ROCKVILLE OCT 1999

7/10/99




ROCKVILLE FEATURE



Rockville are all set to rock St John Bosco's in the Examiner Munster Junior Cup next Sunday morning. Last Sunday, Bobby O'Donovan's charges turned in an efficient display to defeat Glencairn Celtic in the FAI Cup and a repeat of that form at Water Rock Park should be good enough to deliver a knock-out to Jerry O'Sullivan's first division Saints.



Manager O'Donovan wants to rid Rockville of the bridesmaid's tag. Last season they were runners up in both Premier A and the AOH and in 1994/95 were runners up in the Premier and in the AOH. They still await their first trophy.



Ex League of Ireland player O'Donovan, now in his third season with the northside club, has brought a touch of the professional game to Rockville and it is beginning to show. They are making an impression in the race for the Premiership. Team of the Month Blarney United are leading the way but Rockville are well placed in the chasing pack.



Manager O'Donovan's professionalism is evident in the training programme which started in mid summer and continues two nights a week; one night, under their own lights, at O'Leary's Field, and the second night at the Mayfield Community School facility. The summer preparation paid off when they won the pre-season Michael Dennehy Tournament.



Club treasurer Denis O'Donovan is a man who never seeks the spotlight but he is nonetheless regarded affectionately by all in the club as Mr Rockville. Greg Duggan is chairman and John Hill secretary and the other committee members are: Jimmy Burns, Joe Twomey, Frankie Shaw, Aidan Kearney, Don Carroll, John Cummins, Leo O'Leary, Ger Fenney, and Timmy Murphy. John Cronin is president and the vice presidents are Jerry Keohane and Niall Burns.



O'Donovan and Duggan have recruited three new players this season: Stephen O'Mahony (ex Avondale) and Tony McCarthy and Liam Myers (both ex Villa). Young Jason McGillacuddy was last season's leading marksmen. Defender Maurice O'Neill won the Player of the Year Award while Frank Shaw, the club captain, received the Clubman of the Year Award.



Rockville, who play their home games in the Lakewood complex in Ovens, are determined to be one of the more successful clubs in Cork and one day intend to have their own grounds. Meanwhile, the running of the club is facilitated by generous backing from their number one supporters, the Burns family of the Anglers Sports bar in Old Market Place.



Manager Bob and assistant Greg pick from the following panel: Derek Clarke, Philip Murphy, Derek Long, Maurice O'Neill, Frank Shaw (club captain), John Long, Liam Sheehan, Paul Cummins (team captain), Eamonn Cassidy, Tony McCarthy, Aidan Kearney, Liam Myers, Jason McGillacuddy, Stephen O'Mahony, Dan Cassidy, Damien O'Sullivan, Declan Sheehan, and Cian Horgan.



Keeper Derek Clarke was in the spotlight recently when he switched clubs and grades in midweek. He played with Rockville on Sunday in a premier game against Coachford, played with Rockmount against Cobh Ramblers in midweek, and was back in the Rockville colours by the following weekend. All above board.



Rockville may well have started life as a breakaway from Rockmount but when the parent club had a goal-keeping crisis for the League Cup game in Cobh, Rockville and Clarke came to the rescue.