Planning for start of the new season
By the time our notes appear in print, the WW/EC Junior League committee will have met with a representative from each club in the league to discuss the plans for the commencement of the 2021/22 season. The new season officially begins on 19th July and the clubs will have had their say. While the committee will have their own suggestions, the decision will rest with the clubs. Last weekend gave us an opportunity to speak to a few league representatives in Munster and they have different ideas and suggestions, with a number of them in the process of running a summer league to prepare for the new season.
There are, we hear, various suggestions to be put forward at the meeting as we now all want to get back playing football again. The first competition will be the 2021/22 Bolger Cup, which usually commences the middle of August with the final on the October bank holiday weekend.
We will give a full report in our notes next week at what decision the league and the clubs arrived at from the meeting.
In our Blast from the Past this week, we go to season 2010/11 when Inch won their only Premier League title and Pinewood denied them a league/cup double, when the Ballymac team won the Ned Barry Cup.
END OF AN ERA
For the past two weeks we have written a short profile of committee members who are retiring at the upcoming AGM - four of the current committee, chairman Michael O’Neill, hon treasurer Paddy Mason, hon secretary Paddy Pollard and liaison officer, Liam Fraser. We wrote of the work and dedication that Michael O’Neill and Paddy Mason have given to the league since its foundation and this week, we profile Liam Fraser.
The name Fraser is synonymous with Association football in Tallow as Liam’s brother, the late Len, was a founding member of Brideview United 50 years ago. Liam’s sporting career had him playing hurling and football with Tallow in the early 1960s and a fact that may not be too well known, he captained the Waterford minor hurlers in the Munster championship and also played with the Waterford minor footballers. However, while in Dungarvan Liam started to make his name as he was on the Dungarvan Utd youth team that brought off the double, league and cup, in 1968/69 season.
After moving to Youghal in 1974/75, Liam got involved with Sarsfields FC and as time went on, he became one of the leaders in the town to amalgamate the three clubs there - Sarsfields, St. Annes and Youghal FC. Along with the Youghal local councillor, Tommy O’Connell, many meetings took place and eventually Youghal Utd was founded and the club is thriving to this day. Liam is very proud to have been part of the committee that oversaw the unification, as for those of us who worked in Youghal at the time, knew there was no room for three clubs.
Liam’s love for his home town club, Brideview, had him travelling to see them playing with the highlight at the time being when they won the County Cup in Mallow.
When Liam returned to live in Tallow, he immediately got involved in the committee of Brideview Utd and it was not long before he was elected onto the committee of the Red House League (West Waterford/East Cork Junior League) and has been part of the committee to the present day. Always interested in underage football, Liam was part of a committee that looked into the formation of an underage section in the league. Youth football was one of the areas, but in those early days many cup competitions took place for U12 and U14 and it was obvious that an official schoolboys section was needed. In October 1994, the Imokilly People became the official sponsors of schoolboy football in the league covering all age groups up to U16 and a new committee was elected. This is a separate committee from the junior league, and Liam Fraser has been, up to the present, the liaison officer or as he himself says, the conduit between the two leagues.
Liam has held so many different positions since he came on the WW/EC junior committee - vice chairman, assistant secretary, league PRO, manager of the Oscar Traynor team and manager of various interleague underage teams. Indeed, Liam was part of a RHL management team with Joe Tobin and Paddy Pollard, that was the very first team from the league to get into the open round of the Oscar Traynor Cup, losing away in Sligo to the Sligo/Leitrim league on 1st February, 2004. Much work was done by Liam in organising training, etc – the team finished second in their group and reached the last 10 teams in the country. A truly remarkable achievement for such a small league.
As league vice chairman, Liam often commented he was the longest serving league vice chairman in the country, and in March 2019 he took over the mantle until the league AGM that June.
When the FAI instructed all the leagues in the country to appoint a league child welfare officer, Liam was an automatic choice for the WW/EC Junior League and the WW/EC Schoolboys league.
Liam has selflessly devoted so much of his time to fostering the game locally and his work in Association football was acknowledged in 2012 by the FAI at the FAI AGM in Letterkenny, when Liam was presented with the John Sherlock Award for service to the sport, especially at grassroots level. All of us from the league present on the night felt very proud, an award well deserved.
He has represented the schoolboys league as a delegate to the SFAI and only last month was nominated by the SFAI to represent them on the new General Assembly of the FAI.
