Soccer
03 March 1999

Mayo ace gives United the 'Keane' edge!

HARP LAGER FAI SENIOR CUP

By Tom Kelly

The manager of Galway United has indicated that the doors of Terryland Park are always open to quality Mayo footballers interested in a career at FAI National League level.

Don O'Riordan, eighteen months into his job of restoring the fortunes of the West of Ireland club, said he had spread the net throughout the region in the pursuit of emerging young talent.

Speaking three days before the club's glamour Harp Lager FAI Senior Cup quarter-final clash against St. Patrick's Athletic at Terryland Park on Friday (k.o. 7.45p.m.), O'Riordan sung the praises of two Mayo players exercising a key role in the club's successful run this season, namely Michael Keane, Urlaur, and Adrian Cregg, Ballyhaunis.

Since Keane came into the side for an away game against Home Farm at the turn of the year, United have not lost a game. That represents a 14 match unbeaten run.

Said O'Riordan: "I was reluctant to play two footballers as young as Keane and Aubrey Dolan in the same midfield. But once I put the two of them together, things seemed to click.

"Keane has been a real find as far as we are concerned. He has two brilliant feet and is a splendid passer of the ball. He is also a tremendous striker of the ball and it won't be long before he starts putting in the goals for us, hopefully starting next Friday night."

O'Riordan said Cregg was not as physically strong as Keane, but he also had a very bright future in the game.

"I have used him quite a number of times as a substitute and he has always done well. But I don't believe we have seen the best of him yet."

There are two other Mayo players on the books of Galway United. They are Alan Murphy, Ballinrobe and Gary Dillon, Ballyheane.

Murphy was a member of the Irish Schools team which defeated England at Ipswich a number of weeks ago. Murphy scored in that match, but has been out of action since because of an ankle injury.

O'Riordan, who is attending a sports workshop at Ballyhaunis Community School today (Wednesday), issued an invitation to Mayo football followers to turn out in force at Terryland Park on Friday.

"It promises to be a memorable occasion and the indications are that there will be a crowd in excess of 5,000.

"St. Patrick Athletic are the best team in the country at the moment, and I will be very interested to see how we match up to them. Certainly a shock cannot be ruled out."

A limited number of tickets for the game are available from Colm Hynes, Main Street, Castlebar.

Mayo set to win Summer soccer allies

By Tom Kelly

The Mayo Association Football League could be set to win a major ally in the promotion of summer soccer.

After another weekend in which long lists of fixtures were postponed throughout the country because of unplayable pitches, more and more leagues are considering following the example set by their West of Ireland counterparts.

The latest league to show a keen interest is the Amateur League, Dublin, who has been forced to postpone over 500 games since the start of the season.

Officials of the Dublin League have invited two Mayo League representatives, Donal Benson and John Durcan, to give a broad outline on the success of summer soccer at a meeting next Monday, March 8th.

The Amateur League is the first league in the capital to show an interest in the concept, and there is a growing feeling they may be able to thrash out an agreement with Dublin Corporation regarding the renting of pitches.

Said Donal Benson, a member of FAI Junior Council: "The members of the Amateur League tell me they are very serious about this, and the matter will be decided by a simple majority at the league's annual general meeting in May. The issue of renting corporation pitches has been mentioned before as an obstacle to running summer soccer in the capital. But surely there would be less damage caused to corporation pitches if football was played during the summer.

"That's one of the points I will be making when I address clubs from the Amateur League next week. We have been running summer soccer in Mayo since 1994, and we are well qualified to spell out the advantages and disadvantages."

Mr. Benson and Mr. Durcan have also agreed to address a meeting of the Donegal League in the coming weeks.

"If you want to get your fixtures played on schedule, then summer soccer is the answer. It has helped to give the game in Mayo a whole new dimension. We have never looked back"

It is understood that officials in the Sligo\Leitrim League are also considering the prospect of changing seasons.

The only league in Connaught to look seriously at the move was Galway in 1996. But clubs voted against the proposal.

A vote also took place at the annual general meeting of the Meath & District League last May, but the vote was defeated because it did not receive the two-third majority requirement laid down by clubs before a ballot was taken.

In the event of the change being deemed a rule change, the proposal would have been carried by a simple majority.

Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - March 1999