U21 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY:     Northern Ireland v Ukraine, Tues 31st March 2009, Shamrock Park, 7:30pm

On Tuesday 31^st March 2009, international football returns to Shamrock Park again after a gap of over a decade. The Irish FA has announced a marketing initiative which will allow supporters to get into the game for only £1.  Geoff Wilson, the Irish FA’s Head of Marketing and Communications said: “We want as many football fans as possible to attend the game and support Steve Beaglehole and his Under 21 players and this initiative will allow adults and children to ‘Get into the Ground’ for £1.” Members of the Irish FA’s Official Supporters Scheme will gain free entry to the game by showing their membership card at the turnstiles.

With the game being shown live on Sky Sports, Portadown’s FC ‘s Community Liaison Officer Alistair Crawford is endeavouring to ensure that Shamrock Park will be packed to the rafters. Invitations have been sent out to over 40 local schools, youth groups and church organisations. As part of this initiative all groups taking up the offer will also receive an invitation to Portadown’s Ladbroke.com Championship game against Glebe Rangers, at Shamrock Park, on 18^th April.

Special guests on the night will be the Team Ireland 2009, Special Olympics team who recently competed at the World Winter Games in the USA. They will be accompanied by their coaches, family and friends. Richhill skier, and Portadown fan Ryan Hill competed with Team Ireland and brought back two Gold Medals.  Ryan has been involved in Special Olympics since 2004 when he was introduced to skiing by Appleby Day Centre who trained on the dry slope in Craigavon. Ryan says he loves being involved in Special Olympics. It has changed his life as it has given him the chance to get involved in sports that he loves, be part of a team and to meet new people from different parts of the world. His family say that it has been a blessing to watch Ryan build in confidence and represent Ireland in a sport that he loves. This was Ryan's second time to represent Special Olympics Ireland at World Games having previously taken part in the 2005 World Winter Games in Japan.

Ryan Hill and his father Gerald were also guest’s of Portadown FC at the Co-operative Insurance Cup Final, at Mourneview Park on 28^th February. Ryan received a special presentation on behalf of Portadown FC, from IFA President Raymond Kennedy before the game.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Further information about Team Ireland can be found at the following link, including photos. Team Ireland has given permission for these photos to be used.

http://www.specialolympics.ie/Events_&_Games/2009_Special_Olympics_World_Winter_Games/TEAM_Ireland.htm

 Ryan Hill and Acting Chief Executive of IFA, Raymond Kennedy