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 Irish Marine Emergency Services' Dennis Maher"We would like to help if we could."  real 28k |
Coastguards search for floating footballs
 Several sightings of floating footballs have been made off Ireland's coast |
A north Wales football team has called on Ireland's coastguards for help with a rescue mission - with a difference.
The Irish Marine Emergency Services - the Republic's equivalent of the British coastguards - have been asked by Maesgeirchen Social Club FC to keep an eye out for their footballs which are being lost into the Menai Strait at the rate of about two a week.
 It's �15 a ball and we usually lose about one ball every two games, which is about 10 in a season  |
| Club member Chris o'Neil |
Maesgeirchen Social Club FC play on a pitch within kicking range of the fast-flowing stretch of water separating Anglesey from the mainland.
Their latest match had to be abandoned after 50 minutes because the match ball and three spares were all lost into the water.
Now the club says they may have to quit because they cannot afford the cost of losing their footballs.
The solution, they say, is for the council provides them with a higher fence.
Costing 'a fortune'
The squad lose on average one ball every two games but things came to a head when they lost all four balls in the game against Great Lakes Amlwch.
Chris O'Neil from Bangor, said it was costing the team a "fortune" and they may not be able to continue next season.
"It's �15 a ball and we usually lose about one ball every two games, which is about 10 in a season" he said.
"The council also charge us �22 a week to use the pitch so that makes it �37 and we pay �10 for the ref."
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