Mayfield Utd
Mayfield United's juniors, who play in AUL 1B, had a happy Christmas and the celebrations continued into the New Year when they were presented with the Murphy's Stout Team of the Month Award for December.
Bernard O'Neill, who heads up the management trio which also includes Laurence Sexton and Tadgh O'Neill, says they knew they had the bones of a very good team at the end of last season but that it needed strengthening: "Over the last 3 years we had won two leagues and adding some new faces meant increased competition in the squad. We recruited Ray O Mahony, Brian Atkinson, and young Raymond Atkins, Liam Dunnacliffe, Alan Costello, and Padraig Fitzgerald. The squad has been substantially strengthened from last year".
It was skipper Mark Looney who had the honour of picking up the Murphy Award from Aidan Cotter of Murphy's. Mark's attitude and commitment is second to none and he is without doubt one of the most respected and popular members of the squad. The leading scorers this year are Brian Atkinson and Raymond Atkins both with 8 goals, followed closely by Simon O Leary with 6.
Player of the year for 2000 was Mark Bolger. Mark played as centre-half and was superb for the entire season. He has continued that this season but the club may now lose him for a large part of the remainder of the season due to his work
commitments as a new Garda.
Bernard, who is also the club secretary, says that the best win to date was the away league win over Greenwood in November: "We had been beaten by Greenwood 3-0 at home in September and so I was anxious to atone for that defeat. We won on a scoreline of 3-1 and I think the manner of the victory was the most satisfying so far. We played some great football and scored some great goals against a team I rate as one of the best in our division. Our attitude was superb and the lads were on a high afterwards".
It is always nice to have a run in the cups but it is a bonus, according to O'Neill. "The league is without doubt our priority. For me Temple are the team to beat and I keep telling the lads that. I felt that last year the panel was a bit too small to last the pace but with the increase in strength and depth this year we can go very close provided we get that little bit of luck that's always needed".
Bernard's longer-term aim is to take this team to the Premier Division: "We should be up there competing with all the best teams in the AUL for all the top trophies. There are exciting times ahead off the field for Mayfield Utd. And we want it to be the same on the field".
The team of the month presentation took place in the Ashburton Bar, owned by the club's main sponsor Jerry O'Connell. Tadgh O'Neill, through Waxys Bar, is the kit sponsor of the club's adult teams.
The panel: Eric Walsh, Mark Bolger, Declan Keane, Ray O Mahony, Ger Forde, Simon O'Leary, Mark Looney (Capt.),Brian Atkinson, Noel O'Brien, Raymond Atkins, Brian
Mc Sweeney, Keith Hegarty, Alan Long, Alan Costello, Padraig Fitzgerald, Alex
Walsh, Paul Scannell, Liam Donnacliffe.
MAYFIELD - the club's own notes for the above...
We knew last year that we had the bones of a very good team but that we
needed a few new faces to strengthen our hand and also to freshen things
up.Over the last 3 years we had won 2 leagues and adding some new faces
meant everybody got a bit of a boost and it increased the competition in the
squad.We added Ray O Mahony from Tramore Ath. who plays as our sweeper and
has been a great success for us this year.In Midfield Brian Atkinson
returned home after being travelling for the last 2 years and rejoined the
squad and to date has been our joint top scorer with 8 goals,not bad from
Midfield.Another big addition to us was Raymond Atkins.Raymond is still
eligible for youths this year but due to the fact that we have no youth team
we were afraid we would lose Ray.Fortunately for us we didn't and along with
Brian Atkinson he has been the top scorer this year.His pace has caused many
a team problems so far.Brian McSweeney also returned to us after only being
able to play a bit part last season and his strength and pace up front has
given us some extra options.Liam Donnacliffe aslo joined us in the
summer.Liam hadn't played for a while but you can see as he trains that he
will have plenty to offer us during the season.In the last couple of weeks
we signed Alan Costello,who was out with a long term injury and also Padraig
Fitzgerald who was one of our best youth players last year.All in all the
squad has been substantially increased and strengthen from last year.
The management team.
There are three of us involved in the running of the team which is
important.It is very hard for one person to do it by themselves as there is
so much to do.There are myself ,Lawrence Sexton and Tadgh O Neill.Lawrence
ran the team himself until about 2 years ago when work commitments made it
hard for him to give the time he wanted so after he won the 3B league in
1998 I took over and we won the 2B League in 1999 with Lawrence giving me
all the help he could.Lawrence then returned full-time to it himself last
year and we ran the team between us.Tadgh has been involved with Mayfield
teams almost since day one but he had taken a break for a year or so.In the
summer I approached him to get involved again and I was delighted when he
agreed and now the three of us work very well together.We do say however
that it is an easy team to organise as the attitude of the squad of players
makes it very simple for us to run.They are a great bunch of lads who do the
club proud whether on the field or supporting the club in events off it.
Leading Scorers.
Our leading scorers this year are Brian Atkinson and Raymond Atkins both
with 8 goals,followed closely by Simon O Leary with 6.
Captain.
Our captain this year is Mark Looney.Mark's attitude and commitment is
second to none and I think he is without doubt one of the most respected and
popular members of the squad.He never misses a match or training and his
performances get better each year.
Player of the year and similar awards.
Our player of the year for 2000 was Mark Bolger.Mark played as Center-half
and was superb for the entire season.He has continued that his season but we
may now lose him for a large part of the remaining year due to his work
committments,having just joined the Gardai.
