Man city made dream of young fan come true

All News Extra: Tom poses with his idol, Erling Haaland.

Tom was recognized as the Fan of the Match during the game and even received a kiss and a hug from the team's manager, Pep Guardiola.

A young soccer enthusiast from Meath saw his dream come true when he walked onto the field with his idol from Manchester City before a Premier League game over the weekend.

Eleven-year-old Tom Lynch, who has a unique genetic disorder, was overjoyed to meet Erling Haaland and the other players at the Etihad on Saturday.

The team faced off against Brentford FC and secured a victory by a single goal.

Tom was awarded the title of Fan of the Match during the game, and he even received a kiss and a hug from the team's manager, Pep Guardiola.

Photo: Tom Lynch with his family at the Manchester City stadium.

Even though he uses a wheelchair due to Dejerine Sottas Syndrome, his passion for soccer and GAA has never wavered.

The young man from Kilskyre returned home with an additional ten Premiership jerseys to complement his already impressive collection of sports shirts, which includes ones from soccer, GAA clubs, and even American football teams from around the globe.

After the game, Tom's mom, Nikki, expressed that he was 'extremely happy.'

"He is really excited and eager to share the photos and stories of his adventure with all his friends," she mentioned.

He has always been a huge fan of Manchester City, particularly in recent years, but he had never attended a game until now. We had a connection who reached out to the club, and they graciously invited Tom and his family to come for the weekend.

Typically, there are around eleven mascots present at a game, but since Tom was honored as the fan of the match, he had the unique opportunity to greet the team in the dressing room before the game.

Jack Grealish took a moment to talk, and all the players were incredibly friendly, even though they were pressed for time. Erling checked in on him, asking if he was alright, before leading him onto the field. Tom mentioned that the vibe was absolutely amazing. This is something he’ll remember for a long time.

"I believe that receiving a kiss and hug from Pep Guardiola really made the moment complete."

Tom is a well-known figure in the community, as he’s hardly ever missed a practice or a game for any of the Ballinlough GAA teams since he was a young child.

The club recognized him as the 16th player when the U14 team claimed a county championship in recent years.