Asdee Rovers are one of KDL’s shining lights

pages 54-55

SEÁN O’Keeffe is the secretary of the Asdee Club and is chairman of the Kerry District League. He played for his club for 32 years and I asked him about his career at club and County Level.

When did you start playing with the club?

I started playing soccer during my years in secondary school in St Josephs, Ballybunion in the early 80s. We were entered in the Greyhound Bar Cup by one of our teachers Mr Aidan McIntyre and I really enjoyed the experience, following that Asdee Rovers approached a number of the players from that team and I signed in 1982 for the club.

What position did you play in?

I played out on the right wing and my job was to get past the right full back and whip in a cross to Mike Griffin, our star striker who was very good in the air. As the years went on I drifted back to right back where I played in the winning Kerry Munster Junior Cup winning team of 1992. Later I went to centre back and finished my playing days a few years ago playing in goals for the club.

What honours have you won?

Kerry Area Munster Junior Cup final winners 1992; runner-up FAI Junior Cup Kerry/ Clare / Desmond area final; a couple of Over-35 finals and some league promotions as runner-up; I represented Kerry in the Oscar Traynor Cup against Limerick.

When were you appointed chairman of the KDL?

I was appointed Chairman of the Kerry District League in 2005 a position I still hold and am delighted to be representing Asdee Rovers on the board of the Kerry District League since 1987.

You must be delighted with facilities your club and the KDL have?

Yes I am, Kerry soccer has come a long way since I started out in the 1980s, clubs all around Kerry have invested a lot of time and money in bringing the level of their facilities up to a very high standard. The great work done by all the clubs and their committees is to be commended.

We have playing pitches with great surfaces, dressing rooms and some have astro turf pitches and floodlighting as well. Asdee

Rovers were one of the early starters being one of the first clubs purchasing Craughdarrig Park in 1995 and developing two full sized playing pitches and a new clubhouse in 2004.

I am extremely proud of my role in helping with the developments of Mounthawk Park, which is now a stadium and a headquarters that all in Kerry soccer can be proud of and Craughdarrig Park which is a great facility to have for a rural club in North Kerry.

A lot of work went into getting these projects completed?

Yes a lot of work has been undertaken by very dedicated people all over Kerry and has provided the current players and clubs and spectators with great venues to play our game of association football.

The huge fundraising initiatives by the clubs in Kerry was how it all started over the years and then the government came on board with the Sport Capital Programme of grants which is a huge support with the provision of facilities and allowed them to be completed and opened for use.

What were your high points as chairman?

Over the past fifteen years there have been many highlights. Seeing the sport develop and grow to the high standard we have today with Kerry teams competing in the National Airtricity League is a particular highlight.

The standard of facilities is a huge one and the enjoyment people are getting from them is wonderful. The official opening of Mounthawk Park by Mr. Joe Delaney, President of the Munster Football Association of Ireland in October 25, 2008.

The visit of John Giles a legend of Irish Football in 2011 was a great day for Kerry soccer and he is such a nice gentleman, also visits over the years from people like John Delaney, Martin O’Neill, Packie Bonner, Richard Dunne and so many more all stand out.

Hosting the Victory Shield in 2018 at Mounthawk Park the first time in the history of this prestigious Under 16 International tournament was a special week in Tralee with Paul Osam leading The Republic of Ireland squad and teams from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales participating.

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