Time to start picking Milk Cup squads

A preliminary squad of 30 players will be in place by the end of March. The squad will have training sessions during April.

Following this, a final trial match will take place in May to select 23 players for the provisional squad that will go to a pre-tournament weekend in Dublin.

Selection for the Junior (under-15) team will remain as it was, meaning trials will begin at Easter. Details for these trials will be published in the local press in due course and on the County Down website www.downmilkcup.com.

Last year, County Down made history by becoming the first-ever county side to make it into the Milk Cup quarter-finals in both age groups in the same year. The Junior team finished sixth overall and picked up the award for the most successful Irish team. The Premier side was put out of the main competition by beaten finalists Sheffield United and went on to finish eighth.

If you are a coach or parent and you know of an under-17 player who has the ability to represent County Down at the world-renowned Milk Cup tournament, which takes place from 26 July to 30 July 2010, make sure you contact one of the trial co-ordinators with details of name, date of birth, contact number, position played and club/school.

To be eligible for the County Down Premier squad, players must be born on or after 1 January 1993. Furthermore, parents or guardians of players must currently live at an address in County Down.

The South Down zone, which takes in Newry, Warrenpoint, Kilkeel, Banbridge, Rathfriland and Dromara, is coordinated by Damian McCorry (07740 909603).

Once the Zones have selected their respective panels they will play off against each other in front of the management team for the selection of the training squad of 30 players.