Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club

Chairperson Steps Down

2009-12-18T09:09:00.002Z

The Chairperson of Club, Michael Merrigan, has decided to step down at the end of the month. The following is a copy of the letter to the Company Secretary.

17. December 2009

Derek McAsey
Company Secretary
Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club Ltd.
121, Oliver Plunkett Road
Monkstown
Co. Dublin

c.c. Board of Directors.

Dear Derek,

I am writing to you as the Company Secretary of the Football Club to advise you of my decision to step down as Chairperson of the Board of Directors, and as a member thereof, with effect as and from Thursday December 31st 2009.

It is with sincere regret that I have made this decision, however, with an anticipated increase in the demand on my time in the New Year due to studies and research, I can no longer make even an adequate commitment to the administration of the Club and this would, in my opinion, fall very far short of what is required or expected of a Chairperson and a Director.

My decision to step down before the recommencement of the Season will permit the Club to elect a person with the time and dedication necessary to see the Club through its current short-term difficulties and possibly, to explore new horizons based on the Shanganagh Cliffs catchment area.

Whilst, many objectives that we set for the Club are yet to be realised, others were successfully achieved and the fruits of our labours in this respect are manifold. It is now up to others to take the Club further and to develop the potential afforded by the plans envisaged for the playing fields at Shanganagh Cliffs. These plans offer many exciting opportunities for the expansion of the Club's activities and the inclusion of schoolboy teams.

In conclusion, I wish to thank all my colleagues for their advice and support throughout the past eight years. I have most certainly enjoyed and valued my time with the Club and indeed, I was privileged to get to know and work with some exceptionally talented individuals over those years - they are the solid bedrock upon which the bright future of the Club can assuredly depend.

I wish the Board and the Club every possible success in the future on and off the field of play.

Kindest regards,

Michael

Michael Merrigan
Chairperson
Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club Ltd.

DLTFC 3 : PEAMOUNT Utd 2

2009-10-17T19:24:00.002Z

Good result this afternoon in a rather scrappy game at home against Peamount United. A very foolish mistake on the part of three players resulted in the visitors obtaining an easy lead early in the first half as the ball rolled leisurely over the Dún Laoghaire goal-line. (FULL REPORT TO FOLLOW). After the match, Jonathon Corcoran (right) took individual photographs (head and shoulder shots) of each of the players for uploading to this blog. Each of the photographs will be accompanied by a biographical note on each player to include details on previous clubs, position, birth date, interests and, of course, ambitions. It is also hoped that a running score tally will be kept on each player. This type of information is published by most clubs with dedicated websites and as ours is still in its design stages with Bartosz Kozlowski, we will upload the details here. By the way, Bartosz would welcome any ideas that you may have for inclusion on the Club's new website. He can be contacted by e-mail at b.k.webdesigner@gmail.com

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - 12th October 2009

2009-10-14T16:20:00.006Z

The Club held its Annual General Meeting on Monday 12th October 2009 in Park House, Library Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. The following were duly elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Club for the coming year. Chairperson, Michael Merrigan (Dún Laoghaire); Vice-Chairperson, Alan Turner (Shankill); Club Secretary, Derek McAsey (Monkstown); Club Treasurer, Abrahim Abdul-Wahid (Bray); Public Relations Officer, Kevin Plunkett (Dún Laoghaire); Community Liaison Officer & Child Protection Officer, Anne Traynor (Shankill); Manager, Jay Kane (Ballybrack); Assistant Manager, Ian M. Kane (Dún Laoghaire) and the following currently without portfolio - John Paul Durkan (Leopardstown); Lorie Kelly (Dún Laoghaire); Sighle l'Estrange (Dún Laoghaire) and Noel Vaughan (Glenageary). The AGM also passed a vote of thanks to Maria Forsythe of the Bank of Ireland for the kind donation of €500.00 towards the proceeds of the Table Quiz. The AGM also thanked former members of the Board of Directors - Robbie Rogerson, Luke McMahon, Luke Martin, Denis Ryan and Jonathon Corcoran for their services to the Club. Immediately after the AGM the Board held its first meeting and amongst its decisions was to postpone the Overseas Trip until the early New Year.

TABLE QUIZ SUCCESS

2009-09-25T08:01:00.007Z

The Club's fund-raising Table Quiz held on Arthur's Day at Weir's of Dún Laoghaire was a great success netting circa €800.00 in entry fees and proceeds from the raffle. A team from Glenageary came from behind to take the top prize followed by a team from the Dún Laoghaire Refugee Project with the Dunphy's Four coming third. Spot prizes were donated by Costello Flowers, Costello Jewellers, Dónal Farrell, Woodie's of Sallynoggin, Noel Vaughan, Tom Dunphy, Paul Keenan (Bus Átha Cliath) and Derek McAsey (Merril Lynch). Seán Barrett, TD sent a donation as did Pádraic Ingoldsby of the Genealogical Society of Ireland and the members of the Board of Directors of Park House. Maria Forsyth of the Bank of Ireland ensured that everybody in attendance was in possession of a handful of raffle tickets which greatly contributed to the proceeds. The Club Chairperson composed the questions and was the Quiz Master for the evening while Paul Durkan, Noel Vaughan and Abrahim Abdul-Wahid kept the scores. The team headed by former Club Chairperson, Robbie Rogerson, successfully raised a point of correction on one of the answers and this point was upheld. There are 13 and not 12 licenced premises (excluding clubs) in Dún Laoghaire between York Road and Lower Glenageary Road and Tivoli Road and the seafront. Well spotted Robbie!! So for a fund-raiser held on a night which competed with the celebration of Arthur's Day this Table Quiz was a great success. Ian Kane and his girlfriend Maria Forsyth are to be congratulated on the success of this initiative which will be further enhanced by a donation from the Bank of Ireland. (SEE AGM 12.10.09)

OVERSEAS TRIP [Postponed 12.Oct. 2009]

2009-09-10T11:10:00.009Z

The Board of Directors of the Club has agreed to organise an Overseas Trip this year as a fund raising event for the Club. In the past the Club has visited Holyhead, North Wales; Turnhout and Antwerp in Belgium; and Eindhoven, Masstricht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam in The Netherlands. Each of these Weekend Trips was a great success and very enjoyable for all. The provisional plan is to fly from Dublin to Amsterdam on Nov. 13th, staying two nights and returning on the 15th November 2009. Costings are now being considered by the Club Secretary and will be published shortly. As usual a non-refundable deposit of €100.00 per person will be required to secure a place and indeed, places will be limited. As a fund raising event any monies remaining after the payment of flights and hotel etc will be donated to meet the Club's on-going development requirements. All persons travelling on this Overseas Trip will also be required, as before, to join the DLTFC Travel Club, however, as numbers are limited priority will be given to the current players, longstanding supporters and founder members of the Club. PLEASE NOTE: you will need a valid passport to travel - check your passport today. Persons wishing to travel should contact Derek McAsey on 086 077 3657 asap.

FUND RAISING TABLE QUIZ

2009-08-31T21:10:00.003Z

The Club will host a fund raising Table Quiz on Thursday 24th September 2009 in Weir's of Dún Laoghaire, 88, Lower George's Street, Dún Laoghaire commencing at 20.00hrs. The proposal to organise a Table Quiz emanated from Ian Kane (right) and his girlfriend Maria Forsythe who has recruited a number of her colleagues from the Bank of Ireland to assist. Funds are required for new equipment and to cover the day-to-day costs of running the Club. Indeed, Ian Kane, as co-founder, is passionately committed to maintaining the services of the Club and its special ethos. This ethos is based on a 'youth diversionary' project that was especially successful in the central Dún Laoghaire area and now, with the help of Anne Traynor, is operative in the Shanganagh area of Shankill, Co. Dublin where we have our home ground. In order to keep the Club afloat in these recessionary times the proactive involvement of our players, players' families, supporters and our friends in our fund raising endeavours is vitally important. Teams of four are needed for the Table Quiz - €40 per team and, of course, donations of spot-prizes are most welcome. Please contact Ian Kane on 085 835 4617 or the Club Secretary, Derek McAsey on 086 077 3657 .

LEINSTER SENIOR LEAGUE NEW SEASON 2009/10

2009-08-21T12:49:00.004Z

DIRECTIONS TO SHANGANAGH CLIFFS

The Club's home pitch of Shanganagh Cliffs is not far from Shankill Village in south Co. Dublin. Access by DART is the easiest public transport option arriving at Shankill Station, turn right on exit and walk back along the road next to the DART line until you reach the bridge and turn right into the Shanganagh Cliffs Estate. The parkland is directly ahead with the pitch to the left. By road travelling along the M50 southbound exit at Cherrywood on to the N11 southbound to exit at Shankill Village. Just before going into the village, there is a small roundabout at St. Anne's RC Church - KEEP LEFT around the front of the church travelling in the direction of Dún Laoghaire passing a shopping centre (on your right) take the SECOND RIGHT into Rathsallagh Estate. Drive to the end of this wide road and TURN LEFT (DART on your right). Continue on to the bridge over the DART and TURN RIGHT into the Shanganagh Cliffs Estate. The parkland is directly ahead, turn left at the end at you'll see the pitch.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Jay Kane: Mobile: 085 131 5624

Ian Kane: Mobile: 085 835 4617

Leinster Senior League Season 2008/9

2009-04-17T11:56:00.002Z

A Chairde,

Please note the changes to the contact numbers at the foot of this blog and amend your records accordingly.

The date of the Annual General Meeting of the Club has been put back in order that the accounts may be finalised for presentation to the auditors and to the Companies Registration Office. Currently our Company Secretary, Derek McAsey and the Director of Finance, Abrahim Abdul-Wahid are putting the finishing touches to the documentation.

The issue of an Overseas Trip in 2009 has been raised many times since the beginning of the year, however, with the downturn in the economic climate it may be necessary to put off such a trip until the autumn in order that as many of the lads as possible have an opportunity to travel etc.

In the meantime, on behalf of the Board, may I extend our sincerest gratitude to Jay Kane and Ian Kane for all their hard work during the past season - good work lads!

Further information will be available shortly.

Mise le meas,

Michael Merrigan

Chairperson

michael_merrigan@hotmail.com

DLTFC v BRIGHTON CELTIC (08.11.08)

2008-11-10T14:52:00.002Z

Well following the recent uncertainty with the numbers of players for each squad, the Board's decision to withdraw a squad from Division 3 to concentrate on Division 3A is already proving to be a more workable arrangement all round. The home game against Brighton Celtic was a very hard fought, though evenly balanced, match with the winning goal for the visitors coming only in the dieing minutes of the game. Ian Kane and Jay Kane, working together, fielded a team that has great potential and indeed, very much so, especially when those injured over the past few weeks return before the Christmas break. Final score: DLTFC 0 : Brighton Celtic 1. Next Saturday the squad travels to meet Palmerstown United - kick off 14.00hrs

Withdrawal of Team from Division 3

2008-11-05T11:52:00.004Z

It is with sincere regret and considerable disappointment that, on behalf of this Club, we must advise the League and our fellow clubs that due to circumstances beyond our control, the Club has withdrawn its team from participating in Division 3 (Saturday).

