McGillivary hoping to help lead Ireland CP team to Rio 2016
BRIAN McGillivary is hoping the Ireland team currently taking part in the Cerebral Palsy Football 7-a-side World Championships can avoid the heartbreak suffered in this same competition four years ago.
The much-experienced goalkeeper from Firhouse was part of that squad that missed out on qualification for the London Paralympics after slipping up against the United States in a World Championship match.
Now the team, which also includes winger and forward Dillon Sheridan from Ballyfermot, is back on the global stage in St George’s Park in England, hoping to reach the quarter finals which would go a very long way to seeing them make the cut for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.
While the team did suffer a heavy 8-1 defeat at the hands of reigning Paralympic champions Russia in their first match in the tournament on Tuesday they bounced back with a 4-1 triumph over Australia, with Sheridan hitting two goals.
Next up for the team will be a clash with Portugal on Saturday in a game they will be expecting to win, but McGillivary will be urging his team mates to remain totally focused given what happened to the side in 2011.
“I am a bit apprehensive after what happened four years ago so we’ll be taking nothing for granted” stressed McGillivary.
“It’s up to the experienced lads to help get the team through because we’ve been down this road before” he told The Echo.
While they did take their eye off the ball in the last World Championship, Ireland have enjoyed strong showings in other major recent internationals.
Indeed the team has made the semi finals of the last two European Championships as well as the Inter-Continental Cup in Barcelona.
It is a relatively young squad with just four of the 14 players, namely McGillivary, Gary Messart, Joe Markey and Captain Luke Evans, having competed in a Paralympic Games when Ireland finished sixth in Beijing.
“We’ve a great core of experienced guys who have competed at a previous Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008, and a lot of emerging talent keen to make their mark” said Ireland team manager Barry Ferguson.
“This is our only chance to qualify for Rio 2016 and that is our sole focus for these Championships.
“With Brazil as host nation their spot is secure so the remaining seven places should be up for decision at these Championships.
“We need to make the quarter-finals without doubt. With Football 7-a-side not included in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and having narrowly missed out on London 2012 qualification this is the last shot at a Games for many of our team so it’s a massive couple of week” he stressed.
