Deserved honour
The inclusion of David Ward in the Irish Masters squad cast provided a| silver lining at the end of the darkest season in Rock Celtic’s illustrious history in the Meath and now the North East League.
The club was relegated for the first time since taking their place in the top tier of the league, the culmination of a number of seasons struggling at the bottom end the table after being the league’s leading lights for several seasons.
One of the players who played an integral part in the club’s success was striker David Ward, and he certainly did his best to keep them in the top flight although now at the veteran stage.
He defied the passing years, bagging one of his highest number of goals for a season. He accumulated a tally of 21, which was a prime reason the team entered the closing weeks of the season still in with a chance of avoiding the drop when they looked doomed from the start. It took them until December to notch up their first win after nine games, and who else paved the way but David and his long time striking partner Derek Delany.
The pair each netted a brace of goals, with David amid a real hot goal streak, with the two bringing his total to 12 in four games. Derek finished the season as the team’s second highest marksmen with a dozen.
However, in a fitting recognition of his dazzling form David was called into the Irish Masters Over-35 squad. He along with his former Dundalk teammate David Crawley, have been selected for the forthcoming clash with Northern Ireland, which will be played at Seaview, the ground of Crusaders on May 21.
Crawley captained Dundalk when they lifted FAI Cup in 2002 in a highly successful career laden with honours, mainly from his time with Shelbourne, who were then the kingpins of the League of Ireland.
The pair joined up with the Masters squad for training at the national training centre at Abbotstown on the May bank holiday Monday with former Dundalk assistant manager Aaron O’Callaghan involved in overseeing the session.
He is one of several former teammates and associates of the pair from their days playing in the League of Ireland.
For striker David this will be his first time to represent his country. The nearest he came before in his career was when he was called into the under-18 squad.
And further good news for Rock he still feels fit to carry on as the club strive to rebuild their fortunes next season in the first division.
Although the club’s recently formed over-35 squad will likely be calling upon his services along with Derek Delany.
David has played at this level with Doolargy from Dundalk and it helped bring him to the notice of the Irish Masters. He played in a charity match against them earlier in the year.