Courtesy: FAI Futsal


Ireland to host UEFA Senior Futsal Qualifiers in February 2009

Monday, 22 September 2008

The Republic of Ireland has agreed with UEFA to host a qualifying round mini group for the 2010 UEFA Futsal Championships. The finals are due to take place in Budapest, Hungary in January 2010 and this tournament will see Ireland represented at senior level Futsal for the first time. The group drawn at UEFA HQ in Nyon features the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Kazahkstan and neighbours, England.

The matches will be played between February 18th and 22nd with actual fixtures and dates to be confirmed. It will also be the first time that Ireland has hosted an official international Futsal event and it promises to be a great opportunity for football people in Ireland to see what this exciting small sided game is all about.

Matches will take place at the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght and ticket details will be published in due course.

The following is the latest 2008/9 season schedule for the
Republic of Ireland Futsal team:

November 2008, Budapest
Wednesday 26th November v Hungary Senior A Team.
Thursday 27th November v Hungary Senior A Team

December 2008 – Sunday 21st December – International Invitational tournament, England
Friday 19th December v England
Saturday 20th December v Libya
Sunday 21st December v Lithuania

18th – 22nd February 2009 – UEFA Senior Futsal Championship qualifiers
This tournament will be hosted by the FAI in Dublin (National Basketball Arena)
Matches v Cyprus, England and Kazahkstan.
Dates TBC.

Team manager Derek O’Neill said; “It promises to be a busy few months ahead for our Futsal players in preparation for the UEFA qualifiers in February. Following our performance at last April’s U21 qualifiers in Andorra, it’s now time to kick on and give the players some senior international experience. Many of the players who featured in Andorra will feature in the senior squad but the door is now open to other players irrespective of age who can show the technique and mental toughness required to compete at a high level in Futsal.

Our first get together is on October 5th where we will be able to have a look at some new players and see how they match up to the guys who have already experienced what it takes to survive at international U 21 level. It’s a great opportunity for a lot of players throughout the country who might not yet have reached the required level to play in the top grade of Eircom League football but who have the technical skills and quickness of mind to excel at the small sided game.”






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com