PEAMOUNT UTD 2 SLIGO ROVERS 0

BY CONALL COLLIER

Defending Women’s Premier Division (WPD) champions Peamount Utd worked hard for a crucial 2-0 victory against Sligo Rovers, with late goals in each half at PRL Park on Saturday.

The form book suggested that the hosts would win, but the Dublin women had to wait until the 83rd minute for that vital second goal, which gave them some breathing space in a contest they dictated for the most part.

Goals from Freya Healy in the 40th minute and Ellen Dolan seven minutes from time helped Peamount maintain fourth place in the table, some seven points adrift of leaders Athlone Town as the race for the title hit the midway point of the season.

There is perhaps some irony in the fact that the former Athlone Town boss Tommy Hewitt, the man who molded the Westmeath club into shape during a lengthy tenure until midway through last season, is now tasked with a similar challenge for Sligo Rovers.

The Bit O’Red entered and exited this encounter without a WPD win this season, but there was no evidence of any lack of self-belief among the players throughout a battling 90 minutes as the determination and character that are hallmarks of the side were clearly visible.

However, what was really evident was the contrast between the teams in terms of physicality and experience.

Peamount are the current WPD champions and will be heading for a European joust at Champions League qualification shortly, while the Sligo Rovers players are at the foothills of a League of Ireland journey that is focused on developing local talent.

On Saturday, Peamount had a decent chance in the 15th minute when a Dolan strike was well saved by the impressive Amber Hardy, who had an excellent outing and produced a string of spectacular stops.

At the other end, there was a warning for the hosts some four minutes later when the Bit O’Red produced a flowing move down the right that created an opening for Emma Doherty. Her effort shaved the outside of the post to the relief of Peamount custodian Niamh Reid-Burke.

As the scoreboard remained blank, Hardy then produced the save of the match in the 30th minute.

The Bit O’Red netminder deflected Karen Duggan’s goal-bound effort out for a corner with assistance from the woodwork, but there was nothing she could do when Healy finished low to the net soon after to give the hosts a merited 1-0 interval lead.

The pattern of the game was similar after the resumption, but Sligo Rovers coped better with the Peamount pressure and had big performances from teenage defender Keeva Flynn, who was ably assisted by Kelsey Munroe, Kelly Crompton, and Muireann Devaney in what was an overall hard-working team display.

The second Peamount goal came near the end when Dolan powered a header to the net following a good move down the right that produced a superb Becky Watkins cross.

That made the game safe for the James O’Callaghan-managed side, who will have another home game next weekend against Cork City, while Sligo Rovers will be the odd side out in the 11-team WPD with an idle Saturday.

Peamount Utd – Niamh Reid-Burke; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Chloe Moloney, Jetta Berrill, Rebecca Watkins, Erin McLaughlin, Freya Healy, Ellen Dolan, Karen Duggan, Dearbhaille Beirne, Ciara Maher.
Sub – Louise Masterson for McLaughlin 85 mins.

Sligo Rovers – Amber Hardy; Sarah Kiernan, Kelsey Munroe, Keeva Flynn, Eimear Lafferty, Kelly Crompton, Muireann Devaney, Zoe McGlynn, Keri Loughrey, Emma Doherty, Cara King.
Subs – Anna McDaniel for King and Leah Kelly for Munroe both 75 mins, Rebecca McGoldrick for McGlynn 80 mins, Katie Melly for Loughrey and Lauren Devaney for Kiernan both 88 mins.

Referee – Niall McLoughlin.

Assistant referees – Rob Clarke, Wayne McDonnell.

Like everybody else in Sligo and beyond, I’ve been trying to make sense of the shocking sadness of the loss of the great Tommie Gorman.

I feel the loss on a deeply personal level, and I’m well aware I’m not alone in that sentiment.

I’ve known Tommie all my life. We started school on the same day in Scoil Fatima on Pearse Road. He was a little rascal, full of devilment, a star in the school plays and later in Bro. Einard’s famous choir in St. John’s School on Temple Street. Indeed, I would say the first time Tommie Gorman ever appeared on RTE RADIO was as a young member of that choir, performing to the nation, as he was destined to do throughout his life.

