CRESCENT ATHLETIC 94-95

CRESCENT ATHLETIC 1994/95




Crescent Athletic secretary Neilus Dineen is rightly proud of the

thirteen year old Northside club, pointing out that most of the

players recruited during the club's formative years are still

involved.



Back in '82, Neilus himself, George Cummins, Jim McCarthy,

Stewart Joyce, and John O'Donovan, all previously involved in

football, were without a club. So they went and formed one of

their own: Crescent Athletic. A pitch was rented at Newcastle

(close to Blarney) and was used until 1989 when Crescent moved to

their present base at Northvilla Park.



Their first competitive match (which they drew 2 - 2 with Lee

Rangers) was played in Newcastle. Players from that game still

involved with the club are John O'Donovan and Dominic Dineen

(both still playing), Neilus Dineen and Jim McCarthy (both now at

administration level). That first season was a learning

experience with the team finishing a creditable third in 3A.



Quite a few new players were recruited for the second season and,

underlining Dineen's point, all are still there. Joe Dineen,

Frank Riordan, Anthony O'Connell, Mick Heslam, and Donal

O'Riordan, were the new signings that helped Crescent to the 3A

title.



Crescent rapidly made ground through the divisions, winning 2A

and 1A in the process. But they had no luck in cup finals,

losing out in the President's and St Michael's deciders.



More recent recruits, such as Brian Marshall, Niall O'Regan, John

Chisholm, Joe O'Sullivan, and Nicky Montgomery, kept the club in

the hunt for honours. Neilus took over the manager's role in

1991, with sideline assistance from Stewart Joyce (who also does

a great job as treasurer) and Joe Dineen.



In three season in Premier football, Crescent have finished 2nd,

1st, and 3rd standings. But cup success continues to elude them,

their most recent loss 2 - 1 to Bandon in the 1992 AOH decider.



The club has contributed players to the AUL junior representative

team. Leading scorer Niall O'Regan is perhaps the most prominent

but the league has also called on the services of Anthony

O'Connell, John O'Donovan, and Pat Murphy (keeper and current

skipper).



Long term injuries to O'Connell and Martin Dineen have been hard

to overcome but new signings like Jim Hanifin and Eric Buckley

have helped ensure the club will again be challenging for major

honours this season. The team currently heads the Premier League

standings much to the delight of Paddy "Whack" O'Regan, their 82

year old President.