A unique event when over 300 lads from all over Ireland came together in Tallaght, Dublin, to participate in the Big Issue Street Soccer Finals the forerunner to the Homeless World Cup.


Blue skies and a lovely day set the scene for Ireland's Big Issues Street Soccer League's All Ireland Finals, held at Postal Sports and Social Club in Tallaght. Fostering the sense of inclusion that is such an important aspect of the leagues, 30 teams from all over Ireland - with 300 players including lads from countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Afghanistan - battled it out for supremacy in a superb display of skill, agility and sportsmanship that would not have been out of place in professional soccer. After hard fought preliminary rounds the teams who made it into the final were from St Catherine's Street League, Dublin, WHAD (We Have a Dream) and Grange Utd from the Longford Street league.

It was ‘WHAD's second consecutive final and in an exciting and close game against the boys from Longford nothing could separate the teams, with the score remaining 0-0 at full time. So we were into the dreaded sudden death penalty shoot off, leading goalscorer in the tournament Clondalkin's Mark O'Neill scored with a well placed kick for ‘Whad' while the under pressure Mickey Myers from Longford failed to put his penalty away. Celebrations followed as ‘WHAD' retained their All Ireland trophy for the second year running.

‘The 300 young men who took part in this tournament deserve to be congratulated. They showed great endeavour and sportsmanship and we are proud of all they have achieved in the past year' said Sean Kavanagh founder and organiser of the Big Issues Street Leagues.
At the awards ceremony afterwards Trophies were presented to the players by various dignitaries including Shamrock Rovers manager Michael O Neill, FAI's Miriam Malone who congratulated the lads on their skills and TDS and supporters of the Big Issues street leagues, Maureen O Sullivan, Luke "Ming' Flanagan and Mattie McGrath, along with South County Dublin Deputy Mayor Cathal King presented the victorious and gracious Captain Trevor Owens with the All Ireland Trophy.


The tournament is used as the basis for selecting a panel of 30 players from which a team to represent Ireland in the Homeless world Cup in Paris, in August will be selected.


Mick Pender coach of the World cup team said " the standard was so good it will be a difficult task, choosing a panel, we'll be looking at a couple from each team.'


Organiser and Street league founder Sean Kavanagh was keen to point out the assistance he has received from the FAI, sponsor Start Mortgages and the Dept of youth services, who have maintained a close relationship with the league program over the years and all the many individuals and companies who have supported us and believe in what we are trying to achieve.
For more information on the Street league and Homeless World Cup see the website www.irishstreetleague.com