Of course, he has become synonymous with Sligo Rovers. He inherited the love of the club from his later father, Joe, who in his own way was a Trojan worker behind the scenes for Rovers back in the 1950s and 60s. Tommie was a supporter like the rest of us, but as his work as a journalist flourished and allowed him access to top level contacts, he used that profile to elevate the club’s ambitions to new heights. The very mention of his name could open doors that would otherwise remain firmly locked; his reputation for integrity and up-front honesty afforded him audiences which would normally be far out of reach for a provincial League of Ireland club. He used all of that clout and influence, not to enhance in any way his own ego, but to ensure Rovers would never be too far from the top of any agenda. This has been particularly true in recent years as the club seeks to implement its ambitious plan for a new stadium. Others with more profound knowledge of this scenario will share their insights over the next short while.

Tommie’s first by-line as a journalist appeared in the Sligo Champion, under match reports on Rovers’ games in Dublin. He was studying journalism at Rathmines College at the time, and needed to build up a portfolio of work. We were delighted to oblige this rising young star. As was to become normal for Tommie, everything he touched turned to gold, as it was in that first season of his coverage for the Champion that Rovers went on to win the League title for the first time in 40 years.

He also famously covered Rovers’ first excursion into European football. By then, he was working for the Western Journal. (I later joined him there to help launch THE SLIGO JOURNAL). It would have been unthinkable even for a national newspaper, never mind a fledgling regional paper, to send a reporter to Eastern Europe to cover a game. But Tommy was resilient and enterprising even then – he pounded the streets of the town and county selling advertisements for the paper which would cover the cost of the trip. I still vividly recall the two-page spread he produced on return, including the famous description of Fago sitting on the ball in the centre circle of the vast arena in Belgrade, happily waving to the bemused fans of Red Star Belgrade. He also brought his own camera, capturing a catalogue of iconic pictures from one of the most historic nights in the club’s history. At the time, it would have been frowned upon by trade unions for a reporter to double as a photographer, but Tommie never let silly rules get in the way of a good story. I imagine it wasn’t the last time he would bend a few rules in order to bring home the yarn.

Another early Rovers memory of Tommie is that he used to travel to away games on the team bus, which would have been unheard of at that time. Players would tell me how great it was that on the way home, when they stopped in for some refreshments, Tommie would produce a cheque book and cover the costs. No wonder they loved him!

He would later join the management committee, working on the nuts and bolts beneath the bonnet to help keep the club ticking over. In more recent years, his work was more behind-the -scenes, but no less important. His lasting legacy will be the new stadium, to which he devoted practically all of his time after his retirement from RTE.

I just want to share a few personal stories about the decency and dignity which shaped Tommie’s life. The great journalist is being, and will be, rightly lauded over the coming days, weeks and months. But here’s a few snippets of the boy and man that I knew.

Just a few examples:

Tommie always loved a scoop. I was present for what I’m fairly certain was his first ‘exclusive’. We were working with THE SLIGO JOURNAL at the time, early 1980s. The English tabloids were full of a story about a man who had absconded from his Birmingham home with his young daughter. There was a full- scale manhunt in operation. However, the combined might of Scotland Yard and the British Tabloid press could not find the fugitives. But Gorman did.

He tracked them down to a battered old caravan in Strandhill, and he brought me along to meet them and help with the interview. Neither of us were old enough to drive, so our chauffer was Tommie’s dad, Joe.

For us young bucks, there was the thrill of the story, the scent of a genuine scoop. But Joe Gorman could only see the plight of this frightened young girl living in a tawdry caravan, far from home in a strange land, being battered by howling wind and rain in the dead of a Strandhill night.

He marched the fugitive and the young child across to the Baymount Hotel, banged a fistful of pound notes on the reception desk and demanded that this man and child be given a warm room for the night and a hearty breakfast in the morning.

“Ye can have your headlines”, he admonished us. “But I’ll do right by the child”

Many times over the years, whenever I heard stories of Tommie’s selfless good deeds, my mind raced back to that night in Strandhill, and the example set by his father. The apple didn’t fall far.

By the time Sligo Rovers won the League of Ireland title in 2012, I’d be writing about the club for more than 40 years. But I wasn’t in the Showgrounds on that momentous October day when they clinched their first championship since 1977. Instead, I watched the game on television from home, having just been discharged from hospital during a difficult period of cancer treatment.

