Football crazy siblings set to be future stars

Football crazy siblings set to be future stars

27 February 2019

A DOWNPATRICK brother and sister have the football world at their feet.

Nine year-old Annie Montgomery and her 12 year-old brother Josh, are football crazy and both have been earmarked as stars of the future.

Annie, a pupil at St Brigid’s Primary School, who plays for Rossglass County in the Downpatrick Youth League’s small sided games, has just been selected to take part in the IFA’s Elite Girls’ development programme.

Not to be outdone, Josh, a pupil at De La Salle High School, who plays for Cliftonville in the National League, has been selected for the Lisburn Youth League Select team to play in this year’s prestigious Dublin Cup.

Annie, a box-to-box midfielder, who has an eye for goals, started her career with Celtic Bhoys first kickers at age six, but she soon moved to Rossglass County, where her dad BJ played his football.

“She really enjoys scoring goals and can play anywhere,” said her father.

“Annie was enjoying her time at Celtic Bhoys, but she moved to Rossglass to get more game time and hasn’t looked back. She spends hours out on the Red High pitch, which is just across the road and she and Josh just compliment each other.”

“She is a great wee worker, willing to learn the tricks of the trade and takes everything in her stride,” he added.

“Ideally, Annie would drove to play in a girls’ only side, but she knows how to mix it with the best come Sunday morning. She is in a mixed team and can handle herself.”

Josh, who also started out with Celtic Bhoys before moving to Downpatrick FC, was picked up by Solitude scouts after a series of trial games and he now attends training at the North Belfast club twice a week.

“He has come on leaps and bounds since joining Cliftonville,” said his dad.

“He has won the player of the year for the past two seasons in a row and just loves being part of the set-up at Cliftonville. He also scores goals for fun, but doesn’t mind ping back a little to help out when his side lose possession,” Mr Montgomery added.

“The coaches at Cliftonville have really helped him and he doesn’t mind the travelling up to Belfast three times a week. He would travel anywhere to get a game of football.”

Both Annie and Josh are fanatical Manchester United players and love nothing more than a trip to Old Trafford to see the Red Devils play.

However, they have turned the football pitches at St Patrick’s Grammar School into their own theatre of dreams and the only way is up for the talented siblings.