Athea United Soccer
Reidy Cup 2nd Round (Sun, January 31st)
Athea Utd (0) 4 Kevin Murphy (2), Darren Murphy (2)
Rathkeale B (0) 0
After back to back wins in the league action switched to the cup on Sunday with Rathkeale B the visitors to The Vales in the second of the Reidy Cup. Conditions were testing for both sides with a very strong wind and while there was also plenty rain in the preceding the pitch held up very well.
We played with the elements in the opening half and we had a lot of possession and while Rathkeale didn’t have a lot of the ball, when they did they were able to use it but we were able to defend our goal well. As the half wore on chances began to come our way, Kevin Murphy, Gerard Ahern, Darren Murphy and Maurice Hayes all having decent opportunities. We also had a number of corner kicks in tat first half while the Rathkeale keeper also made a number of saves, but in saying this the majority of efforts were straight at him and at half time the tie remained scoreless.
We faced the wind in the second half and as is often the case this allowed us to play a more controlled game. Ten minutes into the second half we broke the deadlock when a low cross from the right by Hayes picked our the run of Kevin Murphy to fire low past the keeper for his ninth of the season. Two minutes later Murphy’s goal tally went into double figures when he got onto a through ball from Ahern and took the ball around the keeper before slotting the ball to the net. James Ryan again had a solid outing at right back but also was supporting the attack and time and again stretched the Rathkeale defence and just past the hour mark he linked up well with Hayes before crossing into the area where Darren Murphy was inches away from our third of the game. Rathkeale came very close to pulling one back on sixty nine minutes when a corner from their left was punched clear by Pa Ahern before being put back into the area once more where it broke for their striker but good defending saw Athea clear the danger. This led directly to our third goal as the clearance came to Hayes who took the ball forward before picking out Darren to place the ball into the bottom corner for his fourteenth goal of the season. With ten minutes left we were awarded a penalty after a great run into the box by Ryan saw the right back taken down and from the resultant spot kick Darren netted his second of the day. There was still time for Hayes to thunder a rocket off the crossbar after a purposeful run from midfield which deserved better.
Team: Pa Ahern, James Ryan, Mathew Tierney, Shane Mulvihill, Padraig Reidy, Steven McEnery, Gerard Collins, Gerard Ahern, Maurice Hayes, Darren Murphy, Kevin Murphy. Subs Jamie Collins, Joe Vaughan, Gary Carroll Referee: Donie O’Gorman.
FIXTURES
Saturday, February 6th
U14s away to Newcastle West in the cup at 11.30am.
U17s away to Newcastle West in the cup at 2.30pm.
Sunday, February 7th
Juniors home to Pallaskenry at 2.30pm.
TRAINING TIMES
U10s on Tuesdays 6.30pm to 7.30pm
U12s on Wednesdays 7pm to 8.15pm
U14s on Thursdays 7pm to 8.15pm
U16s on Tuesdays 7.30pm to 8.30pm.
Youths on Wednesdays 6.30pm to 8pm
Juniors on Wednesdays at 8.30pm and Fridays at 7pm
U8 TRAINING
Training for the U8s will be resuming shortly, all parents/players will be notified of the recommencement date.
LAST MAN STANDING
Our second competition of the season will be getting underway the weekend after next. We would like to have all cards returned by this Saturday, February 6th as all entries etc have to be typed up. Mike Hayes is sponsoring this Last Man Standing competition and the club thanks him for this. Prize money is €300 while the club are giving €50 to the winning seller.
ATHEA UTD LOTTERY RESULTS FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd
The results of our weekly lottery draw for February 1st at The Top of the Town are as follows –
Jackpot was €22,600. Numbers drawn 13, 14, 16, 24.
No Jackpot Winner.
Lucky dips to the following – TJ Mulvihill, Upper Athea. Martina O’Connor, Ballyduff. Elizabeth & Helen O’Sullivan, Athea. Damian O’Dwyer, Ardagh. Eileen & Rita Hannon, Listowel.
Sellers Mike Buckley & Brouders Shop
New Jackpot €22,700 at Donie’s on Monday, February 8th.
Athea GAA
West Board All-Star Award:
The Club would like to congratulate Shane Mulvihill who was selected as West Intermediate Football All Star for 2015. Shane was one of our most prominent members last year and his free taking abilities were top class. Shane will be presented with his award on February 20 in The Rathkeale House Hotel. Well done Shane. Anyone who would like to be there on the night tickets are available from Jacqueline.
Croke Park Draw:
Athea are selling tickets for the National Club Draw for 2016. First prize is a new Opel Corsa car, 2nd prize a Trip with the 2016 All-Stars, while 3rd prize is a travel voucher for €1500. There are many more excellent prizes to be won. Tickets are €10 each and are available from Committee members. All support would be greatly appreciated as all monies raised from the sale of these tickets will go directly against the cost of our pitch development. Please contact Mairead Donovan or Jacqueline O’Connor or any of our committee members for more details.
GAA Scholarships For The Gaeltacht:
A limited number of Scholarships are available for anyone wishing to attend an Irish college this summer. All applicants must be club members; either playing our games or involved in Scór. The scholarships are for secondary school pupils only; they apply only to residential colleges under Comharchumann Chorca Dhuibhne (West Kerry); Coláiste Béal Atha an Ghaorthaigh (West Cork) or Coláiste na Roinne (Port Láirge). Approximately one third of the cost is covered, so if anyone is interested please contact Jacqueline on 086-0670091 as a form needs to be filled out and submitted to the West Board by the end of this month.
Intermediate Football Championship Draw 2016:
There are two groups of six teams who will contest the Championship.
Group 1: Cappamore, Glin, Claughaun, Mungret, Bruff & Galbally
Group 2: St. Senans, Athea, Cappagh, Adare, Mountcollins & Castlemahon.
Round 1: Athea v St. Senans,
Round 2: Athea v Cappagh,
Round 3: Athea v Castlemahon,
Round 4: Athea v Mountcollins,
Round 5: Athea v Adare.
Athea Coiste na nÓg:
Coaching:
If there is anyone who would like to get involved in any way with any of our underage teams, especially with our U6s & U8s in 2016 please contact Jacqueline O’ Connor on 086-0670091. We have a great club and we would love for parents to join our fantastic team of coaches for the coming year.
Calendar:
Our 2016 Calendar is on sale now at Roses shop and Collins shop at a cost of €10. It has loads and loads of pictures from the year gone by in Coiste na nÓg. These would make a lovely present for people both home and abroad.