About UsFutnet Ireland was founded in 2010 almost by accident as a group of college students from Maynooth University stumbled upon the sport that they never knew existed. Within two weeks they represented Ireland at a World Cup in Istanbul. Since then they have represented Ireland at international tournaments on several occasions in Ireland, England, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, North Cyrpus and Turkey. They are currently ranked 13th in the World and are full members of the World Governing Body UNIF. Since 2010 this association has worked towards promoting the sport via demonstrations and through media. Futnet Ireland represents all active futnet players and fans in Ireland.
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Our History |
2010. The 9 founding members (Conway, Mulrooney, Hynes, R.Sheegar, O Mordha, Ryder, Jack and Rory Selby Smith, Holmes) played the sport as a pastime during their youth on tennis courts or over walls for a couple of hours during the summer and never thought it was an actual sport. They played it in college and made up their own rules just like many people do across Ireland. When Jamie Mulrooney researched the sport at home he found that the sport actually existed and was very competitive in Czech Rep., Slovakia and in parts of Romania. He emailed the World Governing Body and within two weeks they represented Ireland at the World Championships. They expected to lose every game and somehow beat Georgia and India.
2011. This was a great year for the development of Futnet as the founders promoted the sport well and held many demonstrations across the country and also appeared on RTE 2 children's program "Elev8" to draw attention to the sport. The first ever national league took place with 10 teams with players from 5 different countries competing in Shankhill, Belfast Northern Ireland. It was around this time that Juraj Holkovic contacted the association. He had played for the Army team in Slovakia and he showed players the basic tactic and skills of how to progress. With his help and coaching Irish players won 1st and 2nd place in the league ( R. Sheegar, G. Sheegar, O' Mordha, Holkovic, Hynes, Mulrooney). They also visited Slovakia and Northwern Cyprus and took part in international competitions. 2012 was the biggest celebration of futnet in the history of the sport. The World Championships in Nymnurk, Czech Republic saw 24 countries take part. Despite some major injuries great performances from Conway, R.Sheegar and O Mordha ensured Ireland finished in a respectful 14th place and were unlucky not to finish in a higher position. 2013. The next 20 months were bleak and many players suffered injuries and others immigrated as well as losing touch with each other. Futnet wasn't played in Ireland that much during this time. 2014. In late 2014 several founding members reignited their passion for the sport and entered the World Championships despite not having trained much. They managed to beat Tunisia in a play off with great performances from the Sheegar brothers, Holmes and O' Mordha. 2015 was a great year as the inspirational performance in the 2014 World Championships urged many players to play again. A national league was created with 6 teams taking part. From this pool of players a national squad was picked and the the team trained once a week for the Winter months to prepare for the European Championships in Hummene, Slovakia. Ireland reached their first 1/4 final for the fist time in their history and there highest ever placing finishing 8th after defeating England in the group stages. 2016 has been the most competitive year so far. Ireland hosted its first ever international tournament "The Emerald Cup" in which 20 teams from 5 different countries took part. Ireland finished a surprising 2nd overall and the tournament was a great success. The sport has been played on a weekly basis in Kildare and Dublin. A weekly league will start in August and this will decide who makes the national squad for the World Championships in Brno, Czech Republic on Nov 18-20 in which 20 countries will take part. |
Current National Squad
A provisional squad has been selected for the World Championships Brno, Czech Republic.