Niall’s initiative has paid off in Sheffield

AFORMER Wexford inter-county footballer is the driving force behind the establishment of a new club in Sheffield, a city well known for its soccer rivalry between the local United and Wednesday clubs.

Niall Murphy from Horeswood was a staunch defender with the club and made his inter-county debut against Dublin in an O’Byrne Shield game in 2011.

He was part of the squad that lost to the same opposition in the Leinster final that summer, but he is now based in Sheffield and is the driving force behind the establishment of the St. Vincent’s club.

Niall moved to the city five years ago and was amazed that there wasn’t a team in the area given the strength of the G.A.A. in the United Kingdom.

It prompted him to post a message on Facebook in the hope of attracting like-minded enthusiasts, and now 40 members are eagerly awaiting the club’s first competitive game next month.

Around 15 people turned up to the first exploratory meeting at The Grapes pub on Trippet Lane, and it steadily grew from there.

The official launch of the season was held on Friday in the Hillsborough Hotel and, thanks to Niall’s initiative, St. Vincent’s will be looking forward to playing teams from Leeds, York and Nottingham over the coming months.

For further information visit www.sheffieldgaa.com or search Sheffield GAA on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.