Northern Ireland v Belarus (15/11/2024)

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Even the most optimistic Northern Ireland supporter could not have predicted the result against Bulgaria last month.

The way the team played, the score, Isaac Price’s hat-trick and the atmosphere left me with a smile on my face for days. The Amalgamation put in some excellent work to try to improve the Windsor Roar. It had clearly made a difference even before the first goal was scored. It was a memorable evening for everyone in the green and white. The 5-0 win was remarkable given Bulgaria had not suffered a loss in their previous nine games and it means Northern Ireland now top their Nations League group with seven points. Tonight we welcome Belarus to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park for another encounter in League C Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League. My apologies to fans for the uncertainty around the fixture but please be assured that we were working hard behind the scenes with all the parts of government to make sure that the game was played in Belfast. Belarus have yet to qualify for a major tournament and are currently ranked 97th in the world. Our draw in Hungary against them was disappointing but showed that the White Wings have a resolute quality when needed. They are unbeaten in the group so far and have only conceded one goal. It will be an important game. Since our last C3 match Andy Waterworth’s Under-17s have enjoyed two great results against Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. Despite a loss to Lithuania, they qualified for the elite round of U17 Euro 2025 qualifiers next spring having topped the group. The future for

Northern Ireland looks bright based on the strength of this young squad. Prior to tonight’s game, Irish FA chaplain Richard Donnan and I met with the relatives of Aaron Ferguson and Ivan Gillespie. These were two dedicated supporters who have passed away. They were both highly respected as founders of Holywood NI Supporters’ Club and served as the club’s first chair and treasurer. I recall catching up with Aaron on a trip to Estonia and stayed in the same hotel as Ivan at any away game in Norway. In a month when Acts of Remembrance are in our minds, it is particularly apt that a Memorial Wall for fans has been created. It was an honour and a privilege to be there for the inauguration. My thanks goes to the members of Holywood NISC, and Marc Vannucci in particular, for their co-operation with the Irish FA which was instrumental in taking the project forward. Further details about the process of adding the name of a relative to the Memorial Wall will be published soon. Thanks in advance to those of you who are making the journey to Luxembourg to cheer the team on. It was not that long ago that we were there for a friendly so we will know our way around. I look forward to catching up with a few of you in the lead-up to the game. In the meantime please enjoy tonight’s game. CONRAD KIRKWOOD PRESIDENT IRISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

IRISHFA.COM

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