PARK UTD NOV 2000

Park United




Mitchelstown's Park United celebrate twenty five years in football with a big bash in the local Firgrove Hotel this Friday evening. Park have won their share of honours but undoubtedly their biggest achievement to date is the provision of top class facilities at Brigown, a set-up that is one of the best around.



Thomas O'Keeffe and Paddy Lane were there at the beginning. Indeed, O'Keeffe was due to play the first ever Park game but had to cry off due to illness and Lane took over. O'Keeffe is now club chairman while Lane heads up the Schoolboys Section. Others involved in the early days included: Mick Ahern, Larry Coleman, Mick Walsh, Mick Brasil, Bill Murphy, Pa Cotter, Tommy O'Gorman. Billy Cahill was the first captain, Georgie Donegan the first chairman.



Nowadays, the club's senior side, managed jointly by Mick Cotter and player Ned Finn, play in the Premier Division of the AUL. The team is much changed from last season with Graham Brooks, Paddy Dunne, and Eamonn O'Connor, coming up from the second string. Thomas Gallagher has returned to first team duty and the squad has been boosted by the arrival of the Enright brothers John and Barry, and by the signing of former Golden Boot winner Brian Barry.



Long time Park official Conor O'Keeffe admits the opening phase of the season hasn't been the best but there have been some very encouraging performances, including a 7 - 1 hammering of Glenvale in the league and a recent 2 - 0 FAI win over Ringmahon.



Both adult teams train each Wednesday evening under Declan Molan. Pat O'Mahony looks after the second team, which is skippered by John McNamara.



Current officers are: Tom O'Keeffe (chairman), Simon Maher (secretary), and Davy O'Connor (treasurer). The other committee members are: Conor O'Keeffe, John Crowley, Mick Cotter, Michael Hennessy, Tony Murphy, Owen O'Callaghan, and Paddy Moloney. There are also Lotto and Schoolboys committees, the latter chaired by Paddy Lane.



Ned Finn captains the first team and the other players are: Alan Griffin (joint winner player of the year last term), Brendan Hannon, Tony Mullally, Peter Conroy (joint winner player of the year last term), John Clery, Joe O'Brien, Eddie Walsh, Kieran Duggan, Aidan McNamara (on the AUL Oscar Traynor team last season), Thomas Gallagher, Pa Dunne, Eamonn O'Connor, Graham Brooks (current top scorer), Davy O'Connor, Barry Enright, Brian Barry, John Enright, Tony Lambert, Anthony O'Brien, and Simon Maher.



Park face a tough encounter on Sunday when they travel to take on Terry Connolly's high-flying Coachford in the Premier League. The second team have a home game in the morning and their visitors are Glenthorn Celtic.