Naturally, I became quite emotional when Rovers scored the winner late in the game, and watched the wild celebrations, wishing I could be there. Within minutes, my phone pinged. It was Tommie: “This one’s for you, Jim”. In all the euphoria and excitement erupting in the Showgrounds, Tommie found the time to include me in the celebration, to make sure I wouldn’t be forgotten. Just so typical of the man. He’ll never know just how much that mean to me at that difficult period of my life.

His personal letters are stuff of legend. Whether it was a birth or a bereavement, the hand-written note would arrive, perfectly pitched, dripping with empathy, friendship and love.

On radio the other day, when the sad news first filtered through, I heard John Downing, the former Brussels corr with the Irish Independent telling how, after his first meeting with Tommie, he had made a note in his diary: “Mad, or what!” And I thought, thank God, I wasn’t the only one. Because being around Tommie could be mad at times. He was so unconventional. The sharp political analyst, making light of the most complicated developments of the day, was a million miles from the man who would stop you in a busy street, grab you around the neck, and plant a massive smacker of a kiss on your lips; or the fiercely competitive beach footballer who would contest every ball or throw-in as if playing in a Champions League final; or the guy who, after we’d manage to talk a few girls from St. Angela’s College into letting us take them home, would drive them instead to the Holy Well in the dead of night to say a few prayers!

On the morning after his wonderful wedding and marriage to the love of his life, Ceara, when most new grooms would be nursing a hang-over or spending blissful hours in the company of his new bride, Tommie demanded that we all meet for a game of ball on Rosses Point beach. Some start to the honeymoon!

When my twin brother, Leo and I, wrote our book, Local Heroes: A Celebration of Sligo Sport, in 2022 we invited Tommie to write the foreword. Despite being in the middle of writing and promoting his own memoir, he immediately fulfilled our dearest wish, penning the most personal and beautiful introduction to our book. It was probably the best thing in it!

These are just a few random thoughts, an attempt at a coherent tribute to a man we all loved. Tommie, as is widely known, loved Sligo. These next few days will demonstrate just how strongly and genuinely that love is reciprocated. We will never see his likes again. How lucky we are to have shared this landscape with him, and how sorely we will miss him. Rest easy, Scoop.

The 500 Club members draw for January, February and March was made recently by the 500 Club Committee.

These monthly draws see ten members drawn each month for cash prizes, with the top prize being €500.

The 500 Club continues to be one of the club’s most important Fundraisers and we wish to thank all members, and the 500 Club committee for their continued hard work.

April 2024

• €500 Joe Doherty – Maugheraboy, Co. Sligo
• €100 Gary Loughlin – Oranmore , Co. Galway
• €100 Seamus Cummins – Oakfield, Sligo
• €100 Tom Hargadon – Woodtown Lodge, Co. Sligo
• €100 Kieran O’Dowd – Gurteen, Co. Sligo
• €100 Matt Lyons – Stephen St, Co. Sligo
• €100 Sean Devins – Churchill, Co. Sligo
• €100 Amanda Kelly – Cartron Village, Sligo
• €100 Oisin Moran – Christchurch, Dublin 8
• €100 Charles Harrison – Skreen, Co. Sligo

May 2024

• €500 Justin Clarke – Orlando, USA
• €100 Neil McGowan – Circular Rd, Co. Sligo
• €100 Paul McGarry – Ballygawley, Co. Sligo
• €100 Mary Harrison – Skreen, Co. Sligo
• €100 Pat Dolan – Strandhill Rd, Co. Sligo
• €100 Gerry Murray – Maugheraboy, Co. Sligo
• €100 Mary Harte – Cartron point, Co. Sligo
• €100 John O’ Reilly – Dromahaire, Co. Sligo
• €100 Paul Higgins – Strandhill, Co. Sligo
• €100 Andrew Dodd Jr – Calry, Co. Sligo

June 2024

• €500 Rodger McDermott – Enfield, England
• €100 Lorna Fahey – Cairns Hill, Sligo
• €100 Conor Gillis – Bradford, England
• €100 John Horan – Trio Foods, Ballinode, Sligo
• €100 Adrian Keavney – Cleveragh Ind Est, Sligo
• €100 Sean Feehily – kevinsfort, Sligo
• €100 Colm Foley – Goatstown, Dublin 14
• €100 Michael J Cawley – Castletown, Co. Waterford
• €100 Kieran Bruen– Grange, Co. Sligo 
• €100 Bryan Henry – Castlegarron, Sligo