The reasons that have impacted greatly on this most unfortunate decision include, an excessive number of injuries incurred over the past few weeks, the continued dispersal of the asylum / refugee community around the country resulting in the loss of key players and players being actively induced to join other clubs within the greater Dún Laoghaire area. Such losses to a small club like ours have serious and detrimental repercussions, of which, this decision to withdraw a team from Division 3 is an inevitable negative outcome.

The above decision will allow the Board of this Club and its management team to concentrate on Division 3A for the remainder of this season and to build towards restoring this Club’s level of participation in the Leinster Senior League for next season.

We most sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and thank all concerned for their kind assistance, advice and continued understanding on this matter.

Michael Merrigan
Chairman

04. November 2008

Review of Squads

2008-11-03T20:29:00.002Z

At the next meeting of the Board which is scheduled for Monday 17th November, the recent problems in fielding full squads in both Division 3 and 3A will be considered by the Board. An investigation into the effectiveness of the current arrangements and structures will, no doubt, form a part of any review of the squads that may be ordered by the Board. Whilst, it is understood that a number of players are injured and indeed, a few others have been "poached" by other clubs, the remaining members of both squads have been sporadic in their commitment which is causing considerable difficulties for the managers. It will be with deep disappointment and regret that the the Board could be forced to reduce the squads in order to field an effective and strong team each week. But if this option is the only one available, the Board will have no choice but to advise the Leinster Senior League accordingly. However, in the run-up to the Board meeting on Monday 17th November, both managers will be expected to contact each member of their squad to ascertain their current commitment to the Club. This will allow the Board to review the position in the light of the information provided by the managers.

UP-DATING WEB-BLOG

2008-10-15T14:26:00.002Z

The up-dating of the Club's web-blog has fallen somewhat behind schedule and therefore, match reports were missed, omitted or simply not filed by the Managers. Efforts to resolve this matter are currently in-hand and a marked improvement is earnestly anticipated. We can't allow the magnificent play, exceptional skill and tactics and, of course, spectacular goals scored by our players to go unreported any longer. Therefore, we require two match reporters, one home and the other away, to feed their exciting and eagerly awaited match reports to the webmaster to satisfy the hunger for news suffered by scores (or even, hundreds) of adoring fans. Anyone interested in becoming a match reporter, please contact Ian Kane or Jay Kane.

The "B" Squad Off to a Good Start

2008-08-26T19:56:00.003+01:00

Ian Kane's "B" Squad playing in Division 3A was away to Clonee United on Saturday 23rd August 2008. The squad was in reasonable shape despite some notable absentees due to holidays. (Match Report to Follow). Final Score: Clonee United 0 : DLTFC 0

Bad Start of the Season for the "A" Squad"

2008-08-26T19:36:00.002+01:00

The "A" Squad made its 2008/9 season debut in Division 3 against Laytown United away in the "Royal County" of Meath on Saturday 23rd August 2008. Already down vital players through injuries and holidays, Jay Kane, fielded a team that was far from match ready and very soon after kick off, the team's worst nightmare began to unfold. Readers can be spared the true awfulness of the occasion, suffice to say, with thirty minutes to the end of the match, a kind hearted referee put the lads out of their misery by sounding the full-time whistle. Never before in the history of the Club was such a disastrous performance delivered by "The Town". Final score: Laytown FC 10 : DLTFC 0. So along came Monday August 25th 2008 and a "surprise" fixture away to Whitechurch United with a kick off at 18.30hrs. There was some considerable confusion over this match as it was not listed on the Leinster Senior League website. Confirmation of the fixture only arrived late on Monday afternoon. The fielding of a team at such short notice had its inevitable consequences with lads unable to get off work early enough to play. The match went ahead with a much depleted squad on a pitch that was far from satisfactory. Final Score: Whitechurch United 7 : DLTFC 0. Well things can only get better lads!!!!

League Matches Cancelled - Sat. 16th August 2008

2008-08-19T08:51:00.002+01:00

Rain, rain and more rain, followed by severe flooding left most of the public playing fields either under water or very soft indeed. Matches were cancelled throughout the agglomeration of Dublin and beyond on Saturday 16th August, so all hope for a much needed and long overdue improvement in the weather conditions to allow matches go ahead on Saturday 23rd August 2008.

New Season Starting Soon

2008-07-29T21:12:00.003+01:00

The new Leinster Senior League season kicks off again on Saturday August 16th with our lads playing in two divisions 3 and 3A again this year. Jay Kane and Ian Kane, managers of the "A" and "B" squads respectively, are busy preparing the lads for the tough season ahead. A greater commitment is expected from each of the lads this year and therefore, training and fitness are of the utmost importance at this time. Tuesdays and Thursdays have been chosen for training sessions at Shanganagh Cliffs. Players are strongly urged to arrive on-time for the training sessions as a failure to do so may result in the offending players being dropped for games. The fixtures will be posted on this web-blog and on Monday nights in the "Evening Herald".

Long Tradition of Soccer in "The Town"

2008-07-29T20:43:00.004+01:00

The lads of "The Town" are certainly following in the footsteps of a great footballing tradition in the town of Dún Laoghaire. A recently unearthed photograph of the British Railways staff football squad of nearly sixty years ago contains many of the grandfathers and great grandfathers of current and past players of Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club. Surprisingly in a wellknown publication about soccer in the Borough of Dún Laoghaire, British Railways FC didn't even receive a mention. British Railways (later known as Sealink) operated the mail-boat and later the ferry service between Dún Laoghaire and Caergybi (Holyhead) in North Wales. The photograph was taken on Sunday April 30th 1949 after the game between British Railways FC and St. Kevin's FC, in which, the gallant railway lads were between 4 : 1 by St. Kevin's FC. Pictured are from left to right: Back Row: M. Whelan, M. Cullen, S. Keane, M. McDonnell, M. Merrigan (23 yrs) and B. Smith; Front Row: M. Davit, J. Dwyer, F. Young, B. Kearns and J. Carden (?). In conclusion, this year marks the 90th anniversary of the sinking of the mail-boat RMS Leinster in October 1918 many locals lost the lives in this tragedy, indeed, quite a number of our current players have family connections to this disaster.

Ladies' Squad for 2008/9 Season

2008-06-11T08:17:00.006+01:00

The decision by the Board of the Club at its June meeting to establish a Ladies' Team for the 2008/9 Season has been broadly welcomed as a step in the right direction for our Club. The Vice-Chairperson of the Club, Anne Traynor, (pictured right) has been appointed to the position of "Ladies' Squad Coordinator" to oversee the signing-up of the Squad and the appointment of a Manager and Deputy Manager. The Board had hoped that the positions of Manager and Deputy Manager of the Ladies' Squad would be filled from within the existing or former managerial and coaching personnel of the Club. However, this unfortunately now seems very unlikely and therefore, Anne will be examining a number of options in this regard. The Board, on advice, decided to initially recruit only persons aged eighteen years or over as members for the Ladies' Squad for the coming season. This position will be reviewed next year by the Board as and when more volunteers come forward to assist the Club's managerial team with this important and long overdue development in the Club.

Board Selects Managers for 2008/9 Season

2008-06-10T17:39:00.004+01:00

At the Board meeting held on Monday 9th June 2008, the Managers for the "A" and "B" Squads were selected by the Board members by way of secret ballot, please see the explanation of the process below. The new Manager for the "A" Squad is Jay Kane (pictured right) who has chosen Dean McAfee as his Deputy Manager and for the "B" Squad the Board members selected Ian M. Kane who has chosen Abrahim Abdul-Wahid as his Deputy Manager on an interim basis depending on Abrahim's college commitments. Performance will be keenly monitored by the Board as major improvements are fully expected on the results achieved by both squads last season. Though, there were a number of factors involved, the commitment by both squads was far from consistent during the later half of the 2007/8 season and therefore, the Board is determined to push for considerable improvements all round in the coming year. Already many new players have signalled their intention of signing for "The Town" and indeed, quite a few of our former players are set to return to the fold. Voting Procedure: Each of the Board members present at the meeting, with the exception of the Chairperson, was entitled to vote. The Chairperson could only exercise a vote in the case of equity - "casting vote". Ballot Papers were distributed to each Board member by the Chairperson. There was no debate on the matter prior to the vote been taken. The Ballot Paper contained two questions, one regarding the position of the Manager of the "A" Squad and the second regarding the same for the "B" Squad. The names of the two existing managerial personnel for each squad were listed alphabetically and a further choice of "Neither" in each case was added. Therefore, each member of the Board was asked in this Secret Ballot to select a person to manage the "A" Squad and another to manage the "B" Squad, or if they so wished, they could indicate that they did not support any of the candidates on the Ballot Paper by ticking the "Neither" box. The reason for placing a "Neither" option on the Ballot Paper was to allow for the Board to be instructed to find other candidates for the either of the positions to be filled.

Preparing for the New Season

2008-06-02T09:14:00.004+01:00

An informal training session in preparation for the new season will be held on Saturday 7th June 2008 at 13.00hrs at Shanganagh Cliffs. New players are always welcome as two teams will be entered into the Leinster Senior League for the 2008/2009 Season. Changes for the coming season include the abandonment of the separate training sessions for each squad as both will now be required to train together at Shanganagh and also it is planned to recruit more younger players between 16 and 18 years of age to be the backbone of the "B" Squad. The latter measure will allow the "B" Squad to act more effectively as a "feeder squad" for the "A" Squad which will compete in a higher league as before. All players will be required to sign for both the Club and the Leinster Senior League (http://www.lsl.ie/) and in signing for the Club, each player will receive a copy of the new Handbook and undertake to read it carefully. The Club's officers will also be available to clarify or explain any sections of the Handbook if requested. The management teams for each of the squads will be chosen at the Board meeting to be held on Monday 9th June 2008 in time for the first formal training session on the following Saturday. In the interim all enquiries regarding the training sessions should be directed to Ian M. Kane, Club Development Officer (pictured above) on 085 764 7900 or by e-mail on ian_m_kane@hotmail.com The Player Directors, listed in the panel to the right, represent the views of the player members at the meetings of the Board of Directors of the Club and therefore, these Player Directors always welcome suggestions from players aimed at improving the Club, its facilities or indeed, any aspect of the Club's activities.

LÁMHLEABHAR : HANDBOOK

2008-05-27T22:35:00.003Z

The production and publication of the Members' Handbook for the Club is intended to facilitate a greater understanding of the Club, its structures and its functions amongst the Board members, members, players and others connected with the Club.

The first edition of the Members Handbook, published this month, contains the copies of the Club’s Strategic Development Plan, Standing Orders, Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure.

The text, below, of the Mission Statement of the Club clearly sets this Club apart from similar sporting organisations in the County of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown and indeed, the participatory nature of the decision making structures established within this Club allows for a real sense of ownership by all members, whether playing or non-playing.

Our Mission

“Through the universal love of football, provide an opportunity for integration and social inclusion amongst the young people from many backgrounds, religions and nationalities living in the Central Dún Laoghaire area and through, education and example, promote respect and tolerance for difference, encourage co-operation and unity of purpose and through, teamwork in sport develop lasting bonds of mutual support and friendship as each young person plays with commitment and pride for their own hometown”

From the establishment of the Club by Abrahim Abdul Wahid and Ian M. Kane back in 2002 and through the assistance received from Dún Laoghaire Community Association, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, An Garda Síochána and most recently, the Equal Transition Support Project, this Club has successfully executed each of its programmes aimed at integration, tackling anti-social behaviour and encouraging responsible and active citizenship.