A few months ago in our Blast from the Past, we wrote of a piece of history made one Sunday in 1992, when Liam and his son Joe both played together for Brideview in a league game.
We have known Liam for so many years and look upon him as a close and personal friend and when we visit Convent Street in Tallow, always receive a welcome from himself and Sheila.
While he’s stepping down from the junior league, we know his love of Brideview will keep him in the club for his advice and experience, and especially at the present time as the club have to rebuild the club house after the fire a few months back; also Brideview Utd prepare to celebrate their half century.
To Liam, we say many thanks for all the years and we cannot finish without mentioning the Cappoquin Paddy, who constantly criticised your choice of biscuit as you looked after the reporters at a game with a most welcome cuppa on a cold Sunday morning. Deep down, he enjoyed those moments with yourself, Michael and the other Paddy. Hopefully, the four of us can get together again soon!
AIRTRICITY LEAGUE
For the second consecutive weekend, Waterford had to make the long trek north, having been in Derry on Friday week, it was a trip to Finn Park in Ballybofey in Co Donegal last Friday. Ballybofey has not been a happy venue for any of the Blue teams since 2013. However, Friday night last the hoodoo was finally ended, when Marc Bircham’s team took all three points to record their third win in their last four away trips. A win for Waterford would see them cut Harps’ seven point advantage in third last in the table to four points, with sixteen league games to play.
The Blues went into the game with new signings and a change of goalkeeper with the injured Brian Murphy replaced by Matthew Connor. The opening half was evenly balanced with chances at both ends, until the 44th minute when Waterford were awarded a penalty following a foul on Darragh Power in the area. The resultant spot kick was dispatched to the net by new signing Quitirna Junior Armando, giving Harps’ star net minder McGinley no chance. From the kick off and into injury time, Harps had a penalty claim turned down by referee Derek Tomney for a challenge on Foley, and at the break the Blues led 0-1.
Within 45 seconds of the restart, Harps were awarded a penalty, but Barry McNamee’s spot kick was brilliantly saved by Matthew Connor - a real let off for the Blues. The home team took the game to Waterford in this half as they went in search of the equaliser, but the Blues’ defence was excellent and unfortunately in injury time, Prince Mutswunguma received a straight red card from referee Tomney, which was the only disappointment on a very good night for the Waterford team and management.
After two weeks on the road, Waterford return to the RSC when high flying Sligo Rovers are the visitors on Sunday.
Duty had us at Turner’s Cross on Friday night for the Cork City v Bray Wanderers 1st Division clash. With 600 fans allowed into the stadium on a trial basis, all were hoping to see City end their nightmare start to the season, lying second last in the league table. There was a great atmosphere in the ground when the game commenced and on a fantastic surface for football, Cork City went on the attack from the off and were rewarded in the 4th minute when Cian Murphy scored.
For the following 41mins of the half, Cork City gave an exhibition of how not to score as they squandered chance after chance in front of goals. Bray themselves were dangerous on the break and it took two good saves by McNulty to stop the visitors from equalising. Indeed, some of the opportunities that were missed would be embarrassing in a junior game. 1-0 to City at half-time.
The second half was 10mins old when Murphy headed to the net for his and Cork City’s second goal. We then saw more missed chances, as another goal would definitely have killed off any Bray resurgence. But the Seagulls were offered a lifeline with 7mins remaining when the home defence failed to clear the ball and Craven scored from a few yards out.
All of a sudden, Cork City were under pressure and credit Bray, they never gave up and threw everything into attack with Irish U21 goalkeeper, Brian Maher acting as sweeper on the half way line. There were 5mins of injury time and three of these had elapsed when a cross into the box was punched by McNulty to the feet of Quinn who hit the ball to the corner of the net for the equaliser. Terrible defending and looking back at the entire game, terrible misses by the home attack. The fans exited the Cross disappointed, knowing the team gifted Bray a point, but worse, two home points dropped and they still stay second last, a point behind neighbours Cobh Ramblers who lost in Galway.
This Friday, Cork City travel to the south east when they play bottom of the table Wexford FC at Ferrycarrig Parrk, a game City must win.
Cobh Ramblers travelled to Eamonn Deacy Park, Galway last Friday to play the inform Galway Utd. Galway manager, John Caulfield has seen his team play consistently in the past number of weeks lying joint second with Treaty Utd. Cobh on the other hand had lost away to Bray and were lying third last in the table. Galway took the lead in the 13th minute from the penalty spot, but Cobh battled well.
