BALLINCOLLIG JAN 2000

Ballincollig




Three cheers for the committee of Ballincollig AFC, in particular for the unstinting voluntary work of the sixteen person committee. Secretary Gerardene McNamara is typical: "We, as a club, feel it is important that we do our share in keeping boys and girls off the street and participating in sport".



And they do. Nineteen teams, coinsisting of (approximately) 60 girls, 180 boys, and 100 adults, wear the Ballincollig colours. In addition, a soccer clinic is run each Saturday morning for six to ten year olds.



The vibrant club is fast making a name for itself as a supplier of top class talent. Liam Miller was on the U16 European championship team and is now with Celtic; Colin Healy played on the national U18 and U21 sides and is also at Celtic. Paul Fenton, capped at U15 and U16, is with Nottingham Forrest while David O'Sullivan has featured on national u14 and U15 teams



Ballincollig's three adult male teams are not setting the Regional Park alight at present; that task is being left to a very capable Under 17 outfit who, under manager Seamus Goggin and assistant Finbarr McNulty, have reached the last sixteen of the FAI Under 17 Cup. They will have home advantage for their big date with Manortown on Saturday week.



The AUL Premier A side is battling away in mid-table. Promoted just this season, they lost some handy players, notably Seanie Murphy and Finbarr Hogan, but long serving manager Martin O'Neill has a strong panel. The main aim here is to consolidate their league position and have a good cup run. They will play either Greenmount Rangers or Coachford in the AOH, a tie that is being eagerly anticipated, perhaps not as eagerly though as their Shield meeting with local rivals Killumney on Sunday week.



Martin has great sideline help from John Flynn and Noel Hurley; Philip Brady captains the side. The full panel is: Eoin Walsh, Jason O'Leary, Noel Hogan, Brian Hartnett, Stephen Coomey, Philip Brady, Pat O'Driscoll, John Kelleher, Owen Daly, James Larkin, Conor Cronin, Graham O'Connell, David Garrett, Noel O'Mahony, Cathal O'Callaghan (Golden Boot contender), Terry Kelly, Kenneth Coomey, Alan Beale, and Martin O'Leary.



Mick McNulty looks after the very youthful first team, which plays in Division One of the MSL. Denis Campion, a former winner of the AUL Manager of the Year Award, is in charge of the AUL youths side, unlucky to lose a thrilling Murphy Youth Cup semi-final to Douglas Hall.



Mick O'Mahony, with assistance from Pat Kelly, is in charge of the second junior string who play in AUL 3. They are on course for a mid table finish and enjoyed a good run to the last eight of the President's Cup where they were beaten by eventual champions Albert Rovers.



McNamara says their long term ambition is to have their own grounds with dressing facilities: "We are now working hard towards this end and are hopeful that plans for the former Murphy Barracks will include an allocation of land so as to make this possible."



Club costs run close to £30,000 per annum so fund-raising is non-stop: "We will hold a golf classic in May for our ground development fund. Without our weekly lotto it would not be possible to run the club. That takes place every Tuesday night at Mary O'Connell's, our main sponsors. We are grateful to them and to all out sponsors."



Officers at Ballincollig are: Pat Kavanagh (chairman), B. O'Callaghan (vice chairman), Gerardene McNamara (secretary), Michael O'Mahony (assistant secretary), Christy White (treasurer), Paul Doyle (assistant treasurer), Ber Daly (PRO), Joe Hegarty (assistant PRO), Denis McCarthy (registrar), Michael McNulty (chairman, Schoolboys Section), Michael Collins (Chairman, Ladies Section).