The Club is continuing to roll-out programmes with these very important objectives and it is especially pleased to have been offered the possibility of doing so in the Shankill area following the allocation of a pitch at Shanganagh Cliffs to the Club by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Indeed, many of our most promising players now come from the Shankill area providing, some would say, a much needed injection of new talent and skills in to our squads.

The success of this Club depends greatly on the dedication and commitment shown by our most important members, the players themselves – they will be the future owners of this Club and to this end our duty as Directors is to facilitate and guide the structured development of the Club on their behalf.

“The Town” is definitely a work in progress!!

Michael Merrigan
Chairperson
Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club Ltd

Nota Bene: At the May 26th meeting of the Board of the Club, it was agreed that each member of the Club, players and non-players, should receive a copy of the Handbook and sign for same giving the personal undertaking to read it carefully. Failure to adhere to this procedure will mean that a member has voluntarily resigned from the Club and therefore, cannot participate in any of the Club's activities. There are no exceptions as this decision covered each of the Board members also.

Leinster Senior League AGM

2008-05-07T11:38:00.002Z

The Annual General Meeting of the Leinster Senior League will take place on Wednesday May 28th at 19.45hrs in the Teachers' Club, 36, Parnell Square, Dublin. It is anticipated that the Chairperson of the Club will lead this Club's delegation to the AGM.

New Board Elected

2008-04-09T23:56:00.002Z

The new Board of the Club has been elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club held on Monday 7th April 2008 in Park House, Library Road, Dún Laoghaire. Outgoing Chairperson, Michael Merrigan, was reelected for a further year as was Vice-Chairperson, Anne Traynor. Derek McAsey was elected Company / Club Secretary and will also hold the Financial Controller portfolio for the time being. Others elected were Ian M. Kane, Kevin Plunkett, Sighle L'Estrange, Lorie Kelly, James Kane, Robert Rogerson, John Paul Durkan, Noel Vaughan, Jonathon Corcoran and Denis Ryan. Anne Traynor will also hold the positions of Child Protection Liaison Officer and Registrar of Members. Luke Oliver Martin and Cllr. Cormac Devlin stepped down at the AGM. The Board will assign specific portfolios to the various directors at its meeting in May.

Winning End to the Season

2008-04-05T16:27:00.002Z

In the "A" Squad's last game in Division 3 the lads finally found the winning touch which had seriously eluded them for weeks. Playing against Monksfield at home was certainly not going to be a repeat of our last encounter in October 2007 when we lost by six goals without reply. (MATCH REPORT TO FOLLOW) Final mscore: DLTFC 3 : Monksfield 2

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PADDY

2008-04-04T18:56:00.003Z

A founding member of the Club, Patrick Kershaw, turned twenty-one on Thursday April 3rd 2008 and will celebrate this momentous achievement with a big bash at "The Wicked Wolf" in Blackrock on Saturday 5th April 2008. Paddy is most certainly one of the most outstanding and talented players that this Club had ever produced, solid and reliable in defence. Indeed, in the Club's Special 5th Anniversary Awards, Paddy received the "Best Player Award" at the celebrations held in McKenna's just before Christmas last. Choosing Paddy as a recipient for that Special Award, the Manager and the Club gave due recognition to Paddy's commitment and determination over, not only the previous season, but over the past five years since the foundation of the Club. On behalf of the Board and all the players, we wish Paddy all the best for his twenty-first and hope that all have a most enjoyable night at "The Wicked Wolf" on Saturday.

"Dún Laoghaire News"

2008-04-04T18:53:00.002Z

The latest edition of the Dún Laoghaire Community Association's newsletter "Dún Laoghaire News" is now available at http://www.dun-laoghaire.com/dir/DunLaoghaireNews.pdf The newsletter has been delivered to households in the central Dún Laoghaire area and copies are also available at Costello Flowers, 1, Northumberland Avenue, Dún Laoghaire.

Third Match in the Wally Winn Cup (29.03.08)

2008-03-29T23:49:00.006Z

We travelled to Walkinstown Park for our third match in the Wally Winn Cup on Saturday 29th March 2008 to meet Walkinstown United. Before the game it looked as if the skies were just about to open up and drown the pitch, indeed, one of the Walkinstown lads jokingly said that if they won the toss they should "play against the tide". He didn't have to worry as the rain held off for the entire match. The game was a tense and tough affair with both sides determined to progress in the Cup. The lads of "The Town" were certainly up for this game despite, once again, missing a number of our strong regular players. Twenty minutes into the first half produced few chances for either team as sold defences held firm. However, an unfortunate lapse of concentration in our midfield allowed Walkinstown to put away an easy goal - a lead they held right up to the break. At the break our Manager, Japo Kelly, encouraged the lads to keep up the pressure on the opposition and to take every chance available - be confident, he urged. At the restart the pep-talk seemed to hit home as the lads came out in great spirits and it showed in the quality of play. However, it wasn't long before the fitness levels of the two squads became a deciding factor as Walkinstown began to heavily pressure our defence. Our youngest players, Daniel Cruise, Gary Leonard and Nathan Jennings, all from Shanganagh, gave a great account of themselves against much stronger and taller opponents. Japo's decision to take off Nathan Jennings midway in the second half was, to say the least, a bit puzzling. Replacement Kevin Plunkett, despite his pace and determination, had a very tough game. The host's second goal was a shocking and embarrassing display of a combination of errors by our midfield, defence and goalkeeper. With two goals up, the Walkinstown lads sensed that it was all over but our forwards Jay Kane and Kevin Corcoran kept up the pressure. Alas easy chances were just not going our way - even with a near open goalmouth!!. But to be fair to the lads, the team played with determination and never gave up the fight. They came out of strong tackles, sometimes with very hard knocks, and continued to give it their all. Indeed, all the team members could and possibly should, be cited here as each and everyone deserves praise for their tenacity and hard work during this very tough match. Final score: Walkinstown United 2 : DLTFC 0 (pictured above, Jay Kane battles his way through stiff opposition)

"The Town" Joins the Campaign

2008-03-26T20:42:00.005Z

The campaign launched by the Dún Laoghaire Community Association to have a memorial erected in the Town Centre of Dún Laoghaire to the eponymous founder of the "dún" (stone fortress) that gave its name to the Town is gathering support. The proposal for the erection of an iconic monument to Laoghaire who was High King of Ireland between 428AD and 461AD received the support of the County Council's Strategic Policy Committee on Culture, Community Development & Amenities and now the Community Association is intensifying its campaign. Pictured at the public launch of the campaign are (from left) Cllr. John Bailey, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council; Ian M. Kane, Director & Co-Founder of the Club; Stephanie Batt, Dún Laoghaire Tidy Towns Committee and Club Chairperson, Michael Merrigan. The momument behind is of that the Gaulish leader Vercingetorix in Alesia, France. The Community Association has suggested that an impressive, iconic monument such as a scaled version of that to Vercingetorix should be placed in our Town Centre. This Club which has as its emblem the Sacred Black Bull of High King Laoghaire would most certainly welcome such a monument. (click on photo to enlarge - photo by Ken Finlay)

Park Celtic 2 : DLTFC 1 (22.03.08)

2008-03-23T15:23:00.004Z

Whilst the "B" Squad was been mauled in Ratoath, Co. Meath, it was quite another story back in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown on Saturday 22nd March 2008 as the "A" Squad faced local foe Park Celtic at Meadowvale. Park Celtic hoping to repeat their triumphal win over "The Town" at the beginning of the month came out in a buoyant mood brimming with confidence and sure of an easy win. Japo Kelly's lads were ready and Park Celtic were near shell shocked at the performance of the "A" Squad. Tight and effective defending, good solid passes and teamwork produced the goods as with only three minutes to go the teams were level with one goal a piece. The very talented young striker from Shankill, Dean Kelly (pictured above) once again doing the business for "The Town" with a remarkably executed and simply superb goal. But then, three minutes to the whistle, Park Celtic clenched the winning goal. Disappointed but proud of a solid performance, the lads of "The Town" must be congratulated for a job well done. Final score: Park Celtic 2 : DLTFC 1

A Right Royal Hammering

2008-03-23T14:40:00.004Z

On Saturday 22nd March 2008 the "B" Squad travelled to the picturesque village of Ratoath in County Meath to meet Ratoath Harps in the final match of the season in Division 3A. It was a bitterly cold day with a cutting wind blowing right across this very exposed pitch. The ground itself was soggy to soft - understandably the host Club was very concerned about this pitch and had insisted that if there had been any rain overnight the match was certainly in doubt. Acting Manager, Ian M. Kane, fielded a team, most of whom, had never played together before. Many of the regular members of the "B" Squad were unavailable due to the holiday weekend - so Ian did his best. Well, as expected, we got a right royal hammering at the hands of the County Meath lads as the first half produced three mediocre wind assisted goals for the hosts. At the break, Ian implored his raggle-taggle bunch to pass the ball, push forward, hit everything forward and to pressure their goalmouth. Sounds familiar? Well it worked last week. The second half was a mirror image of the first and three more lackluster goals were added to the host's total before the referee put us all out of our misery by blowing the final whistle. Final score: Ratoath Harps 6 : DLTFC 0 (pictured above, Johnny Kelly and Joey O'Reilly - the picture says it all!!)

Mud Bath - But Great Match

2008-03-16T19:49:00.003Z

On Saturday 15th March 2008, the "B" Squad was at home to Clonee United on what must have been the wettest, windiest and coldest days yet at Shanganagh Cliffs. Many members before the match speculated that the referee would call off the match, but thanks to the drainage system on the pitch, it was playable. Standing on the sideline was difficult enough and the playing conditions could only be described as muddy, slippery and soaking wet. But both teams were certainly up for the game as Acting Manager, Ian Kane, rallied the lads before the match with some words of encouragement and warning. The latter was a thinly veiled reference to yellow and red card instances in the recent past - any dissent, he said, and your off!! Ian fielded a relatively young squad the majority of which were smaller, lighter and much younger than any of the visitors. This difference between the squads was very evident as the visitors took an early control of the game with two fine goals before the break. At the break, Ian clearly was determined to claw back the game so he insisted that we push everything and everyone up to pressure their goalmouth. His tactic worked exceedingly well with a beautiful goal from young Nathan Jennings, (pictured above) followed by near miss after near miss, across the goalmouth, hitting the woodwork and going just over. The visitors were visibly rattled though, with their greater strength and experience they managed to hold on until the final whistle. After the match the visitors admitted that it was a very tough game and praised our lads for their vigorous come-back in the second half, unfortunately, with only one goal to show for all the effort. All in all, despite the appalling weather conditions, the lads themselves, muddied, blooded and soaking wet, all agreed that it was probably the best match of the season so far irrespective of the result. It was evidently as enjoyable to watch as to play. Certainly, a great game lads, well done. Final score: DLTFC 1 : Clonee United 2

Loughlinstown Leisure Centre

2008-03-05T16:41:00.002Z

The Wednesday night block booking of the indoor training facility at Loughlinstown Leisure Centre has been cancelled following the acquisition by the Board of equipment that will permit training sessions to be undertaken at Shanganagh Cliffs. It is envisaged that these training sessions will commence next week. For further information please contact Ian Kane on 085 764 7900 or ian_m_kane@hotmail.com

