Score with a celebrity at this year’s Volvo Ocean Race

At the launch was Dora Gorman, Irish soccer International, shooting at Gary Traynor, Power Soccer with Anna de Paor, Galway Rose and Maura Lennon, GOAL Representative Galway in support. Photo:Andrew Downes.

By Linley Mackenzie

A host of sportspeople and celebrities will be taking part in a special fundraiser for Goal to coincide with the Volvo Ocean Race celebrations.

Former All-Ireland-winning footballer Ray Silke, Galway Rose Anna de Paor, and former Galway mayor Michael Crowe will be joined by Irish woman’s soccer international Dora Gorman, goalkeeping coach and ex-League of Ireland player Adrian Cronin, and former Galway United star Jimmy Nolan for a stint between the sticks.

The celebrity GOALkeepers fundraiser will take place at Fr Griffin Park from 12 noon to 5pm on Sunday, and members of the public can chose which goalkeeping celebrity they wish to take on in a penalty competition.

All the celebrity goalkeepers will be pre-scheduled to keep goal for 15 to 20 minutes to allow members of the public to choose who they would like to try to score against. Penalty-takers are being invited to make a small donation towards Goal.

Maura Lennon of the aid agency says is a one-day family fun event for people of all ages.

“It’s an ideal opportunity for under age soccer, GAA and other teams to practice their penalty-taking and see who can score the most goals,” she says.

Micheline McNamara, CEO of Let's Do It Galway, says the organisation is delighted to support Goal.

“To be associated with Goal and to have an event like this highlight the great work that this charity does is fantastic. The difference Goal makes to the lives of children and their families that have nothing is huge.”