HIBERNIANS 1999

HIBERNIANS/FAI JUNIOR CUP PREVIEW


Hibernians are off to the Regional Park on Saturday (2.30) to take on Ballincollig in the second round of the Guinness FAI Junior Cup. The Shanbally crew will travel with some confidence: they have won their three most recent games on the road.



Pat McAuliffe is the Hibs team manager. McAuliffe, a sportscaster with RTE, has been with the club for the past 19 seasons but this is his first in charge. He has a capable assistant in Mick O'Grady, another long serving clubman.



Hibernians, relegated last season, now play in Premier A and there has been some radical surgery after the drop. Quite a few young players have been brought in and close to half the panel is 21 or under.



But an experienced backbone remains, players such as the O'Flahertys (Ger and Dave), skipper Richie Drievers, and vice captain Martin Giltinan. Ger, known as Striker, has earned his nickname with 140 goals for the club. He now has a new role in midfield and has returned to form and has scored four goals in the last five matches.



Youngsters doing well include the central defensive pairing of Alan Giltinan (ex Avondale) and Peter Prout (who came up through the Hibs underage ranks). Gary Prout had been a revelation on the left wing while young striker Stephen Kidney is proving a handful for defenders.



McAuliffe's hand had been strengthened by the recent return to Shanbally of Arthur O'Mahony and Danny Lucey, Arthur just back after a 12 month world tour, Danny after a similar spell in Australia. "It is great to have them back, said McAuliffe, " it adds to the competition for places. I even have two keepers battling for the number one jersey."



Hibs lost their opening two games but the manager is delighted with the way things have worked out since: "We meet early on match days and the camaraderie is building up nicely, the morale boosted by a five game unbeaten streak as we head for Ballincollig on Saturday".



Ballincollig are not exactly setting the world on fire this season but you can be sure that Martin O'Neill's team will put on a determined performance. They put Evergreen in their place in the AOH last week and if Philip Brady, Terry Kelly, and Noel Hogan, reproduce that form then McAuliffe's impressive away statistics will be at risk.