DRIPSEY CELTIC FEB 01

Dripsey Celtic




Dripsey Celtic will be back at Turner's Cross and back in the Murphy's Stout Saxone Cup final on Sunday week. And hard-working PRO Stephen Fogarty will be hoping for better luck than they enjoyed against Glanworth in the 1997 decider. Then, despite enjoying majority possession, the Dripsey lads lost 2 - 0.



Dripsey Celtic were formed in 1992 and joined the AUL for the 92/93 season. The first season saw Dripsey finish sixth in the league. Stephen recalls that their best victory that season was against local and forever rivals Strand Utd. That first derby meeting was Dripsey's debut competitive outing and they emerged as winners on a 3 - 2 division. Dripsey got promoted to AUL 2 the following season.



In 1999, Celtic started an U18 team and this squad, with some remarkable victories, made all the headlines for the club that season. They also reached the semi-final of the League Cup, going out on penalties to Grattan Utd, who went on to win the competition.



This season looks promising and the club is hopeful of success, not just in the Saxone but also in the league. Six of the youths are playing with the junior team who have lost just two games so far this season.



New signing Eugene "Spach" O'Sullivan and youths player Gary Murphy have notched up some 20 goals between them. The following youths players are also making the starting eleven of the junior team: Mark "Kanu" O'Sullivan, Noel O'Sullivan, John Carey, Pat O'Riordan and Stephen O'Leary. Fogarty is hugely encouraged by the fact that Dripsey Celtic now have a formidable squad of players and not just the bare eleven.



Under the management of John Manley, who played with Lakewood Ath for 16 years where he won a half dozen honours, Fogarty is hopeful that Dripsey Celtic's "professionalism might finally bring them honours after nine years of trying". Thomas Ryan, who was last season's Player of the Year, is captain and his leadership is showing with great victories over Ballyclough and a double over Strand Utd. Things are looking up!



The current youths team also have a chance of winning honours under the management of Fogarty, better know as "Fogi", and they are joint top with local rivals Coachford in AUL Youths One. They also reached the quarter-final of the League Cup but lost on spotters to higher ranked Leeds.



Their best victory to date was against Coachford in the League Cup. Dripsey came from 3-1 down to go on to win 6-3. Fogarty reckons this is the proof "that Dripsey youths team means business again this season". And, with youths captain Gary Murphy scoring on a regular basis he is hopeful that "maybe both of Dripsey's teams will bring home silverware in 2001".



They say that behind every good manager, there is a good coach; both managers in the Dripsey Celtic camp are fortunate to have a excellent trainer in Martyn Underhill.



The junior panel is: Ray Moynihan, Pat O'Riordan, Ger O'Shea, Tadgh Manley, Billy Murphy, John "Locha" O'Donovan, Brian Linehan, Thomas Ryan, Noel O'Sullivan, Mark O'Sullivan, Gary Murphy, John Carey, Davy Buckley, John Hogan, Pat Ring, Stephen O'Leary, Eugene "Spach" O'Sullivan, Ronan Maher, Colm O'Riordan, Ross Underhill, Dave Hogan.



The youths squad consists of Ger O'Sullivan, Noel O'Sullivan, Mark O'Sullivan, Stephen O'Leary, Martin O'Leary, Brian Healy, David O'Mahony, Liam Buckley, Eugene Hogan, Richard Carey, John Carey, Gary Murphy, Aidan Buckley, Diarmuid O'Riordan. Last Season's Youths Player of the Year was shared between Dave Buckley and Liam Buckley.



Fogarty says that Dripsey Celtic's biggest problem is their pitch, which they are leasing from Inniscarra Community Centre in Ballyanly: "The pitch cannot be played on during the winter months, a yearly occurrence. This season seems to be no different with the junior team only playing three games at home and the youths just one. Local clubs have been very generous to Dripsey in the use of the pitches. But our main aim should be to acquire a pitch of the own, which would be playable all year round."



"Thankfully, Dripsey's training arrangements are not affected by the their pitch situation because Dripsey Community Association give the soccer lads full use of the Community Park and the club is extremely grateful for this kind gesture. Thanks also to Coachford who have helped us out in recent weeks particularly by giving us their facilities for the Saxone semi-final win over Doneraile. We also get great support from Kevin Feeney's Weigh Inn for the juniors and Mick Herlihy gives tremendous backing to the youths."



Asked about the club's short and long term aims, he replied: "Aims for the season are definitely to win the Saxone Cup and to have a good cut off Division 2 and the youths are aiming for Silverware as well. The club's long-term ambition is have their own pitch because the future, with a growing population in Dripsey and lot of promising youths players coming up the ranks, is indeed looking very bright for this yet young club. I'd be happy with silverware and a pitch in the next few years".



Dripsey's steady advancement as a club has been made possible by a hard working committee which currently consists of: Bob McCullagh, President; Denis O'Callaghan, Chairman; Martyn Underhill, Secretary; Helen Feeney, Treasurer; Stephen Fogarty, P.R.O; Ronan Maher, Thomas Ryan, Colm O'Riordan, John Hogan, Terry O'Shea, and Tadgh Manley.