Park Celtic win on St. David's Day

2008-03-01T23:23:00.005Z

Saturday March 1st 2008 - St. David's Day for our Celtic cousins across the Irish Sea and without doubt the saintly Welshman certainly favoured the visitors, Park Celtic, at Shanganagh Cliffs this afternoon. The Division 3 match kicked-off at 14.30hrs in bright sunshine with hardly a breeze coming in from the sea. This suited the lads of the "A" Squad who opened the score barely minutes into the first half with a fine goal by young Nathan Jennings of Shankill. The visitors regained their composure and within ten minutes had equalised. But it wasn't long before the lads of "The Town" were back in fighting form attacking the Park Celtic goal with a passion unfortunately too rarely witnessed and it paid off with an excellent goal from yet another very talented young Shankill player, Dean Kelly. But, as luck will have it, the visitors with their more disciplined tactics and, it must be said, superb passing, quickly equalised leaving it 2 all at the break. The second half was certainly a different game altogether as the visitors vigorously and relentlessly pressured the home goal. They were certainly greatly aided by a strong to, at times, gale force wind coming in from the Irish Sea hampering and utterly frustrating our defenders. With the strong wind advantage, no doubt thanks to the saintly Welsh fan, the visitors all too easily put three further goals on the scoreboard. Final score: DLTFC 2 : Park Celtic 5 Note: the Division 3A match against Clonee for the "B" Squad was postponed as the home pitch was double-booked. (pictured above, Nathan Jennings is congratulated by his team-mates on the fine opening goal of the match)

Dressing Rooms Refurbished

2008-03-01T23:13:00.003Z

The Dressing Rooms at Shanganagh Cliffs consist of a 12.20m converted box container which was "kitted-out" on a very temporary basis at the start of the season by Ross Rogerson and Joey O'Reilly in order that the Club could meet the requirements for entering the Leinster Senior League. This temporary job proved sufficient for most of the season, however, it was always the intention of the Board to have a more permanent refurbishment carried out at the end of the season. Following the obtaining of quotations from local carpenters in the Dún Laoghaire area, the Board decided to offer the job to Kevin Murdock, Carpentry & Building Services (Tel: 086 887 3716). With both squads rested over the weekend of the Galway Trip it was decided to avail of this opportunity to totally refurbish the container to provide new seating with under-seat storage areas in both dressing rooms, new storage rooms at either end of the container, new shelving and new strengthened glass for the windows in both the home and away dressing rooms. The completed works were inspected by members of the Board, including Mrs. Lori Kelly, (pictured above) on Saturday March 1st 2008 and all expressed considerable satisfaction with a job very well done indeed. The next phase of the refurbishment will involve a complete paint job - exterior and interior. Just before the arrival of the "A" Squad for the Division 3 game against Park Celtic, the Chairman posted the amended "Code of Conduct" (see bottom of web-blog) and a copy of the Club's Child Protection Policy on the notice board in the home dressing room. Copies of these documents will be made available in booklet form to all members, playing and non-playing, in the near future.

DÚN LAOGHAIRE to DÚN AONGHUSA

2008-02-25T19:55:00.008Z

On Saturday 23rd February 2008, as part of the Club's TSP Programme, members of the "B" Squad visited the ancient fort of Dún Aonghusa on Inis Mór in the Aran Islands. This was certainly the highlight of the weekend trip which took in the sights of Galway City and the Aran Islands as an introduction to Irish culture, heritage and history. Accompanied by the Co-Founders of the Club, Abrahim Abdul-Wahid and Ian M. Kane, the party travelled by private coach from Dún Laoghaire on Friday 22nd February for Galway picking up three more of the "B" Squad in Dublin City on the way. Arriving in Galway City at 17.30hrs, after a brief stop in Moate for a late lunch, the lads soon settled into their accommodation at the Galway City Hostel before exploring the City itself. Traditional music venues were high on their agendas and most got a taste of the real "ceol agus craic" in and around Shop Street and Quay Street which included a bit of "sean nós" dancing. Next day it was off to the Aran Islands firstly by bus transfer to Ros a Mhíl and then by ferry to Cill Rónáin on Inis Mór. The 40 minute ferry ride over was described as "choppy" but most, though, naturally not all, were exhilarated by the experience of the high seas. On arrival we made our way for some light refreshments as the tour of the island was arranged. Our driver/guide, Noel MacMahon, then brought the group through the various sights of interest including, the Seven Churches, Seal Sanctuary, homes of famous islanders etc en route to Dún Aonghusa. As we arrived at the small hamlet at the base of the national monument heavy drizzle descended soaking us all as we climbed the meandering limestone pathway to the monument. Then, as if the old Celtic gods were pleased at our arrival, the sun broke through the clouds to reveal the true purpose for which our ancestors laboured to construct this monument. Standing in the centre of the "dún" and looking over the stone playform as the rays of the sun reached down to the surface of the Atlantic below, nobody was in any doubt of its ancient religious significance and all were in awe at the shear beauty of this magical place. Each of the lads seemed to seek out and capture their own private moment amidst the traquility and yet, the wild remoteness of this place. Hundreds of digital photographs taken we commenced our descent to the base only to pause outside the walls, alone and sometimes in small groups, attempting to capture and retain the moment. At the base more refreshments before heading back to Cill Rónáin for a few pints (and soft drinks) in a local to catch up on match results and to relax. Each of the group leaders practised their command of An Ghaeilge (Irish language) whilst ordering the much needed stimulant to face the expected bumpy ferry ride to the mainland. At 17.00hrs we departed Inis Mór and to our great surprise the journey back was quite smooth and very enjoyable. Landing once again in Ros a' Mhíl we boarded our coach to Galway City centre for another night of "ceol agus craic" and this time at An Púcán on Forster Street. On Sunday morning after breakfast we all tried to take in the last of the City sights before boarding the private coach at 15.00hrs for Dublin. With a brief stop at Athlone for a late lunch at Rayner's we arrived back in Dublin City at 19.36hrs - just as predicted by our coach driver Ian. Most of the party left the coach at O'Connell Bridge with the remainder dropped off in Dún Laoghaire around 20.05hrs. (pictured above, part of the group pose with the Dún Laoghaire flag overlooking the Atlantic in Dún Aonghusa on Inis Mór whilst the rest explored the monument)

"B" Squad in Cup Match : "A" Squad in Planet Love

2008-02-16T19:22:00.004Z

Saturday 16th February 2008 was to see both squads in action, the "A" Squad in Division 3 away to Mount Tallant in Stannaway Park and the "B" Squad at home to Division leaders Malahide United in the Tom Watt Cup. However, on Saturday morning it transpired that about six players of the "A" Squad had contacted the manager to say that they had obtained tickets for "Planet Love" at Leopardstown, thankfully the League organisers and Mount Tallant were very understanding and permitted the Division 3 match to be postponed. The "B" Squad, under the management of Ian Kane and missing Jack Bwalya through the one match ban and without the star players Bruno de Carvalho and Tiziano Makanzu, fielded a team drawn from both squads to play Malahide. The match was a tense affair with both sides battling it hard and the halftime score of one all perfectly reflected the strengths of both teams. Our goal, the first in the game, came from the "B" Squad's striker, Johnson Goodwin. The pace quickened in the second half with some very hard tackles from both sides, but thankfully all in good sporting manner. A great loss to the lads was the injury to goalie Derek McAsey who had to hobble off to be replaced midway in the second half. The lads of "The Town" went briefly ahead with a fine goal from young Karl Smith. But not long after the visitors equalised as their greater strength and experience started to show in the last twenty minutes of the game and very soon the winning goal put Malahide through to the next round of the Tom Watt Cup. Final score: DLTFC 2 : Malahide 3

Second Win in the Wally Winn Cup

2008-02-09T19:26:00.000Z

Match report to follow.

Trip to the Brazil Match

2008-02-07T12:00:00.000Z

On Wednesday 6th February 2008 the Club, as part of its TSP integration programme, attended the International Friendly Match between the Republic of Ireland and Brazil. Twenty members braved the cold and later the driving rain to see this match from the heights of the Cusack Stand. Though, the match was a lacklustre affair with an underperforming Brazilian team barely battling it out with an Irish team that only displayed a few moments of flair, enthusiasm and determination. This match was only a little better than the last friendly encounter between these countries which produced a nil all draw. The final score was hardly a surprise with a one goal win for the visitors. The Club's intention in including visits to international matches as part of our TSP integration programme is clearly to expose the programme's participants to the Irish sporting culture, its expression of national solidarity and, of course, the inclusivity of the "New Ireland" especially in the arena of sport. The participants, from many countries (mainly in Africa), had a unique opportunity to join their Irish team-mates at this international match - all supporting "the lads in green" and to personally experience the wonderful stadium at Croke Park - the home of our national games. The group met at Connolly Station and walked the short distance to the cathedral of Gaelic games, Croke Park, experiencing all the buzz and the colour of the occasion right in amongst the fans from both countries en route to the game. Sitting high up in the Cusack Stand and right on the halfway line provided the group with an excellent view of the match and indeed, with the full panoramic view of the stadium. Though, the weather was cold and damp, this did not hamper in anyway whatsoever the participants' fullest enjoyment of this important and wonderful exposure to Irish sporting culture. The organisers are sincerely grateful to the TSP programme for providing the funding to enable this aspect of the Club's integration programme to be so very successful. The participants are now looking forward to the Galway Trip between February 22nd to 24th and indeed, to the next international game against Serbia.

Dún Laoghaire Town 1 : Blackforge FC 5

2008-02-03T20:25:00.000Z

We've all heard of the well worn and often threadbare cliché that the scoreline didn't reflect the game, well in this case on Saturday 2nd February, a truer observation couldn't be made on this hard fought and immensely enjoyable game. Dún Laoghaire Town's "B" Squad was at home to Blackforge FC in the LSL Div. 3A. An early and arguably foolishly easy goal for the visitors threatened to totally disrupt the carefully constructed game-plan of acting Manager, Ian M. Kane, as the lads of the "B" Squad struggled to get back into the game. It seemed that Blackforge FC were taking the game to the lads of "The Town" and punishing them for each lack of concentration or sloppy passing. But as chances arrived for "The Town" luck seemed to desert the lads until Johnson Goodwin finally found the back of the net with an exceptionally executed goal. The first half ended with the score 3 : 1 to the visitors. The half-time instructions by the acting Manager seemed to have hit home as the lads came out in the second half certainly in better shape and with a determination that was sadly lacking in the earlier stages of the game. But just as the lads of "The Town" were putting their own stamp on the game injuries plagued the squad and tiredness due to the pace of this game began to take its toll. The introduction of substitutes Dean Kelly and Nathan Jennings midway in the second half unfortunately didn't produce the badly needed goals for "The Town" and the sending off of Jack Bwalya for retaliation didn't help at all. Certainly Blackforge FC found the second half a tougher match, however, they still were able to add to their tally. Despite the scoreline, it was generally agreed that Goalkeeper Derek McAsey had an outstanding and yet, very difficult and challenging game. Final score: DLTFC 1 : Blackforge FC 5. (Ref: Noel Kelly)

