Advanced Player Development Programme in partnership with JD and College Corinthians | OneFootball

It is vitally important to everyone at Celtic FC to maintain and enhance our deep-rooted connection with Ireland and its supporters.

We are grateful for the unwavering support from thousands of fans who make the journey to Celtic Park on a monthly basis.

With the help of our partners JD, The Celtic Soccer Academy visited Cork and has engaged with the community through various football programmes since the summer of 2025

Our task to reach players in the city of Cork and the rest of the county started by seeking out a like-minded club with a rich history for providing football opportunities for boys and girls within the community.

In College Corinthians AFC, we found a match made in heaven.

JD have heavily invested in the running Celtic Soccer Academy football camps, one in July was held in the backdrop of Celtic first team’s pre-season friendly with Cork City.

A follow-up camp took place in October, which combined has seen us engage hundreds of players in a short space of time.

Our latest visit to Cork has seen us deliver a bespoke Advanced Player Development Programme for College Corinthians players.

JD funding allowed us to deliver high-intensity football sessions, educational presentations and support participants with individual development plans over a three-day period.

Senior Soccer Academy Manager, Jose Romero said of the programme. “JD, College Corinthians and Celtic share similar values in their continued efforts to support youth culture and sport in Ireland, this clear in the goals of the partnership program.

“At Celtic Football Club we live the values of commitment, integrity, respect and support. All of which align with JD and College Corinthians aims and targets in Cork and Ireland alike.

“At Celtic Soccer Academy we are well aware that football is a vehicle where we can engage young people to adopt a healthy living and strive to be the best they can be.

“The dream for so many young players is to follow in the footsteps of College Corinthians’ own Adam Idah who made the best of the platform he was afforded as a youngster at Corinthians and go on to play and excel at Celtic and represent Ireland on the international stage.

“That being said, we recognise that this dream is only achieved by the select few. The basis of our partnership is to make programmes like this accessible to a larger audience and allow them to experience what it’s like to be coached like Celtic Academy player.”

Maggie Hallihane, aged 14, was selected to take part to visit Glasgow later this month and added. “I found out on Monday after school.

“I am so excited, I can’t believe I was picked, my Mum told me and I almost fainted. I was really happy to hear that I was picked.

“The experience of training with the coaches in Cork was very intense, the drills were very advanced and it was a nice experience. I am definitely looking forward to going to Scotland.”

Additional to the upcoming Academy Player Experience for Maggie later this month, JD will also be sponsoring a trip for a whole College Corinthians U16 team to travel to Glasgow as part of Celtic Soccer Academy Team Tour.

They will be training at our newly developed Barrowfield Training Centre, play a friendly match against a local football team, enjoy a Celtic Park stadium tour and even watch our first team play at Paradise.

Stevie Granger and Sarah Scanlon from College Corinthians AFC added: “It’s a massive opportunity here for College Corinthians to be teaming up with a global superpower in football like Celtic FC.

“From the first camp to now the number of girls participating has increased. The girls are all mixed age-wise with the boys for their training which is fantastic and the numbers are growing. It’s great to see so many girls being involved in College Corinthians.”

After the three days of intensive coaching, College Corinthians representatives selected one high performing individual who will be awarded to visit Glasgow in the coming weeks to participate in a once in a lifetime Academy Player Experience.

This experience will be fully sponsored by JD and will last seven days. This deserving player will be able to train alongside youth academy players in our very own facilities, visit our world-famous Celtic Park and even attend a first-team match while in town.