Seven minutes after the restart, Galway doubled their lead and try as they might, Cobh could not get back into the game even though they played some excellent football through Lee Devitt, Darren Murphy and Killian Cooper. Overall, the better team won and Galway are pushing leaders Shelbourne who lead by nine points.
Cobh remain in third last position and this Saturday, have Cabinteely as visitors.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
This week we are concentrating on season 2010/11. In fact, when one looks back at this season, it became a very significant one, which we will write of later on.
The AGM of the WW/EC Junior League was held at Lismore House Hotel on Monday, June 14th, 2010.
League chairman Michael O’Neill welcomed all the club delegates with just one club, Araglen, marked absent. Special guest was Ger Delaney, administrator/secretary Munster Football Association.
The reports of the hon secretary, Paddy Pollard and hon treasurer, Michael McBride were both adopted by the delegates.
Ger Delaney thanked the league for the invitation to attend and complimented the secretary and the treasurer on their reports, especially Michael McBride who was delivering his first treasurer’s report.
He said the large attendance at the meeting showed the interest the clubs were taking in the league. Ger complimented the referees who had received appointments for provincial and national cup competitions. He concluded by saying the league should be honoured to have Paddy Pollard elected as chairman of the
MFA the previous Saturday and he wished the league the very best.
League chairman, Michael O’Neill gave a wide ranging report of the previous season and concluded by thanking everyone who had helped him as chairman for the past four years. He asked Paddy Pollard to address the meeting in his position as chairman of the Munster Football Association.
Paddy, in a short few words, said while it was an honour for himself, it was also very much an honour for the league and he would always be available to help out in any way he could.
The election of league chairman saw Paddy Tobin, Glenview elected for season 2010/11. The rest of the committee was elected en bloc.
At the first committee meeting after the AGM, the league officers for 2010/11 were elected – Chairman Paddy Tobin, vice chairman Alan McNamee, hon treasurer Michael McBride, hon secretary Paddy Pollard, assistant secretary Michael O’Neill, league registrar Alan McNamee, fixture secretary Noel Hegarty, disciplinary committee - Noel Hegarty, Michael O’Neill and Alan McNamee, insurance officers - Alan McNamee and Eddie Pollard. Sub committee for the Youth League - Vinnie Coonan, Joe Hartnett and Liam Fraser. League representative to MFA and FAI Junior Council, Paddy Pollard. PRO Paddy Pollard.
A few snippets from the start of the season.
June - At the AGM of the Munster Football Association held on 12th June, 2010 at Rochestown Park Hotel, Paddy Pollard was elected chairman MFA for a two year period. Representing the WW/EC Junior League at the AGM were Michael O’Neill chairman, Liam Fraser vice chairman, Paddy Pollard secretary, Noel Hegarty fixture secretary, Michael McBride treasurer, while the Lismore club was represented by their chairman, Eddie Pollard.
July - Conor Gleeson, Ballymac Utd. - the schoolboy section of Pinewood - was selected to the Irish U14 squad to play in the Hibernian Cup in August.
September - Lismore lodged an appeal with the Munster Football Association against a decision of the WW/EC Junior League to remove their junior team from the league and the appeal was rejected, leaving Lismore out of competitive football for the rest of the season. Lismore had failed to fulfil two Bolger Cup group games and in accordance with a league rule, they were automatically removed from the league. This decision meant Lismore AFC had no junior team playing league football for the first time in 38 years.
At a delegate meeting, clubs asked the league committee to try and find some way around the rule that would allow Lismore play in the league. However, this was not possible as the rule could only be changed at an AGM.
At the AGM the following June (2011) at the request of the clubs and a suggestion from the MFA, the rule was changed.
CLASHMORE TAKE BOLGER CUP
The group stages of the Bolger Cup commenced on 19th August, some results - Clashmore 1 Blackwater 1, Mogeely 1 Railway Ath 3, Accrington 1 Brideview A 1, Clashmore B 0 Clashmore A 2, Brideview B 3 Railway Ath 3.
The two semi-finals saw Clashmore A defeat Brideview A 3-1, played at Cappoquin. Brideview’s goal was scored by W Henley. Mogeely defeated Pinewood 4-2 at Tallow.
