Ireland selection for talented Tullamore Town winger 

Tullamore Town winger Mark Monaghan will pull on an Irish jersey this coming weekend at the Celtic Cup tournament in Scotland.

Mark, who plays for Tullamore Town’s U14 side and was part of the Midlands Schoolboys League side who were finalists in the Kennedy Cup last weekend has been selected to play for an Ireland representative side of the top players from schoolboy leagues across the country. The SFAI U14 side will compete against representative teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man in the tournament on Saturday and Sunday next in Largs, on the west coast of Scotland.
Mark has had an outstanding season with his club, Tullamore Town FC, winning the MSL League and Cup, reaching the quarter finals of the SFAI Cup, under coaches Patrick Murrihy and Jason Halloran. He has been part of the Midlands Emerging Talent Programme for the past number of years and was selected on a squad of 20 players to represent the Midlands at the SFAI Kennedy Cup tournament last week, where they progressed all the way to the final, finishing second out of 30 teams overall.
Mark hails from Streamstown in Co. Westmeath, and excels at Gaelic football with his local parish club. He started playing soccer with Kilbeggan FC until the break-up of that club, at which point he joined a very talented Tullamore Town side, with whom he has enjoyed great success. He attends Mercy Secondary School in Kilbeggan, where he has also played both Gaelic and soccer. Mark’s strong, athletic build, pace and power make him a real threat on the right wing, his favoured position. He loves to take on the opposing player and beat them with a combination of quick feet and pure pace. He is a strong, accurate finisher with both feet and will surely make his mark across the water next weekend.
It will be a very proud moment for his parents Olive and Paul and siblings, Amy, Lee and Jamie when they watch Mark line out in an Ireland shirt next weekend. Mark will be joined by his Midlands team-mate Bobby Lenehan from St Joseph’s FC (Athlone). Bobby, a powerful midfielder was joint-captain of the Kennedy Cup side and will also be making his first appearance in an Ireland jersey. We wish both boys the very best of luck.