Seven Goals Without Reply

2008-01-26T17:13:00.000Z

On Saturday 26th January 2006 "The Town" was at home to Mount Tallant in a match that went that was marked by chaotic defending, a midfield in disarray and a failure to capitalise on any chance. The game produced the worst ever result recorded by the "A" Squad in the Leinster Senior League to-date. With three goals conceded by half time, disagreement dogged the squad during the break with blame and counter blame filling the air. The second half opened with the loss of the very talented Thomas Downey dropped by the manager for misconduct. This air of despondency carried through for the first twenty minutes or so of the half before the lads of "The Town" finally found form - but alas, too little and way too late. Chances came one after another in the closing fifteen minutes of the game but luck clearly abandoned the lads as none could find the back of the Mount Tallant net. The visitors managed four further goals in the second half to inflict on "The Town" its greatest defeat ever. Final score: DLTFC 0 : Mount Tallant 7

"B" Squad Kick Off the New Year

2008-01-22T10:11:00.000Z

On Saturday 19th January 2008 the "B" Squad kicked off the New Year with a home match against league leaders Malahide United. Weather conditions were simply appalling with constant rain making the going very tough on the pitch, but thankfully the excellent drainage system at Shanganagh Cliffs kept our pitch playable. The match started rather predictably with Malahide determined to press home their undoubted advantage of position, experience and, in someways, skill. Two early goals for the visitors seemed to invigorate the lads the "B" Squad under the direction of acting Manager, Ian M. Kane. They quickly found form and made the going very difficult for Malahide with a number of excellent chances on their goal. The second half opened with the lads of "The Town" refusing to allow the visitors an easy ride and despite another goal for the visitors, the lads kept up the pressure which finally paid off with a wonderfully executed goal from the "Most Improved Player of the Year" Johnson Goodwin (pictured right). Final score: DLTFC 1 : Malahide United 3 (Referee Robbie Kearns)

Christmas Party & Awards Ceremony

2007-12-20T20:19:00.001Z

On Saturday 15th December the Club held a very special ceremony in McKenna's of Wellington Street to mark the official launch of the TSP Sponsored Project and to mark the Club's 5th Anniversary of its foundation in 2002 by Ian M. Kane and Abrahim Abdul-Wahid. The occasion also allowed for special awards to be presented to members of both squads for their achievements during the year and last season. The most important aspect of the day was the occasion was the official launch of the TSP Sponsored Project and though, it had already commenced back in August, this was the first opportunity to celebrate the launch of the project. The project will involve the Club travelling to a number of venues at home and overseas to play matches and to build on Club's fine record of integration and social inclusion. The awards were presented by our first ever sponsor and former Club Chairperson, Robbie Rogerson, who by his kind generosity back in the summer of 2002 enabled the Club to get off the ground and given that the occasion marked our 5th anniversary, the Club was delighted that Robbie was available to do the honours. Photographs of the event are posted below.

Was it down to the Hangovers Lads?

2007-12-20T20:09:00.000Z

On Saturday 15th December 2007 the last game of the year was a deep disappointment for the lads of "The Town" as they went down to a miserable two nil defeat to Ballbriggan. A depleted "A" Squad travelled to north Dublin all too aware of the difficulties facing them as many players shied-off due to the work Christmas parties and more so, due to Mark Farrell's 21st the night before in Weir's of Dún Laoghaire. Manager Japo Kelly has vowed to tighten up the pre-match discipline of the squad to ensure that games are not thrown away due to "player hangovers" in the New Year. Final score: Ballybriggan 2 : DLTFC 0. Meanwhile, the "B" Squad match was cancelled due to a mix-up by the League.

Paschal Kennedy Motors Sponsor Club

2007-12-10T11:17:00.000Z

The Board is delighted to announce that Paschal Kennedy Motors of Cross Avenue, Dún Laoghaire has sponsored the new kit for the Club. Acquiring this kit in the Club's original colours of Yellow and Blue is a fitting tribute to all the endeavours of many as the Club marks its fifth year in operation. Pictured at the photo shoot outside Paschal Kennedy Motors on Saturday 8th December are from left to right: Back - Kevin Plunkett (Player Director), Mr. Paschal Kennedy (Sponsor), Ian M. Kane (Director & Co-Founder), Jonathon Corcoran, Fergus McCarthy, Mrs. May Kennedy. Front - Daniel Cruise, Gary Leonard, Kevin Corcoran and Mrs. Lori Kelly (Director). Due to the time constraints on the day, the rest of the Squad had to make its way to Cornelscourt for the kick off at 14.00hrs.

"B" Squad Win in Cornelscourt

2007-12-10T10:52:00.000Z

The "B" Squad was away to Brighton Celtic FC on Saturday 8th December 2007 in Division 3A with Ian M. Kane taking over as the Manager for this game as Yahaya Shehu was leaving for Christmas and New Year at home in Nigeria the same day. Again due to illness some of the stalwarts of the "B" Squad were unavailable for this game, but unlike the previous game, all was in order as Ian fielded a reasonably strong squad on the day. On a very windy, rainy and bitterly cold day and on a very slippery and muddy pitch the two teams found the going extremely difficult. At times it seemed that the ball would be simply blown away and at others, it appeared to just hang in the air due to the strong wind. The home team had the advantage of the strong wind in the first half and aided by a low winter sun making visibility across the pitch very difficult, a corner delivered their first goal as our keeper and defenders were almost blinded. Indeed, it seemed that nobody was too sure who actually scored. Dún Laoghaire's goalkeeper, Derek McAsey, certainly had a very good day making some exceptional saves from a very determined and skillful Brighton Celtic striker. The final score of Brighton Celtic 3 : DLTFC 4 ideally reflects the competitiveness of a very difficult game for both teams. But, without doubt, Dún Laoghaire's "Man of the Match" had to go to Johnson Godwin (pictured above) who scored two of our four goals.

Mixed Fortunes Again - Sat. 24th Nov. 2007

2007-11-24T20:07:00.000Z

The "B" Squad was at home on Saturday November 24th against Pioneers' FC in Division 3A of the Leinster Senior League. Unfortunately, with just eleven players available to the "B" Squad due to illness the task proved just too much on the day. Despite having a number of good chances, there was little the lads of the "B" Squad could have done to stop Pioneers' coming away with a decisive win. Final score: DLTFC 0 : Pioneers' FC 3. Whilst, up at St. Benildus College in Stillorgan, the lads of the "A" Squad had a comfortable win against St. James' Athletic FC in Division 3. Final score: St. James' Athletic FC 0 : DLTFC 2

A Win in the Wally Winn Cup

2007-11-17T20:55:00.000Z

Whilst, the "B" Squad enjoyed a rest due to the double-booking of our pitch by the League, the "A" Squad was in action in the Wally Winn Cup at home against Mount Tallant on Saturday 17th November 2007. Despite the heavy rain and loss of three key players due to the automatic one-match ban imposed for receiving Red Cards in truly farcical circumstances last week, the lads of "The Town" were, at last, on top form. Their first cup match in the Leinster Senior League was very eagerly awaited and the enthusiasm of the lads was much in evidence during a hard fought game with few real chances on offer. But not for the first time, Jay Kane, brought his undoubted experience and skill to bear on this game with two fine goals for "The Town" one in each half. Final score: DLTFC 2 : Mount Tallant 1 (pictured right, Jay Kane, Deputy Manager of the "A" Squad).

12 Goals Conceded by our Teams

2007-11-10T17:52:00.000Z

Yes, another bad day for "The Town" as the two squads conceded goals without reply on Saturday 10th November 2007. The "A" Squad was away to Ballyoulster United in Celbridge, Co. Kildare in the LSL Div. 3, whilst the "B" Squad in LSL Div. 3A was likewise away to Whitechurch United in South County Dublin. The outing to the plains of Kildare by the "A" Squad was not the sporting occasion that all had hoped for as the match was ruined by an excessive use of the whistle and nearly sixty stoppages. In utter frustration, voices were raised and tempers flared as most of the decisions made by the referee only served to produce a pitifully farcical encounter. Yellow Cards were doled out for any questioning of the Referee, even when asked to explain the nature of the transgression attracting the Yellow Card. Exacerbated by a perceived unreasonableness on behalf of the Referee, Dún Laoghaire lads received three Red Cards for protesting at both the inconsistency of his decisions and the total absurdity of the situation. This point was also well understood and appreciated by the opposition. Final score: Ballyoulster Utd. 4 : DLTFC 0. Whilst back in South County Dublin and as if to absolutely compound a very bad day for "The Town" the lads of the "B" Squad seemed to simply loose the plot. Our defenders and midfielders were in total disarray giving the Whitechurch lads opportunity after opportunity to score - five in the first half alone. Unbelievably, needless dissent amongst the ranks led to two Red Cards. This coupled with injuries left a depleted side to finish the game as another three goals were added by Whitechurch in the second half again without reply. Final score: Whitechurch Utd. 8 : DLTFC 0. The Board will be reviewing this situation at its next meeting and will most certainly demand prompt and effective action on a number of fronts, including discipline and training.

Vice Chairperson Elected

2007-11-06T09:04:00.000Z

The Board of the Club at its meeting on Monday 5th November 2007 unanimously elected Mrs. Anne Traynor of Shanganagh Cliffs to the position of Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Club. Anne has been a member of the Board of Directors since the Club moved to Shanganagh Cliffs and her kind assistance, advice and weekly support of our players on the sideline has been very much appreciated by the lads and the other members of the Board. As a very active resident in the Shanganagh Cliffs estate, Anne brings to the Club the all-important local knowledge as the numbers of players from the Shanganagh / Rathsallagh / Shankill area continues to grow. Anne also brings to this important position skills obtained through many years of community activism and development work in the Shanganagh area, including youth services etc. Anne takes over from the Club's co-founder Abrahim Abdul-Wahid who resigned as Vic-Chairperson to continue his studies in Abertawe (Swansea), Wales. The Board and all the members of the Club wish Anne every success in her new position as Vice-Chairperson of our Club.