· Sligo biopharmaceutical company becomes ‘Diamond Partner’ in new multi-year agreement

· New sporting partnership part of the biopharmaceutical company’s support of local communities and sports organisations

· ‘AbbVie Academy’ will assist emerging young male and female talent in the region

· New collaboration launched at a special event in the Showgrounds

June 2024: Sligo Rovers and local biopharmaceutical company, AbbVie, have announced a new multi-year sporting partnership. A key aspect of the new collaboration is the establishment of the ‘AbbVie Academy’ which will support the development of youth soccer in the northwest region. The new agreement also sees the company become match shirt sponsor of the U20 boys and U19 girls academy teams.

This company’s collaboration with the supporter-owned Sligo League of Ireland club reflects AbbVie’s support of local communities and sports organisations. The project will help the club raise identify and develop emerging talent in the region. AbbVie is also the main sponsor of Sligo GAA and LGFA senior football teams.

The company has two plants in Sligo, one in Ballytivnan and the other on the Manorhamilton Road, employing more than 500 people in total. Many of the company’s Sligo employees are keen supporters of the club and already involved in grassroots activities and the development of the game.

Commenting on the new agreement, Georges El Damaa, Site Director at AbbVie Manorhamilton Road, Sligo said: “We are pleased to officially announce the launch of our partnership with Sligo Rovers. We take pride in supporting an organisation that aligns with our dedication to the community and our emphasis on inclusivity. Together, we will empower young people to achieve their full potential.”

Michael Gallagher, Site Director at AbbVie Ballytivnan, Sligo welcomed the new partnership and said: “We are excited to work alongside Sligo Rovers in identifying and nurturing emerging talent. We look forward to a successful and impactful partnership that will benefit individuals, the wider local community and the sport in general.”

Andy Feakins, CEO of Sligo Rovers, said: “Sligo Rovers FC are excited to have AbbVie as one of our Diamond Partners. With this partnership, the company are supporting ‘The AbbVie Academy’ at The Showgrounds. The Academy is where identified young male and female talent, from 14 to 20, hone their skills under the tutelage of experienced coaches. The ’AbbVie Academy’ will also be utilised by the wider football community. We will offer sporting programmes, education, training and fun to a wide variety of children and adults via our newly launched Community Initiative, overseen by our Football Social Responsibility Officer.

“As a community club partnering with this highly reputable global brand, we will jointly support development of youth and adults across a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds for the betterment of individuals and the region.”

SLIGO ROVERS 1, SHAMROCK ROVERS 4

BY CONALL COLLIER

Sligo Rovers continue to seek their first Women’s Premier Division (WPD) win of the season following Saturday night’s reversal against Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds.

This was a contest that produced a contrasting performance in each half from the Bit O’Red, with a positive opening 45 minutes as Tommy Hewitt’s side hit the front midway through the half but conceded an equaliser in added time.

After the resumption, the Dublin women generally dictated and managed two well-taken goals that were sandwiched between their own goals, and that was sufficient to seal the victory.

The Sligo Rovers manager made a couple of changes from the previous week’s game against the DLR Waves, as Alice Lillie and Kelly Crompton came into the starting lineup with Katie Melly and Kelsey Monroe omitted.

The opening exchanges were played at a frantic pace with chances at each end, but the hosts required a couple of smart saves from Amber Hardy after 14 and 18 minutes to deny Aine O’Gorman and Stephanie Zambra.

However, the Dublin side conceded midway through the opening half when Sarah Kiernan climbed highest in the penalty area to direct a header past Summer Lawless.

Soon after, Jodie Loughrey won possession about 25 yards out and unleashed a fine effort that went narrowly over.

The Dublin women upped the tempo and pushed for an equaliser that eventually arrived in the second minute of added time when Joy Ralph powered a Stephanien Zambra cross to the net to leave it 1-1 at the interval.

The Dublin women maintained a high tempo after the resumption and forged ahead for 52 minutes through Aine O’Gorman. Further pressure yielded a third goal when a cross from the left took a deflection off of Sarah Kiernan for a 3-1 advantage.

