 continued.....
The next few seasons proved to be very
inconsistent for both teams. The senior side
were relegated in 1992/1993 but won the 1st
Division Championship in 1994/1995 under manager
Paddy O'Connor. Unfortunetly relegation followed
again after a poor season at the top level.
The Junior side continued to have good seasons
but always managed to just miss out on promotion.
However the club was about to make probably
the most significant move in its history in
1995 with the purchase of five acres of land
in the Ticknock area with a view to developing
a high quality playing pitch and dressing
room facilities. This was a very big undertaking
for the club but thanks to the local community
which supported our various fundraising efforts
over the years and the tremendous work done
by all our members from the start it was felt
the time was right to purchase our own land.
The next problem was to raise the finance
to develop the land. This development was
eventually begun in May 1997 by a combination
of club funds ,bank loans and also money secured
from the National Lottery.
Former player Donal Collins was the mainstay
behind the development work along with our
main contractor. He put in time and effort
beyond the call of duty and the magnificent
pitch we have today is due in no small part
to both his efforts and and the work of our
own club members.
Back
on the playing side the club made another
significant move with the appointment of George
Mellerick as Senior Team Manager in 1996.
It was hoped that a person with his great
experience at League of Ireland level could
help the club step up to another level and
this has certainly proved to be a correct
decision. He has attracted quality players
to the club, especially young local players,
and also ensured a professional attitude was
adopted in all aspects of the clubs work.
In
1996/1997 the senior side had a great run
in the Munster Senior Cup reaching the final
for the first time in the clubs history and
suffered an honourable 0-2 defeat to Cork
City at Turners Cross. The following season
the FAI Senior Cup was reached for only the
second time but Galway Utd proved to be too
strong and ran out 2-0 winners. After a couple
of near misses the 1st Division Championship
was won in 1998/1999.
1999/2000 proved to be a very unlucky year
as both the Beamish Cup and the O'Connell
Cup were lost at the final stage.However finishing
runners up to a very good Rockmount in our
first season back in the Premier Division
was a great testimony to the skill and hard
work of the players and manager alike. This
feat was repeated in 2000/2001 when a draw
on the final day against College Corinthians
instead of the necessary win again deprived
us of the title.
The
junior side having been overshadowed by the
seniors for so long had a magnificent season
in 2000/2001 winning the 1st Division Championship
under manager Jamie Cullimore. A feature of
the successful season was the breaking of
the club goalscoring record by Jason Cronin
with 30 goals ,a record previously held by
Joe Stack and Mick Lynch on 28 goals.
The success of both teams is being matched
off the field also.The playing surface of
our new pitch, Old Church Park,is among the
best in the league. Chairman John Barry has
been largely responsible for supervising the
work on the pitch and the dressing rooms where
work is almost complete coming towards the
end of 2001. The dressing room facilities
were again funded by bank loans ,club funds
and especially a National Lottery grant.
The
club is also very grateful for the FAS scheme
which we have had for the last couple of years
and the quality of their workers is reflected
in the great condition the new ground is now
in.
The club has progressed at great pace ,especially
in the last few years, and the facilities
in the new pitch and the professional attitude
of all the members is testimony to all the
hard work done by countless people since 1981.
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