BUTTEVANT MAR 1998

PROGRESS AT BUTTEVANT:




In its 21st year in the AUL, Buttevant Soccer Club can be well pleased with its current standing and especially happy with the incredible progress it has made in the nineties.



Buttevant, like many a garrison town, has a long soccer tradition and indeed was one of the early members of the Munster Football Association under the title of Awbeg Rovers.



The present club, from small beginnings, has this year affiliated three juniors sides and an Under 17 team to the AUL. In addition, the club is represented in local competitions by two ladies teams and four schoolboy sides.



Work over the years at schoolboy level is now beginning to pay off with the success this season of both the Under 17 and Premier A teams. The Premier side, with an average age of twenty one, currently top the rankings.



The football side of things comes under the umbrella of long time member Liam Foley, assisted by Noel Morrissey and Michael O'Regan (who looks after the third division team). The management team at underage level is augmented by John Curtin, Sean Hallihan, and Mick Lawless (who does trojan work with the clubs' youngest members, the Under 10s and 8s). Johnny Ring and Tina Hallihan, who look after the girls teams, complete the backroom staff.



Such widespread activity on the field has to be backed up by an active committee. Even though Buttevant's management committee is small in number and often stretched - the playing membership has mushroomed in the past three seasons - club chairman Mike Collins and his fellow members can be justifiably proud of the new grounds at New Street close to the centre of the town.



Indeed, the management committee of the AUL are also proud of the development and of all its clubs who have the courage to take on such massive tasks. The Buttevant development has to date cost over £130,000 and has drawn favourable comment from visiting sides in this, its inaugural season.



Two full sized fully drained pitches are the focal point of the complex with a nine hole pitch and putt course due to be ready by the summer. The next phase will include a dressing room complex and a 70 meter by 30 meter all weather floodlit training area. Further plans include tennis courts, playground area, and additional parking.



Chairman Collins heads the live-wire committee which has brought this dream to fruition in a very short period. Club secretary is John Curtin and the treasurer is Oliver Doody. Committee members are Denis O'Reilly, Tim Deady, Michael O'Regan, Liam Foley, and Noel Morrissey. The club hopes to have the development completed by the time its 25th anniversary comes around.



Despite a memorable run to the semi-final of the FAI Junior Cup in ???, there hasn't been any great flow of silverware towards Buttevant in recent seasons. But the work both on and off the field is bearing fruit and evidence of this is the inclusion of Jonathan Hallihan on the Munster Under 17 panel for next weekend's inter-provincials. The club is also encouraged by the fact that both the Under 17 and Premier side are in the hunt for league honours and the juniors have also made progress in the AOH.