The Bit O’Red once again lacked nothing in terms of effort but never looked like clawing back the deficit despite the efforts of Emma Doherty, Jodie, Keri Loughrey, and Muireann Devaney.

The fourth goal duly materialised in the 82nd minute when Joy Ralph added to her tally, and it took a superb save from Amber Hardy ahead of the final whistle to deny Aine O’Goirman her second goal of the game.

Sligo Rovers: Amber Hardy, Sarah Kiernan, Leah Kelly, Keeva Flynn, Alice Lillie, Eimear Lafferty, Kelly Crompton, Muireann Devaney, Keri Loughrey, Emma Doherty, and Jodie Loughrey. 

Subs: Paula McGrory for Kelly and Cara King for Crompton, both 60 minutes, and Anna McDaniel for Lafferty, 68 minutes.

Shamrock Rovers: Summer Lawless; Jessica Hennessy, Maria Reynolds, Aoife Kelly, Stephanie Zambra, Lia O’Leary, Aine O’Gorman, Joy Ralph, Scarlett Herron, Melissa O’Kane, and Katie O’Reilly. 

Subs: Shauna Fox for O’Reilly and Ella Kelly for Hennessy, both 75 minutes; Alannah Prizeman for O’Kane and Fiona Owens for O’Leary, both 86 minutes; Lauren Kelly for Ralph, 87 minutes.

Referee: Paudie Hayes.

A new exhibit has been unveiled at the Showgrounds outdoor museum depicting the lifetime of service to the Club by the late Aidan Mannion. The ceremony was held on Bank Holiday Monday and was attended by Aidan’s wife Dympna and members of her family, Mayor Councillor Declan Bree officiated at the unveiling. Rovers Chairman Tommy Higgins made a special presentation to the Mannion family pitch-side at half time as a token of the Club’s appreciation.

In his address the Mayor said ‘Sligo Rovers has a special place in our community, and Aidan Mannion certainly had a special place in Sligo Rovers. He served Sligo Rovers in many capacities: member of the management committee, dedicated volunteer, and at the time of his untimeIy passing, he was Chair of Rovers Heritage Group and treasurer of the Showgrounds Board of Trustees.

Inspirational

Aidan had an unrivalled knowledge of the Club’s history, and an

infectious optimism for the club’s future. He was an inspirational character who earned the loyalty and trust of his wide circle of friends. It is fitting that the Heritage Group he Chaired are preserving and treasuring Aidan’s memory by erecting an exhibit in his honour in the Showgrounds Museum. While Aidan was mostly known for his loyalty to Sligo Rovers, this was only one facet of a full and fascinating life. He had a lifelong passion for local history and heritage, and for many years was a

valued member of Sligo Field Club.

Celebration

His passing was a great loss to his colleagues in Sligo

Rovers, but first and foremost our thoughts are with his wife

Dympna and family. While this ceremony is tinged with sadness, it is very much a celebration of a life of dedicated service to club and community.’

Legacy

The Mayor concluded his address by emphasising the importance of maintaining Aidan’s legacy: ‘The exhibit we unveil today will be visited and studied many times over the years to come, and I have no doubt that Aidan’s legacy will continue to energise and inspire future generations of Sligo Rovers supporters.’

Sligo Rovers Chairman Tommy Higgins recounted the many ways in which Aidan had helped the Club over the years. He said Aidan’s welcoming smile when he took up his favourite spot in the Showgrounds was a match night experience that would live long in the memory.

Generosity

Aidan’s wife Dympna confirmed that his passion for Rovers knew no bounds, but recalled examples of his kindness and generosity to people outside football who needed a helping hand. She also relayed stories of his trips to see the Irish soccer team play in two World Cup tournaments.

Aidan’s son Ross said his father’s love of history, heritage and community combined in his commitment to Sligo Rovers and the Showgrounds, and thanked the many people who had turned up to honour Aidan’s memory on this special day for the Mannion family.

Sligo Rovers Heritage Group

MATCH REPORT – WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION

SLIGO ROVERS 0, ATHLONE TOWN 2

BY CONALL COLLIER

Goals in each half from former player Casey Howe gave Athlone Town the Women’s Premier Division points with a 2-0 victory over hosts Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds on Saturday night.

There was a boost for Bit O’Red manager Tommy Hewitt with the return from injury of Jodie Loughrey who made her first start since she limped out of the action against Wexford at the beginning of May.

