The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Ballyhar Dynamos: A soccer club in focus
IT is amazing how a strong community spirit coupled with high aspirations for the future can be the recipe for success and it is certainly the case for small rural club Ballyhar Dynamos who are now one of the most progressive and highly admired clubs in the Kerry District League.
From its humble beginning back in 1975 it has progressed to be a vibrant small club which has served the Ballyhar, Firies and Farranfore areas very well over its 45 year existence.
The club was founded in 1975 and played at various locations for many years until 2003 when the got the land they required and bought a field and in the years that followed they developed their pitch and it is now one of the best pitches in the county.
Like many small rural clubs Ballyhar had its fair share of Unsung Hero’s over the past 4 decades but few would equal the service given by the late Murt Scott who passed away at a young age back in 2008.
Murt was known the length and breadth of the county and was held in the highest regard by everyone that knew him. He may have been small in stature but he had a big heart and made a huge legion of friends in all corners of the county. Murt was out early in horrible weather conditions during the winter lining the pitch and ensuring everything was up to scratch for the clubs home games.
I knew Murt from back in the late 1970s when Asdee played so many great games against Ballyhar. On one particular Sunday a prankster from the Asdee club saw a goat in the field during a game and he took him home with him in the boot of his car. The following December this goat provided the coat for his bodhran to go out and hunt the Wren on St. Stephen Day.
When I started this job one of the first places I went to was to see Ballyhar playing at their new home venue. I was very impressed by their facilities and I was given a whistle stop tour of the grounds and clubhouse by Murt. He was a great character and was known the length and breadth of the county and was deeply involved in fundraising and pitch development.
While Murt’s sad passing at a young age left a huge void in the local community and sporting life in general his memory will be around for ever with his beloved soccer grounds is named after him Murt Scott Park.
When it came to naming the grounds it was no contest as to what it would be called with an anonymous verdict of Murt Scott Park.
His legacy will ensure the game will stay strong in his native parish for all the up and coming generations.
HISTORY OF THE CLUB
THE Ballyhar Dynamos club was formed in October 1975 and the first chairman was David Daly, first secretary Des O’Connor and first treasurer Paud O’Donoghue. They held their club meetings in the store room of Denis O’Leary’s shop in Ballyhar.
The squad played a number of friendly games in 1975/76 and their first competitive game was away to Scartaglin in April 1976 in the League Cup and they went down 3-0.
The clubs first league game in Division 3 (south) of the KDL was played in October1976 and the squad on that historic day was Aidan Power, Donal Groves, Brendan Keogh, Tim O’Connor, Johnny O’Connor, John Kerrisk, Tom Kerrisk, John O’Shea, Jim O’Connor, Willie O’Mahony, Paud O’Donoghue, Des O’Connor and Christy McCarthy.
Back to Back Reserve Cup titles and league promotion followed in the early 1980s for much of this squad with Paud O’Donoghue in charge of the team .
A number of the Youth squad of the 1980s made the step up to senior soccer to bring down the age profile and ensure the senior team continued into the 1990s.
Tim Teahan took over the reins of a successful youth team in 1991/92 which played in the Youth League semi-final, being defeated by Killarney Celtic 2-1 with Mike O’Sullivan, Noel McCarthy, Tom Corbett, Owen O’Sullivan and Donal o Donoghue going on to play for the senior team in the years that followed.
The club contested two Reserve Cup Finals in the 1990s being defeated in both by Skellig United in 1994 (managed by Murt Scott) and to Kerryhead Rovers 1996 (managed by James O’Sullivan).
Tim Teahan guided the Senior team to the Premier Division for the first time in its history in the season 1996/97 and in December 1997 the club were victorious in the Kerry Area Final of the Munster Junior Cup. They beat Rattoo Rovers away in the semi-final 5-4 and defeated St Brendan’s Park in the final after extra time 2-1.
Mike O’Sullivan collected the trophy and went on to play in the Oscar Traynor Cup with the Kerry Seniors.
The squad was Ger Cremin, Niall Corbett, Noel Mc Carthy, Jeremiah O’Sullivan, Mike Allen, Eamonn O’Connor, Mike O’Sullivan, Donal O’Donoghue, James O’Sullivan, Dermot O’Meara, Owen O’Sullivan, Patie Hayes, Paul O’Donoghue, Tom Corbett and John O’Brien.
In January1998 they travelled to Carrigaline, Cork but they went down to the home side.
They won the Reserve Cup again in the season 2001/02 under the guidance of Murt Scott.
The current senior team is playing in Premier B after promotion last season from Division 1A under the management of Donal O’Donoghue and Anthony McKenna, captained by Padraig O’Connor and are back-boned by experienced players such as Ger Fitzgerald, Maurice O’Donoghue, Kevin O’Sullivan, John Daly. Dan O’Shea and Mike Daly.
The senior B team depending on numbers were occasionally involved in the KDL with over the years with Donal Groves, Murt Scott, James O’Sullivan (Ballyhar), James Lynch, Vincent Brosnan, Tom Corbett and Dave Kelly taking charge of teams at different times.
The B team of 2006/07 won promotion to Division 3 of the KDL with a play-off win over Ballybunion with Tom Corbett as manager.
The youths of 2002/03 who were Managed by Tim Teahan and Brendan O’Sullivan became Youth League Champions defeating Killarney Celtic in the final.
Maurice O’Donoghue and Ger Fitzgerald are still playing today with the Ballyhar Seniors.
The Youths of 2005/06 managed by Murt Scott and Donal O’Connell lost out to St Brendan’s Park in the league final.
This Seasons Youths managed by Donal O’Donoghue and Paudie Deniel compete in the Southern section of the Youth League.
The 2019/20 committee are President Donal Groves, Chairman Brendan O’Sullivan, Vice-Chairman, Donie Teahan, Secretary Donal O’Donoghue, PRO Anthony McKenna, Treasurer Tim Teahan, Child Protection officer Miriam O’Donoghue, Registrar Ger Fitzgerald, with a committee of Danny Cronin, JJ Dowd, Tony O’Connor, Dan Quilter, Dave Kelly, Sean O’Connor, Linda Ring, Edmund Kerrisk, Frank Fell, John Kelly, Donal Lyne and Maurice O’Donoghue.
The officers acknowledge the work carried out by the clubs coaches, the club sponsors and hope the nation will get over the Coronavirus and resume activities on the field of play before too long.