SOCCER LEGEND ALDRIDGE CAPTIVATES INVER PUPILS

By Colm Shalvey

Inver College in Carrickmacross was a hive of activity on Monday as they gave a big welcome to former Republic of Ireland striker John Aldridge. Inver College Principal Ms. Sinéad McColgan hailed a nearperfect attendance record after the mid-term break as the students and staff offered céad mile fáilte to Aldridge, who won 69 caps for the Boys in Green under Jack Charlton, scoring 19 goals, which still sees him share fourth place on the list of alltime top scorers for the national team.

Junior-cycle students applauded the former Liverpool frontman into the school, where their senior-cycle counterparts awaited to hear Aldridge speak in great detail about his career path to Inver’s Deputy Principal, Ms. Fiona Mulholland as part of the school’s commitment to introduce students to role models who can offer valuable insights beyond the classroom. Aldridge, whose visit to Carrick was with the help of Castleblayney man Keith Hill’s Peak Top Agency and event sponsors Activ8 Solar Energies and the McEnaney Group, also answered questions from students, wryly noting with some understatement in response to one of those that his goal-scoring return would have meant he was worth “a few bob” in today’s inflated transfer market.

The Liverpool legend kept the audience, which included county councillors and the Director of Schools at Cavan/Monaghan ETB, Paddy Flood, engaged throughout, regaling them with tales…