Rebecca gets Irish soccer call up

Clare Schoolgirls Soccer received a further boost this week with the news that Rebecca Mahon from Connolly Celtic has been called up to the Irish U-17 assessment squad.

The news comes following the selection of Lifford players Alana Blake, and Aishling Meaney (Lifford) and Amy McCormack (Shannon Town) for the Irish U-16 squad that played against Limerick.

Grainne Nolan and Lauren Keane (both Lifford) had an U-17 trial with Ireland earlier this year.
The Kilmihil girl started out playing at schoolboys level with St Pat’s before joining Connolly Celtic. From there she was chosen on the Clare emerging talent squad and she was a stand out performer with the Clare U-14 and U-16 Gaynor Cup squads.

That led to an invitation to join the FAI regional centre that is a stepping-stone to the Irish squad.
In a recent game against the Cork regional squad Rebecca, who is a pupil at St Michael’s Community College in Kilmihil, impressed and this led to a call up to the national U-17 assessment squad.

“She has been with Connolly Celtic since she was 13 and she captained our U-16 team this year. She is a dream to coach and she leads by example,” according to Sean Cregan of Connolly Celtic, a coach with the Clare Gaynor Cup squads.

“This is the sixth girl from Clare Gaynor Cup squads to play with Ireland in the last year” according to Cregan who went on to point out that, “the popularity of schoolgirls soccer is increasing. Tulla won the U-12 league this year, Connolly won the U-14 and Lifford captured the U-16 title”.