Much missed Murt Scott was Ballyhar’s true legend

BALLYHAR Dynamos home base at Rusheen, Firies is called Murt Scott Park in honour the late local man Murt Scott who gave so much of his time to the club.

Murt first came on the scene in the late 1970s and was part of Paud O’Donoghue’s coaching staff in the back to back Reserve Cup wins in the seasons 1981/82 & 1982/83 and also achieving promotion to Division 2 of the KDL in the 82/83 season.

Murt and Tom Kerrisk took charge of the clubs first Youth team in the season of 1985/86 a squad that had been assembled in 1983 by Tom Kerrisk and John Curtin at Under-16 level.

This youth Squad contained many names who went on to give great service to the club and loyalty to Murt in his many terms in charge of the Ballyhar seniors into the 1990s and the 2000s.

The squad of that time included John O’Brien, Connie Crowley, Mike Allen, Eamonn Kennedy, Eamonn O’Connor, Paudie O’Donoghue, Kevin Casey, Cyril Morris, Dermot O’Meara, Patrick McCarthy, Damien Keane, Tony O’Connor, Vincent Brosnan, James O’Sullivan, Jamie Courtney and Brendan O’Sullivan.

This squad reached both league and Cup semi finals being defeated by Listowel Celtic in both competitions and had great battles with Killarney Celtic and Killarney Athletic along the way.

Connie Crowley, Mike Allen, Patrick McCarthy and Cyril Morris became Kerry Youths with Kerry being defeated in a Munster Youths final to Waterford.

Murt was in charge of the senior team when securing promotion to Division 1 of the KDL in the season 1993/94, a promotion the club had been aiming for a number of years.

The same season the club reached the Reserve Cup Final only to be defeated by Skellig United a final played at Cahermoneen in Tralee (home ground of Tralee Dynamos).

After a number of years helping out with coaching the one or two underage teams the club had at that time or the senior B team Murt was back as co-manager with James O’Sullivan for the1999/00 and as co manager with Mike O’Sullivan for season 2000/01.

Both seasons the club went close to being promoted back to the Premier Division.

One of Murt’s proudest club moments on the field came in 2001/02 season when he managed the senior team to Reserve Cup victory over Ballybunion Celtic in a replay in June 2002, twenty years after his involvement in the last Reserve Cup win.

The squad included John O’Brien, Tadgh Ahern, Eamonn C Connor, PJ Lynch, Anthony Mckenna, Maurice O’Donoghue, Tim Fitzgerald, Stephen Looney, Derry Aherne, Mike O’Sullivan, Dermot O’Meara, Donal O’Donoghue, Jeremiah O’Sullivan, Paul O’Donoghue, Tadgh O’Keeffe, Noel McCarthy, and Owen O’Sullivan.

Murt enjoyed togging out and participating in the training sessions over the years and was occasionally called into battle with the senior team if short. The mid-1990s saw him tog out for the senior team away to QPR where he gave as good as he got.

When the lands were purchased by the club in 2003 he immersed himself in the project, in the fundraising to achieve what is Murt Scott park today.

Murt and fellow Liverpool fan, the late Ger Coffey from Farranfore, were to the fore when it came to selling Lotto tickets and both were very involved in the clubs race nights to bring the project to fruition.

The pitch was officially opened as Rusheen Park in October 2007, a day in which Murt and all those who had been involved in the club since 1975 were very proud of.

Murt passed away in July 2008 and a month later the club formally named the facilities Murt Scott Park to honour his time, effort and involvement in the club he did so much for.