First Walkover Conceded in Club's History

2007-11-04T20:20:00.000Z

On Saturday November 3rd 2007, a day that will live in infamy, Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club conceded its first ever walkover in its five year history. The "B" Squad was scheduled to play Tymon Rovers FC at Kingswood in Tallaght and due to "the flu" only six players were able to show up for this match at the meeting point outside Trinity College Dublin. Amongst those struck down by influenza was the Manager, Yahaya Shehu, who tried hard to call out a team from his sick bed. David Mooney from Dalkey was on hand to take over and met four of the players at Trinity with goalkeeper, Derek McAsey, arriving a few minutes later. In an effort to prevent further inconvenience to the lads of Tymon Rovers FC, frantic phone calls were made to their Secretary and the League Divisional Secretary, Dominic Quigley. The latter confirmed that our offer to reschedule the match and to pay for the referee was not acceptable and that Tymon Rovers FC opted for the walkover, three points and three goals. The "A" Squad, on the other hand, wasn't due to play this week and therefore, the lads settled down, no doubt pints in hand, to enjoy the Arsenal v Manchester United match that afternoon. The League Tables for the Saturday Division 3A matches are available on www.lsl.ie

Dún Laoghaire Town 0 : Rathoath Harps 3

2007-10-27T17:01:00.000Z

Not even the presence and strategic guidance of former Chairperson Abrahim Abdul-Wahid, home from Abertawe (Swansea), could prevent another defeat for the "B" Squad playing at home to Rathoath Harps FC from County Meath on Saturday 27th October 2007. The first half went reasonably well with both teams missing easy chances delivered by mistakes on both sides. However, with a goal disallowed for each team, both teams went into the break goaless. Changes by Manager Yahaya Shehu five minutes into the second half proved too little and maybe, too late as the lads from Rathoath put three goals by keeper Derek McAsey as Dún Laoghaire's defence opened-up time and again. An injury to Declan Daly and the sending off of Jack Bwalya on a Red Card depleated "The Town" leaving the final score:- DLTFC 0 : Rathoath Haprs FC 3 (referee Alan Turner) (pictured Ian Kane wearing number 16 battles hard to keep possession)

Good Performances by Both Squads

2007-10-20T19:23:00.000Z

The "A" Squad was at home to Terenure College on Saturday 20th October 2007 in a match that was frustratingly exciting and very fast throughout. This was a return match that the lads of "The Town" looked forward to with considerable gusto and they weren't in any way disappointed. Once again, the locals of Shanganagh were out in force to shout on "The Town" and they were treated to a very tense game and despite many chances, it was nil all at the break. The second half, once again, produced many chances but it wasn't until the last twenty minutes of the game that the lads of "The Town" were clearly in control. A disallowed goal was hotly disputed by the players, Manager and the many spectators at the game - but the referee was having nothing of it. Then in the last five minutes - the long awaited Dún Laoghaire goal was brilliantly executed by the young and very talented Dean Kelly from Shanganagh. Final score: DLTFC 1 : Terenure College 0. On the same day, the "B" Squad travelled to the beautiful grounds of the historic Malahide Castle in north County Dublin to meet Malahide United in what proved to be an excellent game. The lads of "The Town" were in control of the game for most of the first and the greater part of the second half, however, the unavoidable absence of goalkeeper Derek McAsey proved to be the chink in the armour. But manager, Yahaya Shehu, based on solid training over the last two weeks, rallied his troops to deliver a sound performance against Divisional leaders Malahide. The only goal for "The Town" came from the very strong and skillful boot of David Mooney from Dalkey. Final score: Malahide 2 : DLTFC 1 (pictured above, "B" Squad Manager, Yahaya Shehu)

"B" Squad Played a Stormer in St. Anne's Park

2007-10-14T19:05:00.000Z

The "B" Squad was away to Pioneers' FC on Saturday 13th October 2007 (match report to follow)

"A" Squad Concede 17 Goals in 3 Matches - What's Up Lads?

2007-10-14T18:23:00.000Z

The bad luck continues for the "A" Squad as they concede another 6 goals with no reply against Monksfield on Saturday October 13th 2007. This result brings the total number of goals conceded in the last three games to a staggering 17 - what's gone wrong lads? The game started well and indeed, for the first twenty minutes the lads of "The Town" looked as if they were going to easily get the better of Monksfield. Monksfield's first goal was followed by two more before the break. But very shortly after the first Monksfield goal things started to go very badly wrong as Monksfield or, more accurately, the referee, vigorously played the off-side rule to deny "The Town" any chance of an equaliser. Indeed, unbelievably the lads from "The Town" were "caught" off-side no less than seventeen times by a very officious referee who refused to listen to any protests on the matter from players or the sideline. Remarkably, Monksfield had no such problem nor indeed, had they any problems with any alleged infringements of the game such as placing a foot over the sideline to get water or having water bottles brought on to assist downed players. The rule book and whistle were certainly much in evidence and very questionably so on a number of occasions. But, to their credit, the Dún Laoghaire lads accepted this awkwardly unusual situation with dignity - which brought some very supportive comments from the opposition at the end of the game. Final score: Monksfield 6 : DLTFC 0 (pictured above, the kick off at Monksfield)

Both Teams Concede 6 Goals

2007-10-06T18:52:00.000Z

Another bad day for both teams as the "A" Squad conceded 6 goals to St. James' Athletic FC at home, whilst the "B" Squad did the same away to Palmerstown United. The performance of the "A" Squad will certainly give Manager Japo Kelly much to think about as mistake after mistake heaped on the pressure as St. James' took full advantage of a very disorganised defence. Though it would be unfair to just blame our defenders - the rest of the players were frequently out of position with the inevitable results. Directions from Japo and Deputy Manager, Jay Kane, left those on the sideline wondering whether any of our players were listening. At times the midfield was in total disarray as anything reaching our forwards was swiftly dispatched by St. James'. With less than twenty minutes to go some semblance of order began to slowly emerge as the lads of "The Town" finally started to show their real form and potential - but alas, it was all too little and far too late to save the game. The only goal for "The Town" came, once again, from the very talented Dean Kelly. However, if there was a "Man of the Match" award for this game it would have to go to our youngest player, Gary Leonard, who never gave up against lads nearly twice his size. Final score: DLTFC "A" 1 : St. James Athletic 6. (pictured above, Luke McMahon, Karl Waddington and Captain, Paddy Kershaw). The "B" Squad playing away to Palmerstown United got off to a very bad start with goalkeeper, Derek McAsey, held up in traffic and other players out through injury. Though, the first goal of the match came from "The Town's" Tiziano Makanzu (pictured below) the rest of the first half was simply a disaster as the Palmerstown lads put five goals away with comparative ease. With no clear strategy, chaotic defending and an apparent inability to seize any chance whatsoever, the halftime whistle put an end to the embarrassment. With their regular goalkeeper in place for the second half, the lads picked up their game and really showed their metal as two halves couldn't have been more different. Palmerstown only managed one goal in the second half as the lads of "The Town" clearly took control of the game. Our second goal came from the very skillful boot of Thierno Bah . But like the lads of the "A" Squad, finding form late in the game couldn't save the day for the "B" Squad either. Final score: Palmerstown 6 : DLTFC "B" 2

2 : 0 Lead Thrown Away in 2nd Half

2007-09-29T19:20:00.000Z

The omens were certainly not with "The Town" on Saturday 29th September 2007 as the confusion caused by the double-booking of our pitch by the League continued right through to the kick off against Tymon Rovers FC. The Club's Development Officer, Ian M. Kane, endeavoured to sort out this mess by accommodating both the "A" Squad and the "B" Squad with matches scheduled for 12.30hrs and 14.30hrs. But despite calls to the secretaries of both opposition clubs, the Referee and the two Divisional Secretaries of the League, agreement could not be reached and in the end, both matches were cancelled. The two Squads were advised by text of the cancellation. Then at the eleventh hour, Tymon Rovers FC confirmed that they could field a team for a 14.30hrs match against the "B" Squad in Division 3A. Ian then set about rearranging the referee and confirming matters with the Divisional Secretary of the League. All was OK - match on. Then suddenly on Saturday morning panic set in as the "B" Squad Manager, Yahaya Shehu, discovered that he could not field a full team. Thanks to the Shankill based members of the "A" Squad - Joe Clancy, Gary Leonard, Declan Daly, Jonathon Corcoran and Dean Kelly, along with other "A" Squad members, Ian M. Kane, Kevin Plunkett and goalkeeper, Daniel Wildes, we were back to full strength for the 14.30hrs kick off. For much of the first half the game was a very evenly matched affair with neither side making any decisive breaks until the first goal for "The Town" came from Dean Kelly. Early in the second half the tallest player on the pitch William Murrayho (pictured above) delivered the second for "The Town" from an excellent header. For most of the players in this team facing Tymon Rovers it was the first time they had ever played together and this caused some confusion and indecision which lead to two easy goals for the opposition. Final score: DLTFC 2 : Tymon Rovers 2 (Referee Alan Turner). The Board wishes to thank the members of the "A" Squad who made themselves available at very short notice for this match to assist the lads and the Manager of the "B" Squad. Good on ye lads!!

Bad Day for "The Town" as Both Teams Concede 5 Goals

2007-09-22T16:52:00.000Z

Both teams from Dún Laoghaire Town FC were playing away in Crumlin on Saturday 22nd September - the "A" Squad against Transport FC at the Transport Club ground and the "B" Squad at Brickfields Park against Blackforge FC. It was the "B" Squad's first match under their new Manager, Yahaya Shehu, who took over from Abrahim Abdul-Wahid on Tuesday 18th September 2007 - his appointment is due to be confirmed at the new Board meeting. But is was not a good day for the lads of "The Town" as both teams were heavily outmatched as each conceded five goals with the "A" Squad only managing to score one in reply. The "B" Squad were level at two all at halftime with goals from Gelsom Gomes and Timson Aigbe, but the second half proved disastrous with a further three goals for Blackforge FC. The only Dún Laoghaire goal for the "A" Squad came from the reliable boot of Joey O'Reilly and again the opposition proved the stronger and more focused side scoring five goals against a team reeling from the sending off of Jay Kane midway in the second half. Both benches agreed that the sending off was very harsh and as if to cap matters for "The Town", the "B" Squad also lost a valuable player to a red card as Bruno de Carvalho was forced out of the game in Brickfields. To make matters worse the"B" Squad had to find a replacement for goalkeeper, Derek McAsey, who unfortunately had to sit out the second half through injury. Following a request by Yahaya, two players from the "A" Squad were released by Manager Japo Kelly for the "B" Squad game and, indeed by all reports, both André FitzPatrick and Kenneth Gorry gave a good account of themselves during the second half at Brickfields. The "A" Squad match was also the first game for two more signings from the Shanganagh area, Declan Daly and Jonathon Corcoran. Final scores: Transport FC 5 : DLTFC "A" 1 and Blackforge FC 5 : DLTFC 2. (pictured above, Kevin Plunkett recovering from a knock in a tough game against Transport FC). Finally, the Club very much appreciated the kind assistance it received from the renowned local artist and arts educator, Veronica Heywood, you helped with the transport of players between the two Crumlin venues.

Abrahim's Last Match in Charge

2007-09-15T21:44:00.000Z

The "B" Squad was at home on Saturday 15th September to Palmerstown United for Abrahim Abdul-Wahid's last match as Manager before he departs for Swansea to study for one year. Indeed, Abrahim's departure will also mean that he will resign from the Board of Directors after five years of service to the Club. Unfortunately, the match was not what Abrahim had planned as his going-away present as the lads failed to capitalise in a match that they clearly dominated for the first half and much of the second. Two great goals from Palmerstown though didn't succeed in diminishing the spirit of the Dún Laoghaire lads who frustratingly put the ball across the Palmerstown goal eight times before Tiziano Makanzu finally found the net. Once again, the local lads from Shanganagh, including many "A" Squad players, came out in great numbers to support the lads of "The Town". The match was also watched by the Manager of the "A" Squad, Japo Kelly, who greatly admired the skill and gutsy determination of Abrahim's squad. (pictured above, Goalkeeper Kennedy George & the lads see off an attack on goal by Palmerstown in the first half) Final score: DLTFC 1 : Palmerstown Utd. 2. (Ref. Gheorge Breja-Dorel)

Both Teams Arrived & No L.S.L Referee

2007-09-08T16:43:00.000Z

The home fixture against Malahide United had to be abandoned as no Leinster Senior League referee turned up on Saturday 8th September 2007. Both teams had arrived on time and very shortly it became apparent that no referee would be available for this important Division 3A match. The Club Chairman had contacted several League officials during the week in order to obtain the name of the referee and finally, he was advised by one of the Referee Assessors that a referee would attend for the match but that he hadn't a name. Based on this information contact was made with Malahide to ensure that they had the directions to Shanganagh Cliffs. Calls to the Referee Allocations Officer, who was in Bratislava for the Republic of Ireland game, and to the Divisional Secretary and a Referee Assessor failed to resolve the situation. Late phone calls from the pitch to LSL referees resident in the Greater Dún Laoghaire, including some retired referees, still produced nothing. The suggestion of having an official from either Club referee the game was not acceptable to the Malahide management for insurance and other reasons. Nothing further could have been done by Dún Laoghaire to allow the match go ahead. Whilst, the officials of this Club sincerely regret the inconvenience suffered by the lads and management of Malahide United, it is clear that the fault in this incident fully rests with the League organisers.