Goalkeeper Amber Hardy also returned to the starting 11 along with Kelly Crompton as that trio replaced Bonnie McKiernan, Kate Nugent and Lauren Devaney from last Sunday’s All-Island Cup game.

There was also the return of Leah Kelly from injury when she was introduced in the 78^th minute and her presence will be a major factor over the next few weeks as the Bit O’Red continue to search for a first victory of the season.

Athlone came into the game with four wins and a draw to their credit and were unbeaten since losing on the opening day of the season against Galway Utd.

Contrast that to the form of Sligo Rovers who had three three scoreless draws in the credit column and defeats by Galway, Wexford and Cork City.

The Athlone women hit the front in the eighth minute when Casey Howe finished a Roisin Molloy cross to the net and soon after Kate Slevin went close, but was denied by Amber Hardy.

Sligo Rovers began to get a grip on the game at that stage and there was a real moment of controversy on 30 minutes.

Keri Loughrey raced towards the Athlone penalty area and got a touch on the ball ahead of a Katie Keane lunge that impeded the home player, but the chance of a goal was gone.

The referee took no action and Athlone cleared the danger amidst a series of protests from the Bit O’Red players.

The exchanges after the resumption were well contested, but Athlone added a crucial second goal on 65 minutes when Casey Howe once again displayed her ability with a fine piece of finishing.

That gave Athlone the momentum to dictate for the remainder although they were pushed all the way by a determined Sligo Rovers side that had a couple of chances.

However, Jesi Lynne Rossman was a key figure in the central defence for Athlone and broke up a number of promising attacks by the hosts.

Sligo Rovers – Amber Hardy; Sarah Kiernan, Eimear Lafferty, Kelsey Monroe, Keeva Flynn, Kelly Crompton, Muireann Devaney, Katie Melly, Keri Loughrey, Alice Lillie, Jodie Loughrey. 

Subs – Jessica Casey for Melly 65 mins, Ciara Henry for Lafferty and Kate Nugent for J Loughrey both 72m, Leah Kelly for Lillie 78m.

Athlone Town – Katie Keane; Kelly Brennan, Kayleigh Shine, Shauna Brennan, Jesi Lynne Rossman, Laurie Ryan, Kate Slevin, Chloe Singleton, Casey Howe, Roisin Molloy, Madison Gibson. 

Subs – KerryAnne Browne for Molloy 65 mins, Ciara O’Neill for Slevin and Isabel Ryan for Howe both 88m.

Referee – Alan Patchell.

Assistant-referees – Paudie Hayes, Thomas Joyce.

Fourth Official – Emmett Dynan.

BY JIM GRAY

A recent report on the FAI’s Academy system made for grim reading. The country has 24 soccer academies but only ten full-time staff to govern them. In Portugal, by comparison, there are only seven academies but 315 full-time academy staff. No wonder the number of young Irish players coming through at major professional clubs has been in sharp decline over recent years. Only sustained government and FAI funding can help remedy what has become a genuine crisis, but given the continuing disarray of the football administration here, such investment is unlikely to materialise anytime soon.

Sligo Rovers is one of the ten clubs with a full-time academy director, and despite the obvious flaws in an underfunded system, Conor O’Grady remains optimistic, though not blind to the reality of the situation.

“The lack of funding and facilities is scary,” he agrees. “Major investment is required if we’re realistic about the development of young players.

“In our case, almost all of our academy coaches are volunteers. They give up two nights a week for training and possibly a full day for a game at weekends. How long can that continue? How much more can we demand from coaches who are doing the best they can for no pay? And it’s much the same at all League of Ireland clubs.

“Our underage teams train twice a week because it would be grossly unfair to demand more from our coaches. But the reality is that some teams in the local youth leagues get more coaching. That can’t be sustained in the long-term.

“But we get on with it. We have six academy teams and standards are improving all the time. We’ve produced numerous players for both the men’s and women’s first teams and for other teams around the country. Imagine what we could do with proper investment.”

