‘CROSS EYE Official Matchday Programme of Cork City FORAS Co-op Premier Club Partner Official Family Partner Official Radio Partner Apparel Partner Matchday Partner Junior Members Partner Matchday Partner Matchday Partner v Mervue United FC €3 Friday 26 March 2010, 7.45 pm Premier Club Partner Turner’s Cross Issue 2 Off to a good start! By John O’Sullivan, Chairman of FORAS I’d like to extend a very fered to volunteer on match the entire parade route was warm welcome to Tom night and for other club exceptional, with the people French and his players, as duties. of Cork showing their appre - well as the officials and ciation and support through - supporters of Mervue A shining example of this is out, culminating in the United. It’s a pleasure to the tremendous effort to im - parade dignitaries on the host Mervue on their first prove our training facility in viewing stage joining in on league visit to Turner’s Bishopstown, not only for our the chanting and dancing. Cross, especially as they cel - senior team, but also for the ebrate their 50th anniver - Cork City FC underage teams The parade also saw us win sary this year. Over those who have also started to train our first trophy of the year as fifty years Mervue United and play matches at the we were named the “Best have built a community venue. A huge number of Sporting Group”, which is a club, which currently sees volunteers have put in a very wonderful recognition of the 600 members playing, significant amount of work to true club spirit that was evi - coaching and supporting get us to this stage. dent and shows what a group 26 teams across all age lev - of passionate volunteers can els. Everyone based out of I mention the work in Bishop - achieve when they put their Fahy’s Field can be rightly stown, which is hugely appre - minds to it. proud of their excellent ciated by Tommy, the players reputation within Irish and the board, as it could The passion of our supporters football on this landmark otherwise slip under the and their willingness to put year. radar. Most supporters don’t their shoulders to the wheel, get the opportunity to see on match night or in the St A similar sense of community what a great resource Mc - Patrick’s Day parade, allow is essential to our club as we Carthy Developments have us little victories to comple - find our feet in the Airtricity made available to us, contin - ment the efforts of our team First Division. We have been uing their support of football on the pitch. These little vic - fortunate in the numbers that in Cork City. tories are vital as we seek to have come out in support of bring back pride and respect the club already. Our open - What could not slip under the lost in recent years, not only ing attendance of 4,401 was radar was our recent partici - because it helps attract the highest in either division pation in the St Patrick’s Day crowds and sponsors, but be - on that Friday night, and parade; huge credit must go cause we want our commu - we’ve also brought a won - to John Kennedy and all in nity to be proud of its club. derful travelling support to the Family Enclosure for put - both Derry and Athlone. ting together such a vibrant, Being cheered along Patrick’s Equally important have been colourful and entertaining Street on St Patrick’s Day the numbers who have of - display. The response along shows us we’ve started well. ‘Cross Eye Team: Éanna Buckley, Gerry Desmond & Dave Galvin In the opposite corner John O'Shea looks at our visitors, Mervue United Brief History: away at Limerick, Waterford the start of October proved and Wexford. Mervue man - vital. They finished the season Mervue United AFC was aged to get a point at home with defeats against Long - formed in 1960 by a group of to Finn Harps and Sporting ford, UCD, Waterford and local residents for the youth of Fingal. Their historic first win Sporting Fingal. The final the area. The club has had a came in an impressive 3:0 game of the season saw big role in promoting juvenile success at Kildare County in Mervue draw away to Wex - and junior soccer in Galway. mid-April. This was followed ford. Mervue finished the Mervue has a very renowned by a 3:2 victory at home to season second from bottom, youth system, having won Longford Town. avoiding relegation straight many underage competitions back to the A Championship. since their formation, includ - The second series of games This campaign should see an ing two national titles. The looked like it was starting improvement for new man - club’s senior team was ac - well for the Galway side with ager Tom French's side; they cepted into the League in the a draw away to Athlone and have a year at this level inaugural season of the A a 1:0 win at Terryland over under their belts and should Championship along with Limerick. However, things look to progress on from last their Galway neighbours started to go downhill from season's finish. Salthill Devon in 2008. By fin - there for Mervue with the ishing third in their group, team losing eight games on Trivia: Mervue qualified for a pro - the spin, including a crushing motion/relegation play-off 7:0 defeat away to Shel - Mervue's home ground is with Kildare County. Having bourne and a 5:1 loss at home Fahy's Field, but they play won 5:3 on aggregate, the to Monaghan. There were their First Division games in Galway side were promoted also defeats against Finn Terryland Park, as their own to the First Division for the Harps, Kildare, UCD, Sporting ground does not meet 2009 season. Fingal and Waterford in that League requirements. horrific spell for the club. Things ended on a little bit of Mervue defender Damien Last Season: a high as the side drew 0:0 O’Rourke is an ex-player of with Wexford Youths. Cork City. Another former It took Mervue time to settle City player, Johnny Glynn is into their maiden season in The final series of games saw an ex-manager of the club. the First Division. Over the a slight improvement for opening series of games, Mervue. A win at home over Mervue United celebrate Mervue managed just eight Athlone set them up for the their 50th anniversary this points from eleven games. run-in, but this, unfortu - season. They were defeated by nately, was followed by de - Athlone in their first game, by feats to Limerick, Finn Harps, Shelboune at home, and also Shelboune and Monaghan. Their final win over Kildare at Captain Sensible By Niamh O’Mahony cap•tain Saturday – noun: a person who is at night’s per - the head of or in authority formance over others; chief; leader. against Athlone was When Cork City FORAS Co- an improve - op announced that Cillian ment on the Lordan would be the club’s Waterford captain for the 2010 season, game, but it there were few, if any, dis - will take senting voices. The 27-year- time.” old has ten years of experience in the League of Cillian has Ireland to his name and has trained and proved himself capable of played under covering several positions six different across the back and in mid - managers at field - in fact, rarely has the this stage but no. 14 shirt been more popu - at a time lar! when ensuring stability is the main aim for and the things we do would Speaking to ‘Cross Eye, ‘Killer’ the FORAS-run club, he says be similar to stuff that we said he was “surprised, but the appointment of Tommy would have done under Paul honoured” to take on the Dunne was an important de - Doolin. Paul was a great captain’s armband and is cision. coach, as is Tommy, and looking forward to getting we’re enjoying working with back playing football again “It’s no secret that the club him. He brings his own ap - after a couple of turbulent has missed stability in the last proach though and has a dif - months. few years between changing ferent personality to Paul. He managers, changing players deals with things differently, “It’s a real relief to just go to and changing people behind but he did work with Paul for training now and not have to the scenes. Tommy has a number of years so you can talk about what’s going on brought in some stability al - see the influences.” around the club - it’s back to ready, as he was here last football,” he admitted. “For a year. The players that were One particularly familiar face couple of weeks that’s been here last season know what’s for Cillian among recent sign - our focus but I think it will expected of us and what ings is that of his younger take another little bit (to get Tommy is all about but for brother. Having spent time things right) because pre-sea - the players coming in, it will with Ipswich Town, Cathal son was so interrupted. take time for him to get his signed for Cork City in 2006 ideas across and for it all to before going on to have spells “We’re getting there slowly come together. for Waterford and Blarney but surely - people have to United. And though his sibling remember that there are still “He is his own man in his own is probably (just a little bit!) new faces arriving - and last right, but a lot of the training biased, he says City fans have cause he was more positive about life away in the team from the pitch.