East Mayo club to attempt soccer world record

East Mayo club to attempt soccer marathon world record


Michael Commins

MEMBERS of an East Mayo Foróige Club hope to establish a new Guinness World Record for the longest duration 5-a-side Soccer Marathon. The venue is Barnacarroll Sports Complex and the challenge gets under way at 3pm on next Friday, April 9.
They aim to play continuous football over a 32 hour period and thus demolish the 31 hour record just set by the supporters clubs of Liverpool and Everton at the end of March. These two teams were ably assisted by Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher and Everton’s Leighton Baines.
Club Next Foróige is a newly formed club consisting of teenagers from ages 15-18. The members are from Tooreen, Aghamore, Kilkelly, Kiltimagh, Bekan and Ballyhaunis and the meetings are held in Tooreen.
Sharron Lynskey from Tooreen is PRO with the club and she outlines how the challenge has come about. “The whole purpose of the venture is to raise funds for Special Olympics Ireland. We are setting ourselves a target of €5,000. The idea came from club member Patrick Devaney. He has also set up the website and is very enthusiastic about the whole project. The members decided to row in behind him so now we are all set for the record attempt on Friday and Saturday.
“Myra Merrick from the Special Olympics Ireland coordinating team spoke to us in Tooreen and gave us great encouragement. We are now in the process of raising sponsorship through the indoor soccer marathon record attempt as well as organising some church gate collections to assist us in reaching our €5,000 target. It’s all for a very worthy cause and we are delighted with the response. Hopefully by the weekend, we will have established a new Guinness World Record on Barnacarroll hill!”, says Sharron.
The chairperson of Club Next is Siobhan Wilcock (who is a semi-finalist in the West Factor Talent Show in Claremorris on Saturday night!), the secretary is Ailish Harrison from Kilkelly and the treasurer is Siobhan Conboy from Aghamore.
Online donations to the cause can be made at www.mycharity.ie/event/soccer challenge or may all be sent to Sharron Lynskey, Cappagh, Tooreen, Ballyhaunis.