From San Siro to Clooney Park West

The Limavady man, who is now a UEFA Referee observer, was at the world famous San Siro stadium in Milan last Tuesday night, where he was observing Portgual official Olegario Benquerenca's display during AC's European Championship League encounter with Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men went a goal behind after Ronaldinho fired home David Beckham's free-kick early on, but Paul Scholes levelled things before a brace from Wayne Rooney help United secure a 3-2 victory in their first leg tie.

However at the weekend Mr Irvine was assessing local referee Michael Henry at Clooney Park West pitches; Henry was refereeing Lincoln Courts Coca/Cola Irish Junior Cup tie against Ardoyne WMC.

During his career as a FIFA-recognised match official, spanning fifteen years, Mr Irvine presided over such prestigious soccer occasions as the final of the FIFA Youth Cup in Ecuador in 1995 between Brazil and Ghana, as well as Champions League ties at Camp Nou and the Bernabu, the respective grounds of football giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The popular teacher also holds the record for officiating at the highest-attended FIFA match ever, namely the final of the U-20 World Cup between Portugal and Brazil in the Estdio da Luz in Lisbon in 1991, with 127,000 spectators looking on.

And only recently he was a referee observer of the FIFA Club World Cup, which saw a Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona sized their sixth crown in 2009.

Later this year Irvine will be the only Irish representative to play a significant role in South Africa in the 2010 World Cup.