RICHMOND JAN 2007

RICHMOND FOCUS




“After relegation from Premier A last year, our aim for this season is to hold our first division status and push for promotion next season,” says Richmond spokesman Gerard O’Shea. “Our long term aim is to reach and maintain Premier Division status and challenge for honours in the cup competitions.”



Ger is the assistant manager this season and the new man in charge is John O’Mahony. O’Shea has been with the club since its beginning, first as a player, then he stepped up to management with nearly every team, at this stage, from schoolboy to girl’s youths and junior. This is John’s first year with the club.



Richmond have a big panel of 23 players, but a very young one. Almost all the players have had a run under O’Mahony. Alan O’Mahony was signed from Pearse Celtic, James Galvin has re-signed from Wilton Utd,while Brendan and Mark O’Shea have returned after been abroad last year. Also added to last year’s small squad are Barry Kelly, Killian Keogh,Conor Kelly, Denis Goggin and Colin O’Shea (ex Cork City, who joined before Christmas).



The scoring duties have been fairly well spread this season. Alan O’Mahony has contributed 9, Paul O’Neill 6, Cian Blake 4, Ben Ahern and David O’Neill 3 each. David is the team captain and Mark O’Shea is vice captain. David O’Neill and Freddy Wood shared last season’s Player of the Year Award and both are still involved.



The club wishes Killian Keogh a speedy recovery from a serious injury he received in a recent game and they all hope to have him back soon.





Gerard reports on the season to date: “Our league form to date has been mixed as the new players took time to settle in but our cup runs have given us the time to get a more settled team and with a few games in hand we should move up the table. Indeed, our best performance of the season came in FAI Cup when we beat a well organised College Corinthians. We really clicked on the day.”



“Our most recent outing saw us pit our wits against a new team in Leeview, in the AOH Cup. New teams can be a bit of an unknown challenge. It was a very open game We scored early, through a Colin O’Shea rocket from fully 30 yards, and late with an equally good goal from Mark O’Shea to seal victory and ensure our passage to the next round.”



“Our junior team is very kindly sponsored by Cork Refrigeration who have been on board for many years now. Sean Walsh has held many positions in the club over the years. He has stepped back this year but can still be relied on for help and support.”



This year’s panel: Stephen Connolly, Eosin Walsh, Donogh O’Shea, Barry Kelly, Mark O’Shea, Kevin Keenan, James Galvin, Freddy Wood, Killian Keogh, Alan McCarthy, Denis Goggin, Ryan O’Halloran, David O’Neill, Ben Ahern, Brendan O’Shea, Colin O’Shea, Alan O’Mahony, Cian Blake, Paul O’Neill, Ian Dineen, Stephen O’Sullivan, Mark Kenny and Conor Kelly.



At present, the junior team plays its home games at the Regional Pk in Ballincollig While the schoolboys and girls teams play in Waterfall. Training is every Tuesday night under lights in Waterfall 7.30-8.30 and Thursdays in C.I.T. all-weather 7-8.





Richmond have in place a very committed and hardworking committee from chairman Gerry Butler, secretary Kevin O’Regan, treasurer Shane O’Neill, PRO Gerard O’Shea and other committee members Valerie O’Donovan, Domonic Twohig and Mick O’Connor.





Gerard says the club currently has teams competing at every age group both boys and girls. “Sadly we have no youths team this year and with the upcoming schoolboy teams we see this as only a temporary setback.”





Updates on the busy club’s affairs, including results and fixtures, can be found at their newly launched website WWW.RICHMONDFOOTBALLCLUB.COM

RICHMOND FEB 2001

RICHMOND




Richmond football club celebrated 21 years in the game in style last month.



The Waterfall based club has come a long way since its 1980 founding. Nowadays, no less than seven teams are proud to wear the blue and white hooped jerseys. The juniors and youths play in the AUL while schoolboy teams are fielded at Under 11,12,13,15, and 16.



Secretary Gerry Williams says the junior season so far has been very stop start, mainly because of the weather, now foot and mouth: "But we still managed to get to the semi-final of the Michaels Cup. Here, after a mighty battle with our near rivals, Ballinhassig, we went out on a 1-0 score. In the League we have four games played, three drawn and one lost. We have gathered a rather large panel, which we feel is necessary now in the age of heavy work commitments, when it's so hard to get a consistent team out every week".



This season has seen the introduction of new players: Ian Dineen (product of the underage section)and experienced heads Philip O'Sullivan, Roy Summers and Tim Kearney. The management team of Gerry Butler and his assistant Ger O'Shea (one of the founding members) are at the helm for their third season. This year's captain is current Player of the Year Vincent Drinan while Patsy McDonnell is the leading goalscorer. The Youths are managed by Jim Horgan and Ted Bennett.



The junior panel is: Stephen Connolly, Ian Dineen, Vincent Drinan, Mark Kennedy, Dave Waldock, Keven Keenan, Cathal Forbes, Joe Larkin, Gerry Butler, Alan O'Neill, Raymond Prendeville, Patsy McDonnell, Kieran Williams, Luke Bollard, Paul O'Neill, Timmy O'Connell, Brendan O'Shea, Gerry Willaims, Phillip O'Sullivan, Roy Summers and Tim Kearney.



According to Williams the aim for the season is to finish in the top three in the league "and maybe a Cup final thrown in. Our long term ambitions are to own and develop our own pitch and to promote the game of soccer to as high a standard as possible".



The secretary is proud of developments at Richmond Park in Waterfall: "It is on the lands of Denis Riordan to whom we are deeply indebted. We have dressing rooms for both teams and referee and also we have a floodlit training area. Wednesdays and Fridays are the nights for underage training while the juniors are there on Tuesdays. Both Youth and Junior teams train in the Mardyke on Thursdays".



There is a hard working committee at Richmond and it consists of: Sean Walsh, Ger O'Shea, Gerry Williams, Ted Bennett, Jim Horgan, Tim Connolly, Con O'Sullivan and Jim Cahill. Club sponsors include Cork Refrigeration, Castle Cleaners, Ace Control Services, Irish Oxygen, Crulaoi Meats, Castlewhite Developments and The Viaduct Inn.



* Richmond Association Football Club was founded in 1980 in time for the commencement of the 1980/81 West Cork League season. In the season 1983/84 Richmond made history when they completed the "Grand Slam" of West Cork honours- First Division League, Flor Crowley Cup and Carling League Cup.

* The season 1995/96 saw Richmond kick off their involvement in the AUL in Division 2. That season saw them finish mid table, but the high point had to be reaching the last 16 of the Munster Junior Cup. They eventually lost a titanic struggle to Passage (Premier Division) on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

* The season 1998/99 saw Richmond with representatives on both the Cork AUL youths team and the Cork Schoolboys U-13 Norton Cup team.

* Last season the County Cup Final in Turners Cross was a big occasion for the team and the club. However, a very strong Kinsale outfit spoiled the party with a stunning 3-0 victory.

* The club web site address is www.richmondfc.thesportscity.com.