HUNDREDS of spectators attended the multicultural Tesco mobile Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) Soccerfest earlier this month to show their support for those taking part in a number of hotly contested soccer games.
The event, which also featured Olympic silver medallist John Joe Nevin, was launched to highlight the importance of using sport as a means to combat racism.
Forty men’s teams, eight women’s teams and eight under-13 teams battled it out to win the overall prizes as part of the intercultural seven-a-side tournament.
The eventual winners of the Tesco Mobile SARI Cup were FC Antrim who beat Insaka 1-0 in the final.
The Libyan Community who beat the team One World in the final 2-1 were awarded the Tesco mobile SARI Plate.
The Women’s tournament was won by St Catherine’s who beat St Joseph’s 3-0 and the Under-13 Fair Play Cup went to Lifford who travelled all the way from Ennis for the competition.
The team beat New Generation, from Dundalk, in a game that was watched by former Republic of Ireland and Arsenal defender John Devine.
Devine now manages the South Dublin Schoolboy League and attended the event to seek out new sporting talent.
Olympic silver medallist John Joe Nevin left his boxing gloves at home and showed off his football skills instead during the event.
The boxer took part in an All Stars match organised by SARI, which tackles discrimination.
Après Match star Gary Cooke and Newstalk’s Eoin McDevitt also played in the games.
Commenting on the event’s success, Tesco mobile managing director, Noel Burrows, said:
“Tesco mobile is delighted to support the work of SARI. Through this initiative Tesco mobile recognise the importance of combating racism and discrimination.
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