Louth GAA star refuses shock Ireland Euro offer!
FORMER Manchester United Adacemy player Conor Grimes has turned down an approach by the FAI to join the Irish squad in France - in favour of helping Louth against Meath on Sunday in Parnell Park.
The powerful forward, who was an accomplished centre half with Albion Rovers as a teenager, was pictured being offered the ‘deal’ by FAI Chief Executive John Delaney and Albion’s Liam Callan on Saturday, but the gifted 22-year-old declined the offer!
However, the moment was all in jest, as Grimes and Delaney posed for pictures as part of the launch of the charity Rainbow Challenge at Albion on July 24.
And the FAI boss had further good news for the club - giving them €20,000 towards their new all-weather facility.
FAI Chief Executive John Delaney turned into Santa Claus out of season at Albion Rovers on Saturday,.
He presented the club with a €20,000 boost to their all weather pitch plan and launched a major charity event at the club on July 24.
He also got to meet ‘ the one that got away’ - Louth GAA star Conor Grimes.
The mighty 22-year-old, who will be part of Louth’s plans against Meath in the Leinster SFC this Sunday, was part of the Manchester United academy for two years and at one time, had lunch in the company of Christiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney at their Carrington base in Manchester! And he also got to train at the same time as the England team.
‘It was an experience,’ he stated. ‘ We were bused to the training base and the press and TV were always around.’
Conor began his soccer career at five with Albion and played for a decade, featuring in the Kennedy Cup and the Milk Cup and spemding two years at the Man Utd academy in Belfast. That involved the journey to Manchester as well.
But he was also making an impact on the GAA stage, selected for the Louth minors and under 21s and now the seniors.
‘ The GAA has taken over now and I’m enjoying it,’ he admitted.
Conor met up with the head of the FAI for the promotional event and was delighted to ‘refuse’ to sign up for the Republic for next week’s Euros! - saying he was busy on Sunday.
As well as hosting hundreds of local children at the schools tournament, the day saw details revealed in relation to the Rainbow Challenge.
It’s being staged in association with the Drogheda based Rainbow club on July 24 and involves a family day with an obstacle course, food stalls, a 5k run amongst other attractions.
‘It’s a pleasure to come to Albion Rovers, I’m actually humbled’, John Delaney explained. ‘ The ethos of this club is magnificent, no matter your ability, creed, colour or sex, you get a game here.
‘I commend the club for that attitude because it’s what I believe in. They have a new all weather planned for the community and I’m delighted to give them a grant of €20,000 towards it.
‘ The Rainbow Club is a great organisation and Albion linking up with them shows what a great social conscience exists here. It’s wonderful to see.’
Speaking on the day, Fergus O’Dowd TD said it was great to see so many young people involved and he paid tribute to a former colleague at St Oliver’s CC Dave Colgan who did so much down the years to encourage sporting activity.
On days when the significance of young people in sport is recognised he said it was important to remember people like Dave.