PLANS are almost complete for the Northern Ireland Under-16 football squad to play two matches in the Channel Islands.

Sporting Eventualities, organisers of the successful annual Jersey Football Tournament, have arranged for the Irish to play in Guernsey on Friday 25 March and then move on to Jersey for a match two days later.Guernsey’s under-18s will provide the visitors with a floodlight game at Foote’s Lane while the Jersey age group play at Springfield Stadium on the Sunday afternoon has still to be decided.Organiser Iain Mackenzie said: ‘I hope everything will be finalised by the end of this week.

The Irish were very happy with their first visit to Jersey two years ago and they approached me this time to organise a couple of games.’The visit has proved too costly for the Jersey Football Association to host so I approached Guernsey and they are confident they can raise the funds.’Sporting Eventualities and the GFA will split the £10,000 costs with Jersey providing transport while the Irish are in the Island, together with an after-match buffet.’Northern Ireland will use the games as part of their preparation for an eight-team tournament they are hosting in Ballymena at the beginning of May, so we in the islands can view the games as internationals because Northern Ireland will be awarding caps to their players.’Jersey U18 manager Jon Welsh said: ‘It has not been decided who will represent Jersey yet.

U16 manager Mike Jouanny and myself need to find out what strength the Irish will be before a decision is made.

It could be either age group or it could be a mixture.’Northern Ireland will take the game seriously so we have to field a side that will give them a game.

It will be a tremendous experience for whoever plays for Jersey and I’m really pleased that we have another quality fixture for youngsters to take part in and help raise their standard.’Guernsey schoolchildren will also benefit from the Irishs visitors and they will get some quality coaching from the visiting coaches.Northern Ireland who play annually in the schoolboys’ Sky televised Victory Shield tournament, currently have eight players training with clubs in England and Scotland, namely Manchester United, Glasgow Rangers, Nottingham Forest, Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town.Northern Ireland’s first visit to Jersey for a friendly two years ago resulted in a 2-0 victory at Springfield against Jersey’s U16s before a crowd of 750.