Dún Laoghaire Town 1 : Blackrock College 1

2007-09-03T22:41:00.000Z

A team plagued with injuries and clearly suffering the absence of some of its key players was lucky to come away with a draw against Blackrock College on Monday 3rd September 2007. This home game was always going to be a difficult one with injuries from Saturday's match leaving a weakened defence for "The Town" whilst the Blackrock side proved to be a far stronger team than the one we previously encountered at Newtownparklands. It could be said that the teams were rather evenly matched this time out, however, with key players like Paddy Kershaw and Karl Waddington missing from the defence, the pressure was on the Lads. Blackrock's goal in the second half was clearly due to silly mistakes and a little confusion in the ranks. Once again, one of our young signings from Shanganagh, Dean Kelly, delivered for "The Town" from a series of brilliantly executed passes by Daniel Cruise and Jay Kane. Another new signing from the Shanganagh area and former Borough Celtic player, Joe Clancy, (pictured above) made his debut for "The Town" at this match with a strong performance. The game was watched by a good number of spectators from the locality - all shouting for "The Town". Final score: DLTFC 1 : Blackrock College 1 (Dean Kelly). (Referee:- Michael Dolan)

Wins at Home and Away

2007-09-02T11:42:00.000Z

Both games on Saturday 1st September 2007 delivered results for the lads of "The Town" as the "B" Squad recorded its first win in Division 3A of the Leinster Senior League defeating Clonee United at Paslickstown. Meanwhile, at home the "A" Squad battled hard to keep its winning record in a tough game against Balbriggan at Shanganagh Cliffs. (pictured left Jay Kane and right, Tiziano Makanzu) Results:- Home, DLTFC 3 : Blabriggan 2 (Daniel Cruise, Jay Kane and Dean Kelly). Away, Clonee United 1 : DLTFC 4 (Tunde Oni, Tiziano Makanzu, Timson Aigbe and Jack Bwalya).

Mixed Fortunes for Our Teams

2007-08-25T18:03:00.000Z

Saturday 25th August 2007 delivered very mixed fortunes for the two squads with a stunning victory over Terenure College for the "A" Squad at Bushy Park. The Lads of "The Town" delivered a punishing defeat on a Terenure side that came out brimming with confidence unfortunately marked by one or two jibes at our Lads on the issue of "social housing". Dean Kelly, Joey O'Reilly (pictured right) and André FitzPatrick each found the back of the Terenure net with fine goals to hammer home the 3 : 1 win over Terenure College. The "B" Squad unfortunately suffered a gruelling 5 : 1 defeat at home against Whitechurch with the only goal for "The Town" coming from the boot of the very talented Tiziano Makanzu. Results: Away, Terenure College 1 : DLTFC 3 and home, DLTFC 1 : Whitechurch 5.

Dún Laoghaire Town 1 : Brighton Celtic 2

2007-08-21T23:40:00.000Z

The opening match for the "B" Squad was very much a home derby against Cornelscourt based Brighton Celtic on Tuesday 21st August 2007 at Shanganagh. For many in the squad this was their first ever experience of a league game and they were naturally nervous at the start, but that didn't last long. Dún Laoghaire Town's Timson Aigbe (pictured above) laid claim to the "B" Squad's first goal in the Leinster Senior League to equalise with an early goal by the visitors. Manager Abrahim Abdul-Wahid made some tactically changes in the second half in an effort to take the game to the opposition. However, the sides were level for much of the game until a penalty gave Brighton Celtic the lead, though, many would say that the woodwork consistently denied "The Town" a late equaliser leaving the score as DLTFC 1 : Brighton Celtic 2. (Referee Derek Caulfied)

Blackrock College 1 : Dún Laoghaire Town 6

2007-08-21T00:21:00.000Z

The first away game for the "A" Squad was certainly a memorable occasion, not only for the quality of the football, but mainly for the outstanding performance of the three young players from Shanganagh, Daniel Cruise, Gary Leonard and Dean Kelly. These new signings were responsible for three of the six goals scored during this match against Blackrock College AFC on Monday 20th August 2007. The other three goals were scored by Joey O'Reilly, with two great strikes from 25yds and one from Dean McAfee who was the caption on the day. Before the match Japo put the lads through their paces. He emphasised the need for discipline and tactics drawing on the lessons learned in the pre-Season friendly games and training sessions. (pictured Gary Leonard, left and Daniel Cruise - both from Shanganagh). (Referee Hubert Kane)

Leinster Senior League Commences

2007-08-19T13:40:00.000Z

The opening matches of the Leinster Senior League 2007/8 season were severely disrupted by heavy rain and waterlogged pitches around the Dublin region on Saturday August 18th 2007. Shanganagh Cliffs was an exception due the extensive drainage works carried out on the pitch last year by the Parks Department of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. The "B" Squad was do to make its LSL debut against Pioneers FC in Division 3A at St. Anne's Park in Raheny, but the match was called-off as the lads arrived at the park. So the "B" Squad will have its first match of the Season at home on Tuesday 21st August at 19.00hrs against Brighton Celtic. Despite the heavy rain and the serious traffic disruption on the M50 which delayed the Kick Off by 30 minutes, the "A" Squad's first match in Division 3 against Ballyoulster gave Dún Laoghaire Town its first points in the Leinster Senior League with a fine goal by local Shanganagh lad, Dean Kelly (pictured above right) while Dún Laoghaire's defence held solid throughout with, amongst others, defender Karl Waddington (pictured above left). Final score: DLTFC 1 : Ballyoulster 0 (Referee Willie Davenport)

First LSL Fixtures

2007-08-14T11:58:00.000Z

The "A" Squad playing in Division 3 will kick off at 14.30hrs on Saturday 18th August 2007 against Ballyouster at home (Shanganagh Cliffs), while the "B" Squad playing in Division 3A will have its Leinster Senior League debut on the same day at 14.30hrs against Pioneers at St. Anne's, Raheny. The "A" Squad will play its first away game on Monday 20th August 2007 against Blackrock College at 18.30hrs at Newtownparklands. The "B" Squad's first home game will be on Tuesday 21st August 2007 at 19.00hrs against Brighton Celtic.

"Dunleary Town"

2007-08-14T11:40:00.000Z

Many members and supporters noticed that the Club was entered on the website of the Leinster Senior League http://www.lsl.ie as "Dunleary Town" and contacted the Chairperson regarding this misspelling of the Club's name. The Chairperson contacted the Secretary of the LSL who undertook to have the correct spelling inserted. However, the LSL Fixtures published on Monday 13th August 2007 in the "Evening Herald" also used "Dunleary Town" and this generated several complaints to the Chairperson of the Club. To clarify the matter, the Club is registered with the Leinster Senior League as "Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club" and therefore, this should be the spelling utilised by the League. The Chairperson has written a letter of complaint to the League regarding the misspelling if the Club's name. To further clarify the matter, there has never been a town of "Dunleary" in Ireland and contrary to the erroneous assertions of some, "Dunleary" is not an alternative spelling of Dún Laoghaire. Dunleary was a small area in the Town of Kingstown, County Dublin, the Urban District Council of which, changed its name in 1919 to Dún Laoghaire and the town itself was given the name officially in 1921. The name of the harbour was changed to Dún Laoghaire by Section 10 of the State Harbours Act, 1924. The Board of the Club expects that the Leinster Senior League will rectify the matter very shortly.

Shankill Gardaí Come On-Board

2007-08-09T08:22:00.000Z

At the Board Meeting held on Wednesday 8th August 2007, Garda David Jones and Garda Tom Brereton of Shankill Garda Station advised the Board of their successful endeavours in the Shanganagh area to establish an Under 16's Boys Team. The Shankill Gardaí were very impressed with the work undertaken by the Club both in the Dún Laoghaire area and recently in the Shankill area. It was agreed to fully incorporate the Shankill initiative into the Club's plans and hopefully, the Under 16 Boys Team will be competing in a Dublin wide league very soon. The involvement of An Gárda Síochána in local initiatives of this nature has proved very successful throughout the Greater Dublin Region and indeed, our own Community Garda John Paul Durkan of Dún Laoghaire Garda Station has been a longtime advocate of these "youth diversionary initiatives" in local communities. The support of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the RAPID Programme is also welcomed and appreciated by the Club Board.

"B" Squad Prepares for Leinster Senior League

2007-08-07T22:01:00.000Z

The players of the "B" Squad under Manager Abrahim Abdul-Wahid are preparing hard for their debut in the Leinster Senior League in Division 3A. The squad has been training at Herbert Park in Dublin City for the past few months and held their first friendly game against a League side in the park on Tuesday August 6th 2007. The game against Bath Markiewicz Celtic was a very spirited game marked by some great displays of sheer determination and skill by the young players of the "B" Squad. Watched by the Club Chairman, Michael Merrigan and the Club Development Officer, Ian M. Kane, the lads gave a good strong account of themselves against the more experienced opposition. The lads even succeeded in encouraging the Club Development Officer to play in the second half for about twenty minutes due to some light injuries amongst our players. This was especially remarkable as this was the first competitive game in which most of the Squad had played together as a team and it was certainly a great game to watch. Good work lads!! The final score was DLTFC 1 : Bath Markiewicz Celtic 4

"The Town" joins Leinster Senior League

2007-08-06T14:40:00.000Z

Dún Laoghaire Town FC will have two teams competing in the Leinster Senior League this year in Divisions 3 and 3A. It was agreed that our "A" Squad under Japo Kelly would play in Division 3 with the "B" Squad under Abrahim Abdul-Wahid competing in Division 3A. This is certainly an exciting and challenging time for the Club as it was always the intention of the Club founders, Ian and Abrahim, to one day have our teams playing in the Leinster Senior League. It appears that most of the matches will be played in the Greater Dublin Region and, of course, on our home pitch at Shanganagh on Saturdays. The organisers of the League have assured the Club that there will be no clashes of match schedules for Dún Laoghaire Town's teams between the two Divisions of the League. The League Tables and the match fixtures will be posted on the website of Leinster Senior League at http://www.lsl.ie/ for further information contact Japo Kelly on 087 959 1216 or Abrahim Abdul-Wahid on 086 120 6666.

