Irish youths best in Europe

"It's a very special moment," said Irish manager Brian Kerr after he'd hugged everyone in the ground and made his way to meet the assembled media. Kerr's under16 side had just beaten Italy in the final of the UEFA Youths' Championship at Perth, in Scotland last night.

"It's special for all the people who have been involved in schoolboy football around Ireland for the last 60 or so years.

"It's for the people, those who mark pitches, put up nets and wash gear and don't get the glory of a day like this.

"I'm sure, and hope, they feel it in their hearts. They are the people who initially provide us with the players to make this happen. I've done a spot of that and I know what it's like and know they feeling."

Kerr pointed to what he called the "spread" of this team as an added satisfaction to what it has achieved.

"We've lads from Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Clones, Sligo, Galway and Dublin, and Shaun Byrne from London," said Kerr. "We'd a great mixture of the whole lot and that should provide great joy around the whole country."

Tallaght, and more accurately, Kilnamanagh, had two players on the pitch last night, Graham Barrett and Keith Foy, whose stunning free-kick got Ireland into the match and provided the basis for them to go on and win it. "It was easily my best game for Ireland," said left-back Foy. "It was special for many reasons, not just the goal.

"Many of my family and friends had travelled to the game and there was a big flag with `Kilnamanagh' on it in the stand. I was delighted to have played so well and scoring the goal was just magnificent."

David McMahon, the scorer of the winning goal, was tightly marked throughout, but got one chance and scored. "I didn't play well," said the Finglas youngster, now based at Newcastle. "But I scored the winner in the final of the European Championship, so I'm not complaining."

It was disappointing that it was perhaps Ireland's poorest display of the six matches they've played in the tournament. But Kerr was pleased that it was then that the team's true character came through.

"It was great that when we lost the goal we came back and hit them. I didn't think we had that in us."

Sports minister Dr Jim McDaid contacted Kerr last night to discuss a special government reception for the team.