Soccer

Carl Frampton, John Finucane, Shane Todd and Charlie Lawson join forces for Cystic Fibrosis charity

Two-weight boxing world champion Carl Frampton will referee Sunday's charity match at Seaview
Two-weight boxing world champion Carl Frampton will referee Sunday's charity match at Seaview Two-weight boxing world champion Carl Frampton will referee Sunday's charity match at Seaview

CARL Frampton, Paddy Barnes, Keith Gillespie, Shane Todd, David Jeffrey, Ryan Burnett, Brian Magee, Anthony Crolla, John Finucane and Charlie Lawson (AKA Coronation Street's Jim McDonald) are just a few of the stars from sport and entertainment who will be involved in Sunday’s charity football between Limestone United and the Cystic Fibrosis Allstars.

The game, which will be refereed by two-weight world champion Frampton, kicks off at 5pm at Seaview, home of Crusaders, and has been organised by boxer Ciaran McVarnock and his girlfriend Nicole, who is battling Cystic Fibrosis.

The event is aimed at raising money for the CS Trust and also to raise awareness of the need for life-changing drug Trikafta to be made available on the NHS.

“It started off with Limestone United and I got a few of my friends involved,” explained Ciaran.

“Then I asked Paddy Barnes and he asked Shane Todd. Nicole’s brother knows Steven Ward so he got involved and then we got Carl Frampton involved and it went on from there

“When Nicole was in intensive care I was talking to someone and he was friends with Keith Gillespie so Keith agreed to get involved and it just grew and grew from there. Shane Todd (comedian) contacted me today and said Sam Halliday (Two Door Cinema Club) wants to play now.

“It’s crazy. No way did I think it was going to be this big but it has been amazing and everyone is talking about it.”

Ciaran (a Celtic fan) and Nicole (a Rangers supporter) have been in a relationship for the past 18 months. A week before Christmas, Nicole was admitted to intensive care and Ciaran admits he feared the worst but her health has improved dramatically since she began a course of breakthrough treatment Trikafta.

“The drug is unbelievable and Nicole is living proof of exactly what it does,” he said.

“She was hours away from death before Christmas but she is here now and how fast, and how much, she has improved is unbelievable.

“She was in hospital for a check-up two weeks’ ago and they were happy with how things were going. They said themselves it has been a miracle how she has pulled through.

“She is still in recovery mode but, day by day, she is getting better and it’s all down to the drug. She was the first person in Northern Ireland to get it on compassionate grounds and now there are seven people getting it. But we need to get this drug for everyone.

“People are suffering without it and that is no way to be, people shouldn’t be suffering because they’re not able to get a drug, it should be there automatically. We’re trying to raise awareness so Trikafta is available to everybody.”

Ciaran hasn’t set a limit on how much money he hopes to raise from the game but he has been very encouraged by the reaction so far.

“People are looking to make donations already, so hopefully it will all go well,” he said.

Admission on Sunday costs £5 for adults and £2 for children. The half-time entertainment includes Belfast Lord Mayor, North Belfast MP and former Antrim netminder John Finucane going in goal (wearing boxing gloves) for a penalty shoot-out.