This year’s graduates from the JD-sponsored Irish FA Academy have been celebrated at an event staged at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park.
The celebration also included a caps presentation to players who represented Northern Ireland at Under-16 and Under-17 level during the 2025-26 season.
Andy Waterworth, Director of Elite Player Development at the Irish Football Association, said the event was an opportunity for the JD Academy graduates to get together with staff, parents and coaches who had helped them on their two-year academy journey and prior to that with the JD regional talent programmes.
Among the speakers was Northern Ireland senior men’s team manager Michael O’Neill.
Eleven Year 12 students received graduation certificates after spending two years at the residential academy, which is based at Campbell College in Belfast.
Adam Nelson from Newtownards and Eamonn Tohill from Belfast were the joint graduates of the year.
Nelson thanked staff and coaches who had pushed him to learn and improve over the two years. He also said he was “ready to go” on the next step of his career after attending the academy.
He believes that living away from home five days a week and learning how to manage your time, knowing when to go to training and the gym, and knowing when to eat and what to eat, will set up both him and the other graduates perfectly for a career in professional football.
This year’s graduates from the Irish FA JD Academy included: Mason Ayre, Matthew Belshaw, Jude Crawford, Lukas Doherty, Brayden McNally, Alfie Mulvenna, Adam Nelson, Alfie Pollock, Eamonn Tohill, Sonny Trainor and Conor Wilson.
Also at the event Aaron Hughes, the Irish FA’s Technical Director, said: “To have an actual cap, to have something tangible to show you have represented your country, is something special. It’s something to keep and something in later years to show your kids and your grandkids.”
He said it was important for the association to acknowledge the young players’ achievements and to celebrate them along with their families and friends.
Players who received caps included JD Academy students, players in the JD regional programmes and players based outside of Northern Ireland who are eligible to play for Northern Ireland.
Players who received Under-16 caps this year included: Mason Ayre, Luke Bellingham, Matthew Belshaw, Phoenix Blayney, Cohen Ennis, Jude Crawford, Lukas Doherty, Calum Evans, Jay Forsythe, Alfie Mulvenna, Daithi Holleran, Liam Kelly, Michael Mulholland, Bailey Magee, Jay McCafferty, Preston McKeown, Logan McKnight, Brayden McNally, Cillian Murray, Adam Nelson, Padai O’Kane, Daniel Patterson, Rocco Devlin, Alfie Pollock, Rory Prenter, Noah Vaugh, Conor Wilson, Darryl Meehan and Eamonn Tohill.
Players who received Under-17 caps included: Mason Ayre, Matthew Belshaw, Phoenix Blayney, Zak Magowan, Kyle Chivers, David Green, Alfie Anderson, Alfie Mulvenna, Liam Kelly, Michael Mulholland, Jack May, Charlie McConnell, Sonny Trainor, Adam Nelson, Paul Stanfield, Conor Wilson, Calum Woods, Alfie Wilson, Shea McGarry and Eamonn Tohill.
A time to celebrate
