Irish Homeless Team tops with 13 games won

By Maurice Garvey

THE Irish Homeless World Cup team enjoyed a successful tournament at Glasgow 2016 – winning a Plate Final and going unbeaten during their 13-match journey.

Led by coach and Clondalkin native Thomas Morgan, the team beat Egypt in the Plate Final, with Ballyfermot goalkeeper John Farrell instrumental in the penalty shootout.

Farrell (38) and Jamie Geoghan (20) from Clondalkin, made the final cut for the Irish squad during qualification trials in the Irish Street leagues.

Ireland’s Big Issue editor and Clondalkin resident Sean Kavanagh established the Street League and Irish Homeless World cup team years ago.

Kavanagh said: “Going 13 games unbeaten in six days is an incredible achievement – what a team. Thomas instilled a wining mentality. There were no prima donnas, just honest lads who gave their all.”

The Irish team didn’t qualify for the main final due to a penalty shoot-out loss against Chile, but wins against Lithuania, Bulgaria, United States, Greece and Sweden in the first stage, were followed by wins over Hungary, Chile, Northern Ireland, and India, in the second stage.

Plate Trophy victories against Lithuania and Costa Rica, led to a final win against Egypt, which went down to penalties after a 4-4 draw.

Morgan, a former Irish international, Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers, and four-time League of Ireland winner, says the team “dug in” for a “deserved win.”

“The referee played an extra 10 seconds in the game and Egypt scored to make it 4-4,” said Morgan, an FAI development officer.

“At that stage it felt like a defeat, but we regrouped, and got our heads right.”

Kavanagh has now set his plans on bringing the Homeless World Cup to Dublin.

“It has to come here, it’s a fantastic tournament bringing together over 60 nations, 600 men and women for a festival of football and culture,” he said.

“Dublin deserves to host this competition. It’s about changing lives and using sport as the catalyst. In the coming months I hope to get together with interested parties so we can put in a bid and make it a reality.”