The Bolger Cup final was played 10th April, 2011 at Tallow, where Clashmore defeated Mogeely 3-2 aet. John Prendergast with 2 goals, and a Vinny Coonan goal for the winners; Ethan Hayes and Denis Bernard scored for the losers.
Referee was Joe O’Riordan, assistants Martin Curran and Paul Browne.
The Bolger Plate final was played at Tallow on 2nd May, 2011, with Pinewood defeating Brideview A 2-0.
Ollie Smith and Keith Guiry scored for Pinewood.
Brideview A - B Henley, P Tobin, A Pratt, JP Grey, S Pratt, M Curley, E Hickey, K Landers, W Henley, W Curley, P Murphy. Reserve - I Mason.
Referee D Coleman, assistants M Curran and J O’Riordan.
INCH EDGE BRIDEVIEW TO TAKE PREMIER
The league commenced on 2nd September. As Lismore had been removed from the league there were nine teams in the Premier and only one team to be relegated, while there were ten teams in the 1st Division.
Some results from the early games - Brideview A 0 Mogeely 0, Accrington 1 Valley Rgs A 2, Blackwater 2 Inch 2, Cappoquin A 1 Castlebridge 1; Valley Rgs 1 Kilworth 1, Blackwater 3 Accrington 2, Inch 3 Cappoquin A 2, Mogeely 2 Castlebridge 1.
Into October, Valley Rgs 2 Brideview 0, Blackwater 1 Cappoquin 3, Accrington 0 Mogeely 4, Inch 2 Kilworth 0; Brideview 4 Inch 1, Kilworth 1 Accrington 1, Valley Rgs 4 Castlebridge 0.
The end of October/early November - Inch 3 Castlebridge 2, Brideview 2 Blackwater 1, Valley Rgs 0 Inch 2, Castlebridge 6 Accrington 2, Cappoquin 1 Mogeely 1; Accrington 0 Inch 3, Kilworth 3 Cappoquin 2, Accrington 0 Brideview 6.
December saw Inch setting the pace with Brideview and Kilworth close behind. In January, Inch continued at the top of the table and defeated Mogeely at Sexton Park with James Fogarty scoring the all important goal. Kilworth won at home to Castlebridge 4-2 with a Paudie Lynch hat-trick and a Darian O’Donoghue goal, while for the losers, J O’Sullivan and MJ Dorgan scored. Inch drew at home with Blackwater, while an Eric Hickey goal was enough for Brideview to take the points away to Mogeely.
The middle of January saw Blackwater win at Cappoquin 0-3 with Johnny Healy scoring twice and Eamonn Walsh with the other goal. Castlebridge lost at home to Kilworth 2-6. B O’Connell scored both home side goals, while Paudie Lynch bagged four goals and a goal each from S Shanahan and C Murphy. Mogeely won at home 2-0 against Accrington. At the end of the month, Inch went to Kilworth and shared the points 2-2. Paudie Lynch and Leonard Byrne scored two apiece goals for the respective sides.
Into February and the top of the table was very tight with Inch just ahead of Brideview and at the other end, either Accrington or Castlebridge looked set for relegation.
In the first two Sundays in February, Inch scored 11 goals in wins away from home. In Castlelyons they won 1-6. The following week they travelled to Conna and won 0-5. Brideview kept the pressure on, winning 2-3 at Cappoquin. William Curley two goals and a goal from William Henley for Brideview, while P Murray and C Roche scored for the home team.
Then the top two met on 5th March at Sexton Park with Brideview winning 1-4. L Byrne scored for the home side and K Landers, M Curley, P O’Brien and S O’Connor for the visitors.
This really opened up the top of the table and then we went to 13th March, where Inch won away in Fermoy against Accrington 1-2. A Condon for the home team, M Byrne and C Galvin for the league leaders.
On St. Patrick’s Day, Brideview could only draw away to Blackwater 1-1. M Flynn scoring for the home team and W Henley for the visitors. However, the draw meant
Brideview could not catch Inch, so Inch were declared league champions for the first time, with Brideview runners up two points behind and Kilworth in third spot a further four points behind.
At the other end of the table, the battle to survive was between Accrington and Castlebridge with one team making the drop. Accrington lost at home to neighbours Kilworth 1-2. Elton Pierce for the home team and Paudie Lynch and Seanie Shanahan for the winners. Castlebridge drew at home to Mogeely 3-3. C McNulty with 2 goals and a K Higgins penalty for the home team.