Notwithstanding the limited resources, under O’Grady’s leadership, the academy coaches have done a terrific job in fostering and nurturing young

talent. The evidence is visible in the number of academy graduates who have flourished at senior level ever since the club’s first under-19 team, under the guidance of Ciaran Kelly and Gavin Dykes, produced gems such as Regan Donelon, Gary Boylan and Scott Lynch. The initial under-17 team unearthed the likes of John Mahon, Ed McGinty, Jack Keaney, Liam Kerrigan, Niall Morahan and Luke McNicholas. Later still, O’Grady was in charge of an under-15 team which nurtured an exciting crop of A-listers such as Kailin Barlow, Killian Heaney and Johnny Kenny.

Add in the likes of Sean McAteer, Owen Elding, Daire Patton, Conor Reynolds and Kyle McDonagh, currently on the fringes of the first team, and you get a flavour of the ongoing success. Mikey Place (Ballymena), Peter Maguire (Ballinamallard), Paul Doyle (Dundalk), Ruari Keating (St. Pats), Niall Holahan and Eanna Clancy (UCD), Jack Keaney (Drogheda), Mark Byrne (Treaty United), Darragh McCarthy (Kerry F.C) and Conor Walsh (Finn Harps) are illustrations of how other clubs are benefiting from Rovers’ development work.

The women’s academy teams, under-17s and under-19s, have been equally productive. Graduates currently in the club’s senior women’s squad include Sarah Kiernan, Kate Nugent, Ciara Henry, Kelsey Munroe, Muireann Devaney, Kerri O’Hara, Cara King, Keeva Flynn and Alice Lillie.

Girls who’ve gone on to play for other senior clubs include Roisin Molloy, currently starring for Athlone Town; Abegayle Ronanye, formerly of Galway United; and the former Peamount player, Kate O’Dowd.

For Conor O’Grady, being head of the Rovers’ Academy is more than a job; it’s a vocation of near religious fervour. The club has been part of his life since boyhood, when he’d hop over the fence of his grandmother’s Tracey Avenue home to watch his heroes. But his qualifications for the job run much deeper than mere sentiment. He’s played more than 250 senior games for the club. He’s a League Cup and FAI Cup winner, whose knowledge of the game was further developed during spells at Cork City, Derry City, Finn Harps and Ballinamallard.

O’Grady is quick to acknowledge the work done by local youth clubs in developing young players before they reach the Showgrounds squads.

“The local clubs do a terrific job. One of the first things I did when I got the Academy job was to meet with the Sligo/Leitrim Youth Committee, and the co-operation from day one has been fantastic. That’s not always the case in other counties, where there are sometimes complaints if the senior clubs recruit

young players. Here, it’s seen as an honour if a young girl or boy joins Rovers, and that’s how it should be. We’re giving talented young players something to aim for—the chance to play in the League of Ireland national leagues. It couldn’t happen without the co-operation of the local clubs. They’re a vital cog in the development wheel,” he asserts.

At the other end of the spectrum, when those raw young recruits have developed to the stage where first-team football becomes a possibility, it’s O’Grady’s job to advocate for his charges.

“My job here is to get as many players as possible into the first team. It’s as simple as that. I’m their advocate. I’ll be the one knocking on John Russell’s or Tommy Hewitt’s door, and in fairness, in recent years there has been a great willingness from the senior managers to give young boys and girls a chance. We’ve reached the stage where we can promise players that if they’re good enough and work hard enough, then their chance will come. There’s plenty of evidence in the current senior squads and in previous years to suggest we keep to that promise,” he says.

He candidly admits that the development of young players to a point where they can attract the attention of bigger clubs is also a target of the academy, and he believes the opportunities for talented youngsters have never been better.

“The club invests heavily in the academy, so it makes sense to bring in revenue if the chance of a transfer of a young player presents itself,” he maintains. “We have a good reputation here, so scouts are always watching. The exposure young players get has never been greater. Technology, the internet, and online streaming all increase access for scouts. In the old days, scouts were based mainly in Dublin, but now that all of the bigger clubs have access to all our games, they don’t need to be physically present. And, because of Brexit, the big European clubs are now beginning to look towards Ireland. In that sense, young players are in the shop window like never before, and we would never stand in the way of any young player who gets an opportunity to further his or her career.”

In keeping with the club’s stated objective to be a regional club for the North West and beyond, the Academy stretches its net far and wide in search of the best emerging talent. Currently, in the six academy teams, there are players from Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, and Fermanagh, as well as Sligo.

