Kilbane lines out for Wayside Celtic

FORMER Republic of Ireland, Sunderland and Everton legend, Kevin Kilbane, turned up at South Dublin side, Wayside Celtic, for an FAI High Performance Training session to show some up and coming Junior footballers how it’s done.

Kilbane, who was capped 110 times by the Republic of Ireland, reeled in the years before a tight hamstring saw him sit out the last 10 minutes.

 Kilbane was training with the club as part of Aviva’s FAI Junior Cup Campaign, ‘Put Your Name On It’.

Any club that has taken part in this season’s Aviva sponsored FAI Junior CuP can enter online to win a range of benefits including training sessions, equipment and kit.

 Kevin Kilbane, Aviva’s FAI Junior Cup Ambassador, said: “Since Aviva got involved, the sponsorship work they are putting in is really raising the profile and the standards, giving the players the platform that didn’t exist before in Junior football in Ireland.

“It’s nice to come over here to Wayside Celtic on a Thursday evening and try to contribute in some sort of way to the club to make it better.”

Mark Russell of Aviva Insurance, said: “It’s great to be able to bring Kevin down to a great junior club like Wayside Celtic and hopefully inspire the next generation of international stars.

“The Put Your Name On It campaign for Aviva’s sponsorship of the FAI Junior Cup this gave us the chance to give something back to every club,” he added.

“While they all can’t have the glory of walking out at the Aviva on FAI Junior Cup Final day this season hopefully these benefits will help them get a little further next season.”

 Mick Mason, Chairman, Wayside Celtic, added: “It’s great recognition for the club and it’s great for the lads to have other coaches up here and, of course, to have Kevin Kilbane up here with Aviva.

“I’ve seen lads up here score tonight who haven’t scored all season, so we might keep Kevin and Paul Martyn (FAI) up here all the time.  It’s been a great experience.”

 The last four on the #RoadToAviva for this season’s Aviva sponsored FAI Junior Cup will clash this  weekend (April 8 and 9).

 The FAI Junior Cup Final takes place at the Aviva Stadium on May 13. For more information log onto www.aviva.ie/faijuniorcup