MAYFIELD 1993

MAYFIELD ON THE BRINK:




"The future is bright", according to Mayfield United chairman John Stout. And

who'll disagree with this hard-working official. The facilities at Mayfield

are now top class and besides the Under 17s, under manager Jim Atkinson, have

just completed a great cup and league double.



A great double when you consider that they are a second division outfit. It

was perhaps no great surprise that they won their league but was quite a turn

up for the books to see them take out the first division outfits of Leeds and

Rockmount as they won the Imperial Hotel League cup.



The nucleus of the squad have been with the club and under the guidance of

manager Atkinson from their Under 10 days. They have come up through the

Schoolboys League together but trophies, until now, have eluded them, even

though they were always there or thereabouts.



They were undefeated in the league, scoring 40 goals and conceding 14 in their

ten games. They lost just one game over the season. In addition, they

contributed also to the Under 18 side and indeed six of the panel played in

the Murphy Youth Cup final.



The development of top class facilities in Mayfield first came to public

attention in 1987 when George Best turned the first sod and the motto "Nothing

but the best for Mayfield" was coined. Boosted by the spin-off from the

international team success in the European Championships of 1988 and by the

great support from the Mayfield people and with help from the AUL, the

development project took off in a big way.



The original plans were for two pitches but now the fourth pitch is about to

be completed. The magnificent clubhouse will be ready for the new season and

the club is currently looking at the possibility of laying down an all weather

pitch.



Some of the older players, who togged off on the side of the roads in

Templemichael and Knockraha can hardly believe it. They'll enjoy it and

hopefully Atkinson's youngsters and the other to follow will make the best

possible use of it and keep the trophies rolling in. But whether the cups

come or not, Mayfield United are here to stay. The roots are down.



For the record, the successful Under 17 panel was: Leslie Kepple (captain),

Shaun Murray, Conor Jones, David O'Donovan, Martin Weathers, Damien Huggins,

Brian Cotter, Thomas Higgins, Eric Walsh, Ronan McCarthy, Brian McSweeney

(leading scorer, with 16 goals), Ronan Deane, Owen Crowley, Stephen O'Connell,

Gerard O'Donovan, Colin O'Sullivan, Eddie Mulryan, and Liam Donnacliffe.