If you are good enough then you are old enough. That is certainly the case for 14 year old Conner Byrne. Byrne became one of the youngest players in Irish league history when he made his senior debut in Glenavon’s victory over Portadown on Monday night.
The teenager is already playing at Under-16 level for his national side Northern Ireland and currently attends school Monday to Friday. He will certainly have a great response when someone asks him “So what did you get up to last night?”.
His manager was full of praise for Byrne. “I watched him playing for the U16s against Linfield a few months back and I liked what I saw. He then got his chance with the U20s and he came in and did really well. We had no hesitation putting him in for last night’s Mid-Ulster Cup game. Our other goalkeeper James Taylor picked up an injury and it opened the door for Conner.”
Interest from England
The chairman of Glenavon has since come out to state that there is a lot of attention for the youngster from English clubs. Putting yourself in the shop window at such a young age will not do his chances of a move abroad, any harm.
You’ve got to ask yourself what you were doing at 14. He is obviously ahead of the curve as this Twitter user put it so perfectly.
when i was 14 id still be asking my mates to not blast the ball…
— Sam Batlle (@Sam_Batlle) 29 November 2017
Another made a joke about having school the day after.
Can he only play the first half… he’s got to be in bed for 9.30!!!!
— Brian (@brimax67) 29 November 2017