The next game was vital for the Castlelyons side when they had Blackwater as visitors. Castlebridge won 7-0 with a D Wallace hat-trick, 2 goals from R Feeney and a goal each from C McNulty and K Higgins. Following this win, Castlebridge avoided relegation with Accrington dropping to the 1st Division.
1ST DIVISION
In the 1st Division there were ten teams, with the division splitting at the half way mark. Some early results: Pinewood 1 Ballybridge 0, Clashmore A 2 Clashmore B 1; Brideview B 4 Pinewood 2, Valley Rgs B 1 Clashmore A 2, Railway Ath 3 Kilworth B 0. Clashmore A 2 Ballybridge 0, Kilworth B 3 Cappoquin B 1. Glenview 2 Ballybridge 0, Pinewood 2 Cappoquin B 2, Glenview 2 Clashmore A 3, Brideview B 1 Valley Rgs B 2; Kilworth B 2 Clashmore A 3.
At the half way stage after Christmas, Clashmore were leading followed by Pinewood, Brideview B, Railway and Valley Rgs B who were all in the top half, while Ballybridge were leading from Glenview in the lower half.
When the top two met at Clashmore in February the home team defeated Pinewood 3-2. They met again the end of February at Ballymac and again Clashmore came out on top, this time 1-2.
The first Sunday in March, Clashmore won away in Conna defeating Valley Rgs B 0-2 with goals from S Dalton and J Prendergast. Following this win, Clashmore were promoted to the Premier Division for the following season. The battle then was who would join them and this was between Pinewood and Brideview B.
With just a point separating the teams, when they met at Ballymac, a draw would get the home side promoted, while Brideview needed to win to leapfrog Pinewood. The game ended 1-1, so Pinewood joined Clashmore in the Premier the following season.
In section B of the 1st Division, Ballybridge won with Glenview six points adrift in second place. PINEWOOD WIN NED BARRY CUP
The Ned Barry Cup 1st round commenced on 30th January with Clashmore A winning at home to Valley Rgs B 7-0. Glenview lost at home to Inch 2-3 aet, Kilworth won away in Ballybridge 2-4. Some results from the 2nd round, saw Kilworth B lose at home to Castlebridge 0-3, Cappoquin A defeated Kilworth A 7-2, Clashmore B lost at home to Mogeely 1-5, Inch won at home to Railway 4-3, Pinewood and Valley Rgs A drew 2-2 aet, with Pinewood winning on penalties 4-3.
In the quarter-finals, Cappoquin A defeated Inch 2-1, Brideview A 1 Brideview B 0, Clashmore A 0 Mogeely 1 and
Pinewood 6 Castlebridge 0
The two semi-finals took place 24th/25th April. At Clashmore, an Ollie Smith goal saw Pinewood defeat Mogeely aet, while at Mogeely, Inch defeated Brideview A 2-1.
The Ned Barry Cup final was played at Cappoquin on Saturday, May 21st, 2011 when Pinewood defeated Inch 2-1. Inch, who had won the Premier League a few weeks previous, went into the game as favourites, but Pinewood, newly promoted from the 1st Division, had defeated all Premier teams on their way to the final. Pinewood scorers were Andy Meehan and Ollie Smith, Inch’s scorer was Leonard Byrne.
The final was played before one of the smallest attendances ever to witness a cup final, as hours before the game there was torrential rain and it only stopped as the players entered the pitch.
Pinewood - P Horkam, G Peters, R Meehan, J Whelan, J Molloy, O Smith, I Coffey, D Guiry, K Guiry, A Meehan, G McGrath. Reserves - K Cunningham, JP Fitzpatrick, D Meehan, M O’Grady, T Wall.
Inch - D Coleman, C Glavin, J Dullea, P O’Mahony, B Keane, J Fogarty, G Dobbs, B McDermott, L Byrne, D Savage, P O’Sullivan. Reserves - M Byrne, B Murray, M Coleman, I Lynch, D Fogarty.
Referee was Eamonn Cusack, assistants David Coleman and Maurice Hartnett.
The Man of the Match award was won by Keith Guiry.
Next week we will take a look at the Liam Fitzgerald Cup, the Oscar Traynor Cup and Fraser Cup, all from the 2010/11 season.