“I think the club has long ceased to be just a parochial football team. We have the facilities here, the ambition, great management on and off the pitch, six academy teams producing top players, and ambitious plans for the future. We are now a proper football club in every respect,” O’Grady maintains.

But none of that happens without massive behind-the-scenes work and commitment, the level of which even took O’Grady by surprise.

“I’ve been in football all my life, but until I started this job, I honestly never fully realised the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes. It’s been an eye-opener for me. I see firsthand the commitment of the coaches, who work all hours, day and night, the sacrifices parents make, and the loyalty and graft of the young players. It’s great to be in the Showgrounds when a young fella or a young girl gets a big ovation from the supporters, and that’s when it hits me how much work has gone into getting that young player to this stage.

“For me, its 24/7, relentless. But I love every minute of it. There’s a bit of Sligo Rovers in my blood, so, in that sense, it’s the dream job. I’m not saying we get everything right; it’s not perfect, but we strive to make it that way day in and day out. The payoff for all of us involved is to see the young kids come through, fulfilling their dreams. And, equally important for me, is that we maintain a good relationship with all the players who come through the academy and go on to do other things in life. There’s great satisfaction in that, too,” he explains.

AVENIR SPORTS CUP

SLIGO ROVERS 1, GLENTORAN WOMEN 5

MATCH REPORT BY CONALL COLLIER

Sligo Rovers completed their Avenir Sports All-Island Cup Group campaign with a disappointing defeat against Glentoran Women at the Showgrounds on Sunday evening.

Both teams were chasing a first win in the Group after defeats by already qualified Galway Utd and Athlone Town and it was Glentoran that proved too strong for the Bit O’Red and were well worth a merited victory.

The hosts were well in the game in the opening half and levelled close to the interval, but then conceded a lead goal to Glentoran in the 44^th minute to trail (1-2) at half-time.

It was all Glentoran in the second-half with the exception of chances for Muireann Devaney on 57 minutes and Keeva Flynn soon after.

The Bit O’Red featured three changes from the scoreless Women’s Premier Division draw against Bohemian FC seven days earlier with Alice Lillie, Kate Nugent and Lauren Devaney coming into the starting 11 for Zoe McGlynn, Amy Roddy and Cara King.

Glentoran dominated the opening exchanges and missed a gilt-edged opportunity as early as the fifth minute when Demi Vance was wide from inside the six-yard box.

However, Glentoran kept probing and passing the ball around confidently and were rewarded in the 18^th minute when Kerry Beattire finished at the far post after a Vance effort was blocked and bounced kindly for the visitors.

Sligo Rovers worked hard in an effort to get into the game and Katie Melly went close in the 35^th minute, but her effort was cleared for a corner.

The hosts continued to press and a quick break gave Sarah Kiernan some space and her flick was finished to the net by Muireann Devaney who won a race for possession with Glentoran netminder Ashleigh McKinnion in the 42^nd minute.

Parity didn’t last too long and defensive frailty paved the way for Glentoran to lead at the break when Kelly Bailey capitalised after a cross wasn’t cleared and that was sufficient for a 2-1 interval advantage.

Vance claimed her second goal on the hour with an opportunist finish and Glentoran continued to press and were rewarded with further goals from Chloe McCarron in the 76^th minute and Joely Andrews five minutes from full-time.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Sarah Kiernan, Kelsey Munroe, Keeva Flynn, Kate Nugent, Eimear Lafferty, Muireann Devaney, Katie Melly, Keri Loughrey, Alice Lillie, Lauren Devaney.

Subs – Ciara Henry for Nugent and Cara King for L Devaney both half-time; Leah Kelly for Loughrey and Rebecca Doddy for Melly both 65 mins, Amy Roddy for Munroe

Glentoran – Ashleigh McKinnon; Jessica Foy, Nadene Caldwell, Demi Vance, Emily Wilson, Aimee Neal, Joely Andrews, Kerry Beattie, Kelly Bailie, Jenna McKearney, Chloe McCarron. 

Subs – Rachel Rogan for Neal 64 mins, Sofie Keenan for McKearney, Aimee Kerr for Caldwell and Rachel McIntyre for Wilson all 74m Kascie Weir for Beattie 82m.

Referee – Ryan Maher

Assistant-referees – Wayne McDonnell, Darragh Keegan.

Fourth official – Richard Storey.