Athea Utd
by Pat Mulvihill
QUALITY WEEKEND
What a weekend for the club it has being on the playing fields. It all started off for our U/12s who were away to Newcastle West Rovers on Saturday morning and they had a great 9-3 win over the homeside to move into contention for league honors. They were four one up at the break an eventually ran out comfortable winners with the goals scored by Shane Dalton (4), John Sexton (2), Micah O’Connell (2) and Jason Dillon. Athea are now level with Granagh in second place and just two points behind Glin Rovers with two games left to play and both at home against Kildimo Utd and Glin.
Also on Saturday three of our youths side started for the Limerick Desmond Youths in their 2-0 win over South Tipperary in Clounreask, namely Kevin Murphy, Ryan Carroll and Gavin Dillon with the latter getting the second goal from the penalty spot. Limerick Desmond now progress to the quarter finals where they will be away to DDSL in Dublin on the weekend of March 11th with the game probably taking place in the AUL Complex in Clonshaugh.
Then on Sunday our Junior As had a well deserved 2-0 win over neighbours and league favourites Carrig Celtic at The Vales. We led by a Pa Ahern goal at the break after the midfielder reacted quickest after a Tom Collins header had come back of the crossbar while at the other end Noel Healy made one goo save at his near post. By and large though we dominated the first half and were a deserved goal to the good at half time. The second half contiuned in the same vein and about ten minutes into the second half we doubled our lead when Joe Weir scored a beauty from the edge of the penalty area with the ball nestling in the top corner. We were playing some neat footall now and nearly made it three when Darren
Murphy saw his shot shave the butt of the post with only millimeterres to spare while we also had a goal rule outside for a very close offside. Carrig had chances too but there was no denying Athea the three points and keep things close at the top of division one.
Later on Sunday afternoon the Bs travelled to play Feenagh B and came away with a comfortable five nil win and the significance of which sees them go to the top of table. On a very testing surface we only had a solitary goal to show for our dominance and that came from Eoghan Nash just before the short whistle. We made our possession really count in the second half as two quick fire goals from top scorer Steven McEnery put the game beyond a game but overrun home eleven. After missing a sitter against Shountrade in the previous league game Mark Horgan made amends with the diminutive midfielder scoring after another neat build up. Ten minutes from time we rounded off the scoring with the goal of the game when a ball into the box wasn’t cleared effectively by the Feenagh defence and when the ball came to Emmet White just outside the penalty area he returned the ball with interest and it flew into the top right corner for his first competitive goal for the B’s. As things stand we now are top of the table with just two league games left, away to Shannonside and at home to Kilcornan and two wins here will be enough to win the division. However make no mistake these will be two of the toughest games against the sides that are second and third in the table but at least we have it in our own hands.
Next weekend its Desmond Cup action with the As away to Old Mill and the Bs away to Ferry Rangers. Also next weekend the U/14s will be at home to league leaders Broadford Utd while the U/10s resume league action after the winter break with a home game against Bally Rovers.
Division 1 League
Athea Utd A (1) 2 Pa Ahern, Joe Weir
Carrig Cel A (0) 0
Team: Noel Healy, Ryan Carroll, Tom Collins. Joe Vaughan, Jamie Collins, Kevin O’Keeffe, Joe Weir, Pa Ahern, Conor Mullane, Darren Murphy, Gerard Ahern.
Sub used Padraig Horgan
Referee Paul O’Brien.
Division 4 League
Feenagh B (0) 0
Athea Utd B (1) 5 Eoghan Nash, Steven McEnery (2), Mark Horgan, Emmet White
Team: Donal Woulfe, Kieran Dalton, Tom Greaney, Sean McGrath, Matthew Tierney, Mark Horgan, Eoghan Nash, Morgan O’Connor, Gary Carroll, Ian Murphy, Steven McEnery.
Subs used Emmet White, Mike Twomey, Dan McMahon
U/12 Division 2
NCW Rovers (1) 3
Athea Utd (4) 9 Shane Dalton (4), John Sexton (2), Micah O’Connell (2), Jason Dillon
Team: Cathal O’Brien, David O’Connor, Michael Dalton, Joseph Dalton, David O’Sullivan, Micah O’Connell, Shane Dalton, Seamus Leahy, Andy Ahern, Jason Dillon O’Connell, John Sexton. Subs Jack O’Connor, Ryan O’Connell
Referee: Pat O’Donnell.
FIXTURES
Saturday, February 11th
U/10s home to Bally Rovers at 12.30pm
U/14s home to Broadford Utd at 11.30am
Sunday, February 5th
Junior As away to Old Mill in Desmond Cup at 11.30am
Junior Bs away to Ferry Rangers in Desmond Cup at 2pm.
ATHEA UTD TRAINING TIMES
U/10s on Wednesdays 6 to 7pm
U/12s on Thursdays 6 to 7pm
U/14s on Monday 6 to 7pm.
U/16s on Thursdays 7pm to 8.30pm.
Youths on Mondays and Wednesdays 7 to 8.30pm.
Junior As & Bs on Tuesdays at 8pm.
Junior As & Bs on Fridays 7 to 10pm.
SYMPATHY
The club extends its deepest sympathy to Gretta Enright and family, Gortnagross, Athea on the recent death of her husband Patie. May The Light Of Heaven Be Eternally His.
LOTTERY RESULTS FEBRUARY 6th
The results of our lottery draw for Monday, February 6th at JP’s are as follows –
Jackpot was €5500. Numbers drawn were 15, 16, 21, 24.
There was no jackpot winner.
Lucky Dips to
Betty Cotter, Top of the Town.
Anna Flaherty, Blaine.
Brodie O’Connor, Ardagh.
Anne Flaherty, Dromerisk.
Tom Quinn, The Gables.
Sellers Agatha & Ita McMahon
New Jackpot will be €5600 on Monday, February 13th at Batt’s Bar.
GET WELL
Athea Utd wishes Sean Fitzgerald (Batt’s Bar) get well wishes and we hope to see him back behind the counter very, very soon.
Athea Coiste ne nÓg
A.G.M:
We had a good turn out for our A.G. M. this year. Our chairman Paul
Curry welcomed everyone to the Clubhouse. Our secretary John Hunt gave a report of the year gone by. John also thanked all the coaches and fellow officers for their commitment through out the year and also thanked anyone who helped out in anyway. Treasurer Majella Dalton gave a detailed account of the finances. The following officers were elected for 2012:
Chairman: Paul Curry, Secretary: John Hunt, Treasurer: Majella Dalton.
We are now looking forward to another successful and sporting 2012.
Hurling Training for U8’s & U10’s:
Hurling training will commence for U8’s and U10’s this Friday evening the 10th of February in the Hall from 7pm to 8pm. Anyone that has their own helmet please bring it, for those who do not have helmets they will be supplied along with special indoor Hurley’s. The cost will be €2 per child.
Calendars:
Coiste na nÓg calenders are still on sale at Rose’s shop, Paul Collins
shop and from the coaches. The calendar contains pictures of teams
from U6 up to U16. They cost €5 each and would make a lovely presents for people at home or abroad.
Meeting:
There will be a Coiste na nÓg meeting on Wednesday night 15th of
February at 9pm in the Clubhouse. Anyone who is willing to help out this year especially with the U14’s please come along.
County:
Limerick Senior footballers got off to a great start in Division 4 of
the National football league away from home when they defeated Leitrim in Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada on a score line of 1-09 to 0-9.
Sympathy:
The Club wishes to extend its sincere sympathy to the Enright family
on the passing of Patie last week. May he rest in peace.