Phoenix FC fly the flag for Ireland

A LOCAL schoolboy soccer club from Cabra flew the Irish flag high in Munich earlier this month when they took on some of Europe’s best young players.

Ten-year-old Phoenix FC surpassed many of the country’s more established clubs by being the first Irish club to compete at the ‘Verine Service Cup’ in the German city.

The competition is one of Europe’s most prestigious schoolboy soccer tournaments and the U13 event featured players from 30 clubs including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, FC Schalke 04, VfB Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, Italian club Fiorentina and Swiss club FC Luzern.

To prepare for the challenge, Phoenix FC academy coaches Pat Cleary, Karl McKenna, Kay McKenna and Michael Burke put players Tom McDonagh, Joshua Anderson, Sam Mulhall, Joe Fogarty, Gerard Ashmore, Aaron Donaghue, Dylan Lacey and Akrim Militti through a rigorous training programme that intensified over the Christmas holiday period.

“Phoenix FC is a community football club that offers children of all ages and ability a chance to play the game at a level appropriate to them,” said Academy coach, Karl McKenna.

“However such was the standard of facilities, coaching and players at the club that we decided in 2013 to establish an academy, where a selection of players with potential would receive extra, higher intensity training with the view to bring them onto the next level and compete in competitions such as the Verine Service Cup.

“Our goal is to show the organisers and other competing teams that Phoenix FC can perform at this high level.”

In typical Irish fashion, Phoenix FC was drawn into a tough group with four time winners FC Schalke 04, five time winners FC Luzern along with SV Vaihingen and SSV Ehingen Süd.

The atmosphere in the full to capacity 600+ seat arena was electric with the games coming thick and fast.

After playing some great football and showing some real Irish grit, Phoenix lost out on a place in the final stages only by goal difference.

However the general consensus between coaches was that Phoenix FC were growing in confidence as the games progressed, and if they had qualified to the next stage would have caused a few upsets.

“When we accepted the invitation to attend this competition, it was not about winning but showing that Phoenix FC has the talent and structure to compete at this extremely high level, and I think as the competition went on we started to show what we can do,” said Head of Coaching at Phoenix FC, Pat Cleary.

“I am delighted to announce that because of the lads’ performance, Phoenix FC has been invited to return to competition next year.”

Phoenix FC under 12s academy is currently training for a similar tournament in Denmark this May where they’ll meet teams such as West Ham and Cambridge United.

The club play their games on a cutting edge all-weather pitch in Scribblestown Avenue, Ashtown. More club info available at www.phoenixfc.yourclub.ie.