Bohs support local youngsters

LOCAL politicians, senior gardai and former Bohemians manager Roddy Collins were amongst the crowd at Dalymount Park recently for an unusual match that marked the end of a local community football project.

The match took place on Wednesday, August 29 and both teams included young people from socially disadvantaged areas in Dublin 7 and local community gardai.

They were cheered on by local TDs Joe Costello and Maureen O’Sullivan, Deputy Lord Mayor Larry O’Toole and senior gardai.

The game was the climax of weeks of football training, which was part of the MOST (Montpellier and O’Devaney Gardens Striving Together) youth justice programme.

MOST is one of about 100 youth diversion projects around the country that target and support young people at risk and it has the backing of The Bohemian Foundation, a new charitable initiative of Bohemian FC.

After the game, the Foundation invited the MOST project participants to a Bohs home match where they’ll have a chance to meet the players.

The Foundation is also arranging for the youngsters to visit Mountjoy Prison, where the club has also been supporting a football project. The visitors will hear talks on prison life from current prisoners.

Alison Finn, MOST co-ordinator, said the project aims to divert young people from a path that could lead to prison, by building relations with gardai through shared activities.

“Football is one of the tools they use,

? she said.

“The FAI is supporting that part of the programme by providing the services of a qualified coach.

After the match on Wednesday the young players were presented with certificates of participation.