NUI Galway Soccer Club Newsletter WINTER 07 ISSUE NO.1 www.nuigalway.ie/soccer soccer@nuigalway.ie
Chairmans Address (Eric Mortimer) Dear Friend/Player of NUI Galway Soccer Club, Welcome to the latest newsletter of the Men s Soccer Club at NUI Galway. I hope this finds you and yours in good health and that the newsletter gives you an interesting update on the club happenings. We are just a couple of months into what promises to be a very exciting season, particularly as we host the prestigious Collingwood Cup next February. On the coaching front the club welcomes former stalwart James Delargy as manager of the Junior A team. The club also wish Billy Cleary (Collingwood manager), Stevie Nash (Junior B manager), Gabriel D Arcy (First year coach), Steven Lally (Coaching) and Mark Cobey (Goalkeeping) all the best for the season ahead. Off the training ground we also have started a Strength and Conditioning programme with James O Toole and John Mellett (CSCC) of Sports Med West. Everyone at the club feels this will be a big season for UCG and are confident of bringing silverware West once again. There s already a great buzz at the training pitch in advance of next February s Collingwood, Harding and Crowley competitions. We really hope to see you in Galway during the Collingwood for a chance to chat and share your memories of this great tournament. As always it is great to hear from our friends and players, past and present, so please don t be shy to and drop us a line by e-mailing soccer@nuigalway.ie Eric Special Matches Soccer Club Social Events Up-to-date: Club AGM was held at the Skeffington Arms Hotel in September Team night out in October at Monroe s Tavern Upcoming: Table Quiz upcoming Tuesday November 20th 8pm at The Skeff bar Christmas Night Out Collingwood Launch Night (January 2008) Annual Club Draw Colours Match versus GMIT The annual colours match with GMIT in aid of COPE and organised by James O Toole resulted in a 2-1win for NUI Galway. A nice colour picture of James presenting the BR Cup to College Captain Dave Horkan appeared in the Galway Advertiser on February 22nd last and again in the City Tribune on February 23rd. On the same day another picture in the City Tribune showed the presentation of a Collingwood sponsorship cheque by Kieran McCabe of the Skeff to Eoin McCormack and Eric Mortimer. Past v Present The Past and Present match held in Dangan on Saturday May 5th 2007 resulted in a win for the Whites (Past) who defeated the Maroons (Present) 6-3. Scorers for the Whites were Gordon McCann, Tristan Ryder, George Taylor (2) and Brendan Meehan (2) and for the Maroons, Eoin McCormack, Colin Browne and Mikey Creane. WINTER 07 ISSUE NO.1 Page 1
Club News (Eric Mortimer) Scholarships Congratulations to all of our scholarship/bursar recipients: NUI Galway Scholarship NUI Galway Bursar Galway United Bursar Seamus Conneely Eoin Mc Cormack, Alex Lee, Enda Dunne Vinnie Corrgian, Mikey Creane, Jack Doherty Club Captain Rob Gaynor continues with his University scholarship from last year. Back (L to R) Mr. Nick Leeson (Galway United), Mr. James O Toole (Sports Med West), Dr. Paudie Murray (NUI Galway AFC) Front (L to R) Mr. Tony Regan (Sports Officer, NUI Galway), Mr. Vinnie Corrigan, Mr. Mikey Creane, Mr. Jack Doherty (NUI Galway Soccer Club), Prof. Keith Warnock (Vice President of Physical Rsources, NUI Galway) Sponsorship The club are delighted of the continued generous support from the Skeffington Arm s Hotel. Please support The Skeff and Karma when you are out and about. Thanks once again to Statoil Service Station, Newcastle Road for their continued support for our travel costs. It is greatly appreciated. We welcome on board Monroe s Tavern who sponsored the junior squad kits and Aran Sports for Collingwood team kit sponsorship (photo below). We are also grateful to former college star Mickey McLaughlin whose company www.future.ie has come on board as the official sponsor for the Collingwood leisure & training kits. At present the Collingwood sponsorship is under discussion and if you would like to be part of it please let us know. Club Captain Rob Gaynor Dr. Eric Mortimer & Mr. Paul McDaid (NUI Galway Soccer Club) pictured receiving sponsorship of the Collingwood team kit from Mr. Mark Cobey (Aran Sports, Galway). Dr. Eric Mortimer & Mr. Paul McDaid (NUI Galway Soccer Club) pictured receiving sponsorship of the Collingwood team kit from Mr. Mark Cobey (Aran Sports, Galway). WINTER 07 ISSUE NO.1 Page 2
Football Update (Billy Clery, Stephen Nash, Paudie Murray) Collingwood/Junior A Team The first team s season is really only kicking off now after a later than usual start. The Sunday morning squad has had some great wins in Division One of the Galway District League and is currently positioned in the middle of the table with several games in hand. They had a fine run in the FAI Junior Cup only to be upstaged in Round 3 in a 4-3 thriller versus West United A. The team showed great strength and spirit that day which bodes well for the Collingwood challenge. The lads are also still in the Connacht Junior Cup which is now down to the final sixteen. The effort from the players in the Sunday morning squad has been tremendous. This has been matched by several people the past couple of seasons. Mark Foley, Paddy Downes, Will Geoghegan, Paudie Murray, Billy Cleary have all put Trojan work in to developing this squad. We hope that James Delargy will see the benefit and that his input will bring success for the club. In the combined University/IT League we have one game left at