PARK UTD 1995

PARK UNITED GOING PLACES




Mitchelstown's Park United are making plans to celebrate their 21st

anniversary which falls next season. Secretary Conor O'Keeffe promises to

make it a season to remember "in this soccer mad town".



Since it's formation back in 1975 the club has gone from strength to strength

and currently boasts three junior teams and one under age team with plans at

present to increase the under age teams by another one or two at least over

the next few years.



Park's present home at Brigown is now a permanent fixture and a big contrast

to the "good old days". Park United started off in a field behind Liam Lynch

Park, from where the name of the club originated. In 1977 they moved to

another venue opposite the Dairygold owned grainstore on the Limerick Road.



Then, in 1985, the club purchased some land at Brigown at a cost pf œ15,000

and they have been playing there ever since and "playing very well" according

to O'Keeffe. Indeed, they have quite an impressive list of honours.



The club has engaged in a very large fundraising effort for the last four

years and this, due to the great support received from the people of

Mitchelstown and it's surrounding population, has helped to pay for the first

phase of the development in Brigown.



At present Park Utd are improving the grounds and have already completed the

re-draining of the pitches and have had them re-seeded at a cost of œ18,000.

In addition they have also erected a 100 ft front wall and large entrance gate

complete with club name and motif, which has cost an additional œ7,000.



Even as you read this, work is going ahead to start what will be the biggest

phase of development, that is the building of a club house which will comprise

of four dressing rooms, two store rooms, a committee room, referees room and a

shower block. This work is being supervised by Gary Cotter who has proved

himself a great clubman over the years, both on the field and at

administration level.



Another man who is spearheading the ongoing development is Mike Whelan

(ebullient captain of their President's Cup winning team) who is presently

club chairman. He and Conor O'Keeffe are organising a mini European Cup for

the 21st anniversary next year.



This is not as strange as it may seem. Park travel abroad regularly and have

many friends all over Europe having taken part in tournaments in places such

as England, Scotland, Isle of Man, and more than once in Holland where they

have befriended teams from France, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, and other

countries.



In fact Park have been invited to Holland again this year and will be setting

off in May to try and capture the perpetual trophy. Now here's a club going

places.



Talking of travelling, Park boasts of a man who has played football all over

the world and that man is Pa Jackson, who is well known throughout the AUL.

Pa's claim to fame is scoring a hat trick in a South African District final,

some years back. What's more, it was played on a beach on Christmas Day.



Pa was also involved in with the Park Utd youths last year when they went on

to win the Coca Cola cup under his management with a great victory over

Mayfield in a thrilling final.



Last season was also a great year for Park Albion, the second team. Managed by

Vincent O'Donnell, they were triumphant in AUL League 3A. Albion, with

player-manager O'Donnell again to the fore, are well in contention for the

title in 2A.



Park's first team manager, Mike Keane, hasn't found things so rosy of late:

mainly due to injuries and a run of bad luck his team are in mid-table in

Murphy's Stout Junior Premier Division at present. However, with players of

the calibre of John Cleary, Tom Gallagher, Ned Finn (doing well in the Golden

Boot), John Piggott and the returning Tomas Donegan at hand, things can only

improve for this talented team.



This year's top scorer is Golden Boot contender Ned Finn who has had life easy

enough up front with the absence of Davy O'Connor through injury. However,

Dave has recently played for the first time in four months and it shouldn't be

long before he is banging them in again.



Most of the current Premier team are made up of the two most successful youths

teams to date, i.e. 1986 and 1994, with Gary Cotter being the exception at

centre half where, at 36, he is the grandad of the team. Excluding Gary the

oldest player is 26 years.



Secretary O'Keeffe looks ahead with confidence: "With the likes of all the

aforementioned people and the many other hardworking club members, including

our female members who have brought a breath of fresh air into the club with

their initiative and dedicated approach, Park Utd has a great future and when

our amenity is finished it will ensure a long life for soccer in

Mitchelstown".



Park United Role of Honour:



1980/81 runners up Division 3

1982/83 winners League 2A

1987/88 winners President's Cup

1988/89 runners up Saxone Cup

1989/90 winners League 2A

1992/93 winners League 1A

1993/94 winners League 3A (Park Albion)

1986/87 winners Second Division Youths Cup

1993/94 winners Coca Cola Youths Cup.



In addition, Park won the North Cork Cup in 1988 and 1990