Coaches to rub shoulders with NI greats at McDonald's event

LOCAL coaches Steven McElvey, Mickey O'Brien, Clifford Adams and Mark Herbison will be joining Northern Ireland legends Pat Jennings and Jim Magilton for a family football experience at the McDonald's Ballymena Football Open Day this Sunday, August 29.

The Open Day is a free event for Ballymena families to enjoy a free, football fun day and the local coaches will be joined by the Northern Ireland legends to provide special coaching advice.

There will also be fun games and mini tournaments on the day and members of the public will be able to find out how to get involved with a local club.

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The local coaches are understandably excited to be rubbing shoulders with former players of the stature of Jennings and Magilton, who have amassed a combined total of 171 international caps between them.

“Pat Jennings is an absolute legend and needs no introduction to anyone in the world of football. Jim Magilton is one of the best midfielders Northern Ireland has ever produced and it’s great that both Pat and Jim will be visiting Ballymena for the Open Day event,” commented Billy O’Flaherty, organiser of the McDonald’s Ballymena Mini Soccer League.

“The coaches and players involved in the McDonald’s Ballymena Mini Soccer League are very much looking forward to meeting them and picking up advice from people of their stature. The local clubs in the Ballymena area have great coaching staff but to have Pat and Jim passing on advice is a big step forward,”

The Open Day is being carried out in conjunction with McDonald’s Ballymena Mini Soccer League, a local youth league that McDonald’s Ballymena has supported for the last ten years through McDonald’s ‘Club Twinning’ programme – an initiative to create links between local restaurants and grassroots clubs.

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Billy says: “Teams involved in the league are always on the lookout for local players who want to enjoy football in a fun-filled and safe environment.

“I know that many clubs are also keen to recruit coaches who are interested in getting into the game so I’d encourage any potential players or coaches to come along on Sunday to have some fun and to speak with representatives about getting involved with a local club.”

The Open Day event is taking place on Sunday, August 29, at Ballymena Showgrounds, running from 1-5pm, and McDonald’s Ballymena is encouraging members of the public to come along and participate in a day of fun-filled footballing activities.

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