home to Sligo IT a win in that will see us through to the Quarter Finals. The very best of luck to the squad in that upcoming game. Junior B Team The Colts currently lie third in Division 4A of the Galway Junior League 4A with a record of three wins, two draws and just one loss. They are only five points off the leaders, Naomh Bricain, and are poised to challenge for the league. Their cause is not helped by the crazy decision by Galway FA to play only one round of fixtures in Division 4. The season started well with wins at home to Oughterard (3-1) and Athenry (4-3). This was followed by a disappointing 1-1 draw away to Renmore as they had led most of the game. The Colts got back to winning ways against MacDara B in Carraroe. The team that day was captained by Mark Foley as his wife lay in hospital expecting their first child dedication or terms for divorce, you decide? The league leaders, Naomh Bricain, were next to visit Dangan and a hard-fought match finished in a 0-0 stalemate with College hitting the post in the second half. More recently Colts lost ground on the leaders after losing at home to East Utd (1-2). At present it looks like a three-way battle between NUIG B s, Naomh Bricain and East for the Division 4A title and promotion to Division 3. Intervarsity Competitions & Dates Competition Location Dates (Inclusive) Harding Cup University of Ulster, Coleraine Weds. Feb 7th Sat. Feb 10th Collingwood Cup NUI Galway Mon. Feb 25th Thurs. Feb 28th Crowley Cup Trinity (Dublin University) Thurs. Mar 6th Sun. Mar 9th WINTER 07 ISSUE NO.1 Page 3
Personal News (Liam Spillane) Births There are several new and not so new babies to report on! Aoibhinn Marie Reidy was born on June 22nd 2007 at the CP Medical Centre in San Francisco to Liam and Stephanie a sister for Shane. James and Sheila Dillon had their first birth in September 24th 2006 when Scott was born. John and Sinead Browne have two daughters now aged 15 months and 2 yrs and 9 months. Mark and Mary Foley are proud parents of Sophie Mark is currently playing with the Colts. Deaths Sincere sympathy to John Dooley whose wife and sister died in September. Sympathy also to Brendan Meehan and the Meehan family on the death of their father in May 2007. Pat Horgan SC, father of Neal (current Cork City player), who managed UCC (with his friend Kieran Grainger) to several successful Collingwood cup wins passed away very recently. A long obituary appeared in the Cork Evening Echo on 27 Oct. Our sympathy to John, Brendan and the Meehans and Neal and the Horgan family. Wedding Bells Sean Mulkerrins in Cork on July 12th 2007. Karol Mortimer married Susan Evans on June 28th 2007 and to John Cronin who married Evelyn on the same da!!! That was some Colts coincidence... Best wishes to Billy Cleary in his upcoming big day out in December. Birthdays Tony Corcoran, our esteemed former Club Chairman, who served the Club so wholeheartedly from 1948 to at least 1982 celebrated his 80th birthday on October 18th. A big surprise party on Saturday October 20th for family and friends at the Victoria Hotel in Eyre Square brought people from everywhere. We wish him many more years of good health and contentment. People on the Move Fr. Ciaran Harkin has moved from LIT to Stranolar parish; Fergal Quinn from Pfizer to Schwartz Pharma and Paul Carr from Abbott to Boston Scientific in Letterkenny. Achievements Gerry O Connor, a former Club captain, has picked up another degree - this time from WIT. Another ex-captain, Capt. Rob Kiely has gained an MBS at UL. Benny O Connor has completed the Prom Swim in 43 minutes. Well done lads. The Galway Advertiser featured a photo on March 15th last when Seamus Conneely was congratulated by James O Toole of Sports Med West and Eric Mortimer, Club Chairman, on being selected for the Irish Universities. Iarlaith Davoren was also picked. Mr. James O Toole (Sports Med West), Dr. Eric Mortimer (NUI Galway) with Mr. Seamus Conneely on his selection for the Irish Universities. Mickey Gorman has found a new role managing the Galway Girls U-16 hockey team and daughters Irene and Dora are on the Irish international team. Under-16 representative honours in soccer were also gained by Robert Benson, son of Ray Benson. Robert played on the Irish U-16 team in Turkey and did well for Ireland though the Turks on home soil defeated the Irish 5-2. Great picture on the front of the Irish Examiner on June 1st last of Andy and son Richy Kilfeather of the 96th Inf. Batt. at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel returning from Liberia. James O Toole had a big write up in the City Tribune on May 7th last on improving young peope s dietery habits. Congrats to Galway United on retaining their FAI top division status. Great credit due to all concerned. The Only Here For The Burgers team who captured the Salthill Devon National Fives at Salthill Park on the June Holiday weekend included Fran Carter, Garreth Gorman, Padraig Lally and Billy Cleary. Congrats lads. Belated congrats to SDFC on winning in December 2006 the Dr. Tony O Neill U-21 Eircom League Cup; manager Emlyn Long tells us that quite a few College lads were involved including Jamie Madden, Ronan Larkin, Shane Browne, Michael Forde, Sean Murphy, Brian Geraghty, Mark Loughlin, Robert Porter and Chris Mortimer. Mr. James O Toole (Sports Med West), Dr. Eric Mortimer (NUI Galway) with Mr. Seamus Conneely on his selection for the Irish Universities. WINTER 07 ISSUE NO.1 Page 4
NUI Galway Soccer Club Newsletter WINTER 07 ISSUE NO.1 www.nuigalway.ie/soccer soccer@nuigalway.ie