CLUB STORY

A Cork soccer resource. This is an archive of mini club histories that I have published over the years. To find your club, check the label list on the left side or else use the "search the blog" box above. If you spot any errors (esp. in dates) contact cork.billy@gmail.com

Friday, October 2, 2009

KILLEADY CELTIC JANUARY 2002

KILLEADY CELTIC




Anthony Cronin, secretary at Killeady Celtic, is pleased enough with his promoted team's performance in AUL 2: "The league isn't going too bad. We have only lost once, against UCC. We seem to be able to cope with the step up in division quite well. However, we are missing that little bit of fitness that would see us take that extra step into AUL 1. Having said that, it is still possible and we are far from giving up hope of promotion."



Killeady's best performance of the season came in a game they lost. That was in the Saxone cup. "We showed a lot of heart and upped our performance greatly in an absolute thriller against a very good Glenthorn Celtic side. We were three down but battled back to level it before losing 4-3 in extra time."



But their next cup display was woeful and they were hammered by third division Blackstone Rovers in the Corinthians Cup. Still, they now have the County Cup to aim for.



Killeady, who finished runners up to Ardmanning Celtic in AUL 3 last term, were promoted. In the annual Innishannon tournament in pre-season, they were beaten 3-1 in the final by the hosts.



Cronin reports on a few changes this season: "We had to announce a new captain

as Kevin Healy retired at the end of last season and at the AGM we

gave the captaincy to Kieran Murphy. New signings include Mark Fleming,

Martin Lynch, Micky O'Regan and the vastly experienced Mick Delea."



Pat Delea is coach and has been for the last 3 years. Cronin describes him as "a man of experience, who in his day could walk the walk but he can still definitely talk the talk". Kieran Madden is the Chairman, Kevin Healy is treasurer and Cronin has taken over from last season's secretary David Fleming, who now works in Dublin. Kevin Crowley is another key committee man.



Seventeen year old Mark Fleming, the youngest player in the panel, is the current top goal scorer. Cronin says the young sharpshooter is a big factor in their success: "His superior fitness is a major asset. His seemingly tireless runs up and down the field is something we as a team should look to mirror." Ciaran O'Sullivan, John Paul O'Mahony and Peter Goulding are others doing well in the scoring department.



Newly appointed skipper Kieran Murphy, though only 27, is one of the club's longest serving players and his determination and heart "is something the entire team look up to". Vice captain is John Paul O'Mahony, a 20 year old left winger who takes an excellent free kick and is also noted for his solo runs.



Indeed, John Paul was the winner of the Killeady Celtic Golden Boot Award last season, thanks to his total of fifteen goals. The award function turned out to be quite an evening for the O'Mahonys as it was John Paul's brother Eddie who received the Player of the Year Award. Eddie's citation read: "Eddie O'Mahony was a rock in central defence. His strength, determination, courage and overall calmness under pressure helped us in our drive for success."



Killeady Celtic, who benefit from the long term support of Barrett's Bar, play their home games in Killeady and share the pitch and dressing rooms

with Afton Villa. In the long term, they want to "set up a youth scheme and get a strong basis for development of Killeady for the future."



In the short term Cronin hopes to raise enough money to buy new dressing rooms and on the playing front would like nothing better than promotion to AUL 1. Killeady are working hard at it: "Tuesdays we go road running and on Thursdays we play in Cork it on the all weather pitches, all under the guidance of Pat Delea."



Ardmanning Celtic are the team to catch in this division but Killeady are looking no further forward than Sunday afternoon's tie at home to Shandon Celtic. Killeady are second in the table but a win would bring midtable Shandon back into it. Make no mistake about it this is a six pointer and Delea's men will be up for it.



They were also up for their holiday tie against leaders Ardmanning but that was postponed because of bad weather. Their last competitive action also came in the league and they gave their promotion hopes a huge boost according to secretary Cronin: "We beat a good Strand United side, rich in experience. We put in an excellent second half performance, coming back from 1-0 down to win 3-1, our goals from John Paul O'Mahony, Declan Healy and man of the match Micky O'Mahony.



The panel:- Donnacha Monaghan, Kieran Murphy, John McSweeney, Eddie O'Mahony, David Fleming, Anthony Cronin, Paul O'Mahony, Mick Delea, Dermot Crowley, Paul Lombard, Declan Healy, John Paul O'Mahony, Ciaran O'Sullivan, Mark Fleming, Peter Goulding, Mick O'Mahony, Martin Lynch, Mick O'Regan.

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