No less than eight students from IT Carlow – seven Sports & Exercise (Soccer) undergraduates and one Quantity Surveying student - have been selected to the Team Ireland men’s soccer squad that will compete in the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea this July.
The prestigious World University Games is the second largest sporting event in the world after the Summer Olympics with 10,000 of the best athletes from the world’s third-level institutions participating in 21 individual sports. Organised by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), it is comparative only to the Olympics in terms of participation numbers and prestige.
Selection for the 24 -strong men’s football provisional squad to participate at the 2015 World University Games was based on continuous assessment of eligible third level student players by a scouting team appointed by the Ireland team manager Danny Crowley. IT Carlow is delighted to have such a large representation in the squad.
“The entire Institute and the sports department is delighted to have such a strong representation from IT Carlow on the men’s soccer squad at the World University Games. It is both a testament to the caliber of our students and the Institute’s investment in sport”, said Donal McNally, Head of Sport, IT Carlow.
Paul O’Reilly, IT Carlow’s BA Sport & Exercise (Soccer) course manager has been selected as assistant coach to the Irish soccer delegation.
The Team Ireland women’s football team has not yet been named but IT Carlow is hopeful additional students will be named in the squad.
Ireland finished in its best ever 5th place at the 2013 World University Games in Kazan Russia but the pressure is on this summer for the Team Ireland men’s soccer squad with Ireland drawn in a tough group against China, Russia and Uruguay. Ireland’s first soccer game takes place on 2nd of July. The World University Games run from 3rd to 14th July.
Travel to the World University Games represents a big cost for the squad and players are looking at sponsorship opportunities and support from local businesses to assist in travelling to South Koran. Any local business interested in sponsorship opportunity can contact carl.grehan2@itcarlow.ie for further information.
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Pictured are the IT Carlow students selected for the Team Ireland men’s football squad to compete in eh World University Games. From left: Andy Mulligan; Eric Molloy; Dean Broaders; Jonny Bonner; Noel Haverty; Conor O Keefe; Seamus Houghton; Stephen Last.