Posted online: Oct 14th, 2009

IF ever proof was needed that Inishowen footballers were beginning to make waves on the national scene, then it came this past week with the news that Buncrana Hearts Mark Timlin had received a call up to the U16 Republic of Ireland squad.

Not yet 15, Timlin has caused such an impression on FAI scouts that he was invited to join the squad for their trip to Denmark earlier this week for two friendly matches.

It is yet anther big step in the right direction for Timlin who made his debut for the Republic of Ireland in a international friendly against Malta U17 side last month. The youngster even capped a fine debut performance by scoring Ireland’s second goal in a 4-0 victory. 

The Buncrana Hearts midfielder has also been making waves locally for the past few years now and is held in high regard at the local club, having been awarded the U15 Academy Player of the Year just last week.

Timlin received his second call up at the last minute and only joined up with the squad as they prepared to fly to Denmark on Monday past and Buncrana Hearts coach Jonathan Adair revealed the youngster had a hard time believeing he had been called up again.

He told the “Inish Times,,” “He’s a very quiet young fella and very modest and he was delighted to be called up. I was chatting to his mother and she was telling me that even though he got the itinerary for the trip, he didn’t believe he had been called up until he got to the airport and met the manager. He thought it might have been a false alarm because when the squad was orginally annonced, he wasn’t in it. But as the week progressed, someone must have pulled out and they called on Mark.”

It has been a fruitful few months for Hearts who also had Conor O’Donnell and Darrach O’Connor called up to the national squad and Adair believes new Republic of Ireland U15 and U16 manager John Morling has had a positive impact on local footballers.

He said: “It’s great for the club. In the past three or four months we have had a few players called in which would have never happened before. But ever since this new manager, John Morling, came in to head up the emerging talent, things have changed. He is in touch with what’s going on now in the development centres. They are very impressed with Mark and they have had their eye on him for a while now. They have high hopes for him.”

Timlin will return home tomorrow having experienced his second internatuonal trip in two months but he will be on his way again shortly as he prepares for a trial with English Championship side Coventry Cty, who have also been monitoring his progress. There seems to be no end to the good news for Timlin and Buncrana Hearts.

Adair agreed, saying: “To get boys called up is a great boost. Inishowen was always off the radar but they are now spreading the net wide and telling players that if they show anything they will be given a chance.”