Irish FA kick off Shooting Stars programme across Northern Ireland

It provides an opportunity for girls aged between 4-11 to ‘have fun, make friends and learn the fundamentals of football’ before encouraging them to take the next step in joining a local club as they progress along the player pathway.

The weekly sessions are run by qualified coaches at the following locations:

Antrim and Newtownabbey - Antrim Forum and Valley Leisure Centre; Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon – South Lake Leisure Centre, Craigavon; Belfast (North) – Girdwood Community Hub; Belfast – Shankill Leisure Centre; Belfast (East) – Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre; Belfast (West) – Brooke Activity Centre.

Causeway Coast and Glens – Joey Dunlop Centre in Ballymoney and Coleraine Leisure Centre; Derry and Strabane – Templemore Sports Complex; Fermanagh and Omagh – Bawnacre Leisure Centre, Irvinestown; Lisburn and Castlereagh – Loughmoss Leisure Centre; Dungannon and South Tyrone - Dungannon Leisure Centre.

Mid and East Antrim – Amphitheatre Wellness Centre, Carrickfergus; Mid Ulster – Backrow Sports Hall, Draperstown; Newry, Mourne and Down - Ballynahinch Community Centre, Ballynahinch; North Down and Ards – Ards Blaire Mayne Wellbeing & Leisure Complex, Newtownards.

Prices for the programme start at £25 per girl, £40 for two or £55 for three.

It will undoubtedly help build on the success of the senior women’s squad, who played at Euro 2022 before narrowly missing out on qualification for the 2023 World Cup, which is being held in Australia and New Zealand this summer.