Search begins for Danone Cup team

SHAY GIVEN jetted in from Newcastle to begin the search for a team to represent Ireland in the Danone Nations Cup World finals in September.

Given, who will act as ‘Godfather’ to the Irish team for the second consecutive year, met up with previous Ireland captains Clayton Johnson (2003), Eoin Wearen (2004) and Aidan McGrath (2005) to announce details of this year’s soccer competition.

Seven regional tournaments will take place between April and June, with every league represented. The winner of each regional tournament goes forward to the National Final of the Danone Nations Cup in the AUL complex in Dublin on June 24.

The National Champions will then go forward to represent Ireland in the Danone Nations Cup World final in Gerland Stadium, Lyon, France, from September 1-3.

This is seventh year of the FIFA-supported initiative, which aims to give children the chance to realise their dream of playing in an international tournament, and the fourth year that Ireland has participated. It involves almost 2.5 million children, 35,000 schools and 115,000 clubs worldwide.