Important Decisions Taken at Board Meeting

2007-06-23T15:33:00.000Z

The Board of Directors of the Club met on Saturday 23rd June 2007 in Park House, Library Road, Dún Laoghaire to discuss a very full agenda. Besides unanimously agreeing to the co-option of Alan Turner, Ann Traynor and Luke MacMahon, the Board formally adopted the Strategic Development Plan and agreed to entering two adult teams in the Leinster Senior League, one Under 16 team in the Dublin District Schoolboys' League and to establish a girls' Under 13 team. The Board devoted a considerable amount of time to a proposal by Darren "Japo" Kelly, Manager of the "A" Squad, for the introduction of certain disciplinary measures, including fines for transgression by players. The members of the Board had to consider this matter carefully given the various players' rights that are contained in the Club's Standing Orders. Player Director, Kevin Plunkett (pictured above on the left speaking with Club Development Officer, Ian Kane) stressed the need for discipline and adherence to the Code of Conduct, but also that the rights enjoyed by players under Standing Orders should be fully respected. The Board adopted a proposal allowing for the imposition of fines within the existing framework. The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday 3rd July 2007 at Park House, Library Road, Dún Laoghaire.

New Chairman Elected at 2007 AGM

2007-06-23T11:22:00.000Z

A new Club Chairman was elected at the Club's Annual General held on Wednesday 13th June 2007 in Weirs of Dún Laoghaire. Michael Merrigan (pictured left) was the Club's Public Relations Officer for a number of years before succeeding Abrahim Abdul Wahid as Chairman. Abrahim was elected as Vice-Chairman; Luke Martin, Hon. Secretary; Noel Vaughan, Hon. Treasurer; Cllr. Cormac Devlin, Public Relations Officer; Ian M. Kane, Club Development Officer and the Board nominated Kevin Plunkett and Gabriel Akujobi as Player Representatives on the Board. Mr. Alan Turner and Ms. Ann Traynor of Shanganagh will be co opted as Board members at the first meeting of the new Board which is due to take place on Saturday June 23rd 2007.

The "A" and "B" Squads

2007-05-07T16:22:00.000Z

The Strategic Development Plan for the Club will have to be amended to take account of the possibility of the Club fielding two adult teams, one Under 16 and one Under 18 boys' team and a girls team. In the meantime, the listing below for both the "A" and "B" Squads is only provisional as these lists are currently undergoing an in-depth review by the Managers in order to prepare for the forthcoming season. Queries regarding the lists should be directed to either Japo Kelly (087 959 1216) or Abrahim Abdul Wahid (086 120 6666).

"The Town" Comes to Shanganagh

2007-05-07T15:08:00.000Z

Dún Laoghaire Town Football Club had its inaugural match at its new home ground at Shanganagh Cliffs on Saturday 5th May 2007. The game involved teams drawn from the "A" and "B" Squads and included many new signings from the Shanganagh area. In the week running up to the match, Ian Kane and Kevin Plunkett organised and supervised the relocation of the container (temporary dressing rooms) from Ballawley Park to Shanganagh Cliffs. Later Japo Kelly and Ian Kane undertook the marking of the pitch. So all was ready for the inaugural match on Saturday. As expected there was much local interest in the Club, indeed, a deputation of local lads led by Kevin Moran sought and received assurances on the establishment of an Under 16's Team from the Chairman whilst Anne Traynor, local community activist, sought to have the girls of the area included. Clearly, the Club has much work to do with the possibilities now of two adult teams, one Under 18's and one Under 16's boys' teams and two girls' teams now on offer. This is a magnificent start for the Club in Shanganagh, for which, the Club is sincerely grateful to the local community, especially Anne Traynor, Alan Turner and Kevin Moran. The match ended "A" Squad 2 : "B" Squad 1 and it proved to be a great opportunity for both Abrahim and Japo to try out new players and players in different positions. The goals came from Jay Kane and Glen Forsythe for the "A" Squad and from Boye Karunwi for the "B" Squad. Another match is planned for next week. "The Town" has come to Shanganagh ...... at last!!

Captain & Facilities Director View Container

2007-04-17T23:36:00.000Z

With the plans for the move to Shanganagh now in full swing, Paddy Kershaw, Captain, and Ian Kane, Facilities Director (left in photo.), accompanied Dún Laoghaire Community Garda Paul Durkan to view a 40th (12.20m) box-container for use as a temporary Dressing Room at Shanganagh. The container will require a small degree of work to bring it up to an acceptable standard for use at the new pitch. It has been converted into a two-room dressing room facility but has not be used for some time. Looking like a lick or two of paint wouldn't go a miss - it's not bad for a start!! Plans to have it transported from its present location to Shanganagh are currently being considered and a suitable location at Shanganagh Cliffs is being discussed with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council's Parks Department. The Club's new Strategic Development Plan aims to provide a more permanent facility in due course.

Just Not Our Day - Friday 13th April 2007

2007-04-17T23:28:00.000Z

Well, much has been said and much more believed regarding the omens surrounding Friday the 13th - whatever the case, luck certainly bypassed Dún Laoghaire Town FC on that day at Three Rock Rovers when a scrappy match ended in a One Nil defeat by Sandyford. Report by Ian Kane to follow later.

Dún Laoghaire v. WWF - Friday 30th March 2007

2007-03-31T11:01:00.000Z

A long awaited clash between old rivals Dún Laoghaire Town FC and WWF took place on the front pitch at Three Rock Rovers on Friday 30th March 2007 at 20.00hrs. Going into the game the Dún Laoghaire lads were certainly up for this match to make amends for being knocked out of the Cup last week on penos. Dún Laoghaire kicked off playing from left to right and the pace was set right from the whistle. As you would expect with this rivalry there were a few tough tackles in the opening minutes. But the lads of "The Town" weren't long getting the ball down and started to knock it about creating one or two half chances from the down the left wing. It was a bit of a stalemate for the next ten minutes or so. Dún Laoghaire with some of our key players back in action were soon to create chance upon chance with the young Steve McAfee twisting and turning to unleash a shot down to the keeper's left which came back off the upright. As Dún Laoghaire had most of the possession causing the WWF lads to work very hard to get a touch of the ball. With some excellent one two touch football from Dún Laoghaire again coming close to scoring with Daniel Downey making a brilliant run down the left wing and cutting inside to smash a shot off the near post. Though having most of the possession Dún Laoghaire failed to capitalise as we headed in to half time. WWF kicked off the second half but the Dún Laoghaire lads were straight out at them and within a minute or so Luke Murphy had a fine shot from about 30 yards which just went wide of the post. Dún Laoghaire were once again on top creating many chances the best coming from a corner from Thomas Downey which Luke Murphy headed towards goal forcing the WWF keeper to make a fine save with his outstretched right arm but he needed a second grasp to secure it. Dún Laoghaire again knocking the ball about quite comfortably causing a sequence of three corners with the first two being cleared for corners, third time lucky, Daniel Downey stood up to take the corner kick which he sent a quality ball into the box with Luke Murphy making a great run, timing his jump perfectly to head the ball down into the ground and into the back of the net. Straight from the tip off there was no holding Dún Laoghaire back as they were pressurising the ball forcing WWF to play the ball backwards. With Dún Laoghaire getting control of the ball causing all sorts problems for the WWF defenders and again hitting the bar from a fine shot from Thomas Downey (pictured above left) . With about five to six minutes remaining WWF pushing forward to get an equalizer creating some chances down the left wing which came to Ian Kane and Dean McAfee making some great last ditch crunching tackles to keep Dún Laoghaire on course for a win that they so richly deserved. All in all Dún Laoghaire making a fine team effort working very hard for one another. Final score: DLTFC 1 WWF 0. (Reporter: Ian Kane)

NightHawks League Cup - Quarter Final

2007-03-27T14:34:00.000Z

The Quarter Final of the Nighthawks League had Dún Laoghaire Town FC face the lads of East Coast FC on Friday 23rd March 2007 on the front pitch at Three Rock Rovers. Dún Laoghaire started the game playing from left to right as this was a very important match for both teams it started off a bit cagey. But this was soon to change as a great move down the left wing by Dún Laoghaire with a number of players involved produced a great sequence of play which ended with Daniel Downey swinging the ball in from the left wing and Kevin Plunkett (pictured right) coming close with a fine header which went narrowly wide to the keeper's right. Dún Laoghaire started to kick into gear with a number of chances but lacked cutting edge in front of goal. As Dún Laoghaire got the ball down on the deck and started passing the ball around but failing to create much as East Coast were very solid in defence. It was a bit of a midfield game in that period producing little by way of chances for either team. But as the ball broke to East Coast in the midfield involving their Centre Midfielder and Left Winger - East Coast scored a fine goal on the break just before the half. Japo's half-time pep talk seemed to fire up the lads as Dún Laoghaire came back out in fighting form for the second half creating some more chances but again just failed to find that finishing touch. But all was soon to change as Dún Laoghaire won a free kick just inside East Coast's half which Thomas Downey, the dead-ball specialist, stood to take, whipping in a quality ball into the penalty area which ended up in the back of the net with a slight touch from an East Coast player. All was to play for now as Dún Laoghaire got the equalizer they so deserved with Dún Laoghaire pushing forward for the winning goal creating more and more chances but as in the first half we found it very hard to break them down. Just as the end Dún Laoghaire had a great chance to clinch the game with young Steve McAfee just pulling his shot wide from just outside the box leaving the score at 1 : 1 and the dreaded penalties to come. As usual the Captain, Paddy Kershaw, stood up to take the first penalty which he calmly slotted home. With both teams scoring their first four penalties it was Dean McAfee up to take Dún Laoghaire's fifth which he smashed against the crossbar leaving it down to East Coast to take them into the Semi Finals of the NightHawks League Cup with a fine last penalty of the game into the top right hand corner. The final score DLTFC 1 : East Coast 1 and then 5 : 4 to East Coast on penalties. (Reporter: Ian Kane)

5th Match in the Premier Division

2007-03-20T20:20:00.000Z

On Friday 16th March 2007 at 19.00hrs at Three Rock Rovers, Dún Laoghaire Town FC faced the lads of Image Now in an exciting encounter which came right down to the line with Image Now getting a late goal to clinch the game. Dún Laoghaire FC went 2 down in the first half and Japo's lads fought back to level as the match drew to a close with two superb goals from the very talented Luke Murphy (pictured above). But just before the whistle, Image Now scored the winning goal leaving the score: DLTFC 2 : Image Now FC 3. According to the Captain, Paddy Kershaw, the lads of "The Town" gave a very good account of themselves in what was a tough and, at times, very fast game. The match on Friday 23rd March 2007 will see Dún Laoghaire FC play in the Quarter Final of the NightHawks Cup against East Coast at 22.00hrs at Three Rock Rovers.

4th Premier League Game - Fri. 9th March 2007

2007-03-10T19:03:00.000Z

Dún Laoghaire Town FC faced Aston Village FC in the 4th game of the NightHawks Premier League on Friday 9th March 2007 at 21.00hrs on the back pitch at Three Rock Rovers. The game certainly did not produce great football, though, Dún Laoghaire Town FC was in control from the outset. Two fine goals, firstly by our newest signing, Dean Byrne, (no picture available) and the second by the young and very talented, Stephen McAfee, (pictured below in blog) sealed the game for Dún Laoghaire. The Captain, Paddy Kershaw, (pictured right) was forced out of the game through injury during the second half, however, he should be fit for our game on Friday 16th March 2007. The loss of Paddy's skill, strength and determination in the defence was certainly very visