (Connolly) and Lauren Keane (Lifford) are no strangers to this level having been involved in trials for the Irish U-17 squad in both 2012 and early 2013.

The two youngest of the five, Aislinn Meaney and Alana Blake (both Lifford) have already tasted football at international level having been called up to the U-16 squad that had two international friendlies against England last autumn in the newly opened English training camp, St Georges Park.

On the day, over 80 girls took part in the trials with an expectant squad of 20 to emerge from a two weekend trial campaign, all in preparation for a UFEA tournament in Dublin in May where Ireland will meet Wales, Belgium and the Czech Republic in their group.