Best victory to date this season.
We have had a number of big victories this year,twice scoring 7 goals,but I
would have to pick the league game away to Greenwood in November as the
best.We had been beaten by Greenwood 3-0 at home in September and so I was
anxious to atone for that defeat in the away fixture.We won on a scoreline
of 3-1 and I think the manner of the victory was the most satisfying so
far.We played some great football and scored some great goals against a team
I rate as one of the best in our division.Our attitude was superb and I
think the lads were on a high after the game as they knew themselves we had
done well.
How things are going in the League and cups.
We have won 3 out of 4 in the league the only blip being the 3-0 home loss
to Greenwood in September.And we are in all the cups bar the St. Michaels
where we lost to Pierse Celtic on a day when I had to tog out myself so
short were we and we are out of the AOH,beaten 1-0 after extra time by
Temple who are without doubt the best team we have played this season,but I
felt we more than held our own against them and it could so easily have gone
either way.We are still in both the FAI and Munster Junior cups but we face
a very hard tie in the Munster Junior against Coachford.Still though on the
whole things are going well and we have a lot to play for.
The Panel.
Eric Walsh,Mark Bolger,Declan Keane,Ray O Mahony,Ger Forde,Simon O
Leary,Mark Looney (Capt.),Brian Atkinson,Noel O Brien,Raymond Atkins,Brian
Mc Sweeney,Keith Hegarty,Alan Long,Alan Costello,Padraig Fitzgerald,Alex
Walsh,Paul Scannell,Liam Donnacliffe.
Ground Situation.
We are lucky to have one of the best if not the best set-ups in the AUL.At
Mayfield Utd. Park.We have 4 playing pitches and dressing room
facilities.Sometimes we take it for granted but when you travel to some
teams where you still tog off by the side of the road it brings it home just
how lucky our players are with the facilities that we have.
Training arrangements.
We train 2 nights a week,Tuesday and Thursday.Tuesday nights are spent on
the All-weather pitch in Mayfield Community School from 7-8pm where it is
all ballwork and Thursday nights is over on the hill in Innishowen where our
senior team manager Richard Keating takes the session from 7.30-8.30 and no
ball is in sight.The lads really enjoy this night!Response is excellent on a
Tuesday but we need to do a small bit of work on the Thursday night.
Aims for the season.
It is always nice to have a run in the cups and going far in anyone of them
this year would be a bonus.However the league is without doubt our
priority.For me Temple are the team to beat and I keep telling the lads
that.I felt that last year the panel was a bit too small to last the pace
but with the increase in strength and depth this year we can go very close
with that little bit of luck thats always needed.
Longer term ambitions.
I think with a club the size of ours and with the facilities that we have
then we should always look to be in the highest divison possible.Even though
we are the second team in the club we should be aiming to be in the premier
division of the AUL and winning a trophy on a regular basis.With no
dis-respect to the teams in the 3rd divison I don't think we can ever go
back to the days when our only AUL team was in that divison.We should be up
there competing with all the best teams in the AUL for all the top trophies
week in week out.There are exciting times ahead off the field for Mayfield
Utd. and we want it to be the same on the field.
Committee members.
We have at the moment a very large and hardworking committee.Pat Quirke is
our chairman and to say Pat is a special Character is understating matters
somewhat.From chairing meetings to being the MC and entertainment at club
nights out he has many talents.His passion for the club and his easy going
manner make him a man who gets the best out of people all the time.He does
however like to be referred to as "Mr Chairman".Joe Kennedy is our treasurer
and I think everybody would agree that the current healthy state of our
finances is in most part down to Joes incredible enthusiasm for the club.His
"Super Draws" have become famous but not many people realise the time and
effort that goes into these draws on Joes behalf to make them the success
they are.Sean Lane is our Secretary and the man who is constantly seen with
the pen behind one ear and the phone attached to the other.Sean makes an
incredibly hard job look very easy and he does it in his usual good natured
way.Ernest O Mahony is our vice-chairman.Ernest stepped down as chairman
last year to let Pat Quirke into the limelight but Ernest who along with Joe
founded the club in 1971 continues to be one of the "main men" in the
running of the club and I hope always will.The remainder of the committee is
made up of Richard Keating,Pat Saville,Bernard O Neill,Kieran McCarthy,Tony
Carroll,Kieran O Leary,John O Reilly,Trevor O Leary,Noel Coughlan,Leon
Cramer,Tony Harris,Denis Creed,Ger Byrnes,Peter Fleming,James Carroll and PJ
Brennan.
Sponsors.
The clubs main sponsor is Jerry O Connell of the Ashburton bar.Jerry has
been a very good friend to Mayfield Utd. since he took over the bar in 1991
and we hope he will continue to do so.Our team is lucky to also have Tadgh O
Neill of Waxys bar of Marlboro street as a sponsor.Our adult teams are all
kitted out by Tadgh and it's a very welcome help to what is one of our
biggest expenses.
Last weekends game and next weekends game.
We were beaten last weekend by Temple in extra time in the AOH Cup in a game
I felt we could have gotten something from.We hadn't played for 6 weeks but
I was pleased with the attitude of our lads which is always excellent and I
thought we were more than a match for Temple on the day.They are a very good
side and I think it will take a very good side from any division to beat
them.Next week we are at home to Coachford in the Munster Junior cup which
is another big test of how far we have come.As underdogs we have nothing to
lose and I would be confident of giving them a serious run for it.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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