World Cup-bound teenager loving Irish League education at Glentoran with club legend playing key role in development

The 16-year-old was named Man of the Match after saving two penalties in a shoot-out success over Linfield to help the Glens lift the prestigious youth crown for the first time in 30 years and will be hoping to carry that sort of form into the U17 World Cup later this year where he will represent Canada in Qatar.

In Daniel Gyollai, who was this week named the club’s Player of the Year, and Elliott Morris, a Glentoran legend who made over 740 appearances and lifted three Gibson Cup crowns before becoming goalkeeper coach, Beimers has the perfect role models as he looks to achieve his professional dream.

Beimers has had an opportunity to train alongside the senior squad as they prepare for Premiership matches this term and feels that experience has already had a massive benefit.

"They are all so welcoming and it's great because they don't treat you like a kid, they treat you like they would any other player and Elliott pushes me as much as he would any other goalkeeper,” said Beimers. “It's great they have trust in me.

"I'm doing the warm-up for all the first team matches and I love it. I can see even in my own matches that I'm bringing the intensity from the first team into the U20s or U18s.

"Elliott always pushes you in training and has a lot of experience in the Irish League. Big Dan is an amazing goalkeeper.

"Elliott gives me a lot of information on where to stand, how to dive and things like that. Every goalkeeper does the basic things so it's amazing to learn from them. I couldn't ask for better people to be with every day."

Even before Sunday’s heroics, Beimers had displayed a natural talent for saving penalties, already denying the opposition four times from the spot in the league this season – but he also had inspiration from a different source.

"You can't write on your water bottle about where the penalties are going to go because there's obviously no data...I was actually talking to one of the ball boys and he told me to dive to my right on the fifth penalty and that's what I did!" he laughed. “It's up to instinct.

"If they are confident they usually like to open up their body and you look for little things when they are placing the ball down if they are looking in a certain direction.

"They know I can see that as well so it's all mind games.

"You have to be in the moment and I brought that into the league as well where I've saved four penalties. It's all based on trusting your gut."

In November, Beimers is set to take part in the U17 World Cup which will bring elite youngsters from 48 countries across the world to Qatar with Canada booking a spot by finishing top of their Concacaf qualifying group.

Beimers is eligible to represent the North American nation through his parents, who were both born there before moving to Northern Ireland, and the teenager can’t wait for an opportunity to take on the world’s best.

"It's going to be amazing,” he said. “I love playing football in front of crowds and you don't get bigger crowds at our age than at the World Cup.

"We're hoping to play a big nation like Spain, France or even the host country would be amazing.

"The exposure will be great and not many get to say they played in an U17 World Cup so it will hopefully help my career as well.

"All my cousins and relatives in Canada pay attention to it. They have seen me play for Northern Ireland and now playing for Canada, they are so proud.

"One of the best bits is getting to travel the world. With Canada, you're going to Costa Rica, Bermuda, all these amazing places.

"It helps you cope even if you're not playing during some tournaments. To do that at my age while playing football is amazing."

While Beimers holds similar aspirations to most young players in targeting a professional career across the water, he’s also part of a generation who can now view the Irish League as a viable path towards becoming a full-time footballer.

The Glens, alongside Linfield, Larne and Coleraine, are all professional set-ups and with the potential for more to follow in the future, Beimers is delighted to see the Premiership’s progression.

"Playing in England would be the dream,” he added. “Even exposure from the Harry Cavan Cup has helped.

"If I play in this U17 World Cup then that could help my chances too.

"The Irish League is improving a lot so if I don't get a move across then I won't be disappointed.

"The standard here is improving, there are full-time teams and you can have a career here, so that would be great too."