Irish Powerchair Football team compete in their first FIPFA World Cup Finals in Paris

On the 3rd November 2011, the Irish Power Soccer Team played their first competitive world cup match ever (against Belgium) at the FIPFA World Cup Finals in Paris.  And over the following few days, tough competition was also faced against Canada, France and Australia all of whom proved too strong for our guys in green.  But all was not lost - the "fighting Irish" were involved in one final match for the play-offs against Switzerland and determined to go home with a win they did just that, securing a 4-0 victory over their Swiss counterparts.  

The final between England and USA took place on the 6th November 2011 with our nearest neighbors claiming a 3-0  victory over the USA and lifting the cup as overall winners of the tournament. 
 
MDI would like to congratulate the Irish Power Soccer Team on a great achievement in qualifying for the first time for the FIPFA World Cup Finals and bringing the sport to a new level here in Ireland.

About Powerchair Football

Powerchair Football (also know as Power Soccer) is one of the fastest growing variations of football/soccer in the world. It allows people with more severe disabilities to participate in sport and the world's most popular sport at that. It is played the same as soccer, two teams, two goals, two halves, one winner. Players even have specialist foot gear in the form of indestructible guards which are used to strike the ball.

The sport has been in existence since 1979 but only arrived in Ireland by the persistence of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland (MDI) who introduced it to our members in 2003.  In the early stages we at MDI organised a number of "once off" games around the country and as popularity grew, we contacted the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) who worked with us to help bring the game to a new level, before the sport was even

Patrick Flanagan (pictured above) a member of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland and the Irish Power Soccer Team said "I played in MDI's first Irish national Power Soccer Tournament in the Irish Wheelchair Association sports hall Dublin on the 1st July 2003. The event was a huge success and since then the sport has grown considerably with the assistance of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland staff and members".

The other MDI members who were part of the Irish Power Soccer Squad representing Ireland at the FIPFA World Cup Power Soccer Finals along with Patrick were: Aoife McNicholl from Laois, Lee Fitzsimons from Dublin & Daniel Stack from Kerry.

Patrick went on to say "it is testament to everyone involved in Irish  Power Soccer, past and present, that after eight years the sport has doubled in size; an intensely competitive league has been established and 2011 saw it brought to the international stage. Such developments have taken up to twenty years in countries like France and England. Great thanks are owed to many people; organisations such as Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, the FAI and the Irish Sports Council who all at different times have played key roles” Patrick concluded. 

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This video was made in 2010 (prior to the FIPFA World Cup) and captures the buzz of Power Football. 
It was edited and directed by John Owens, who kindly gave MDI permission to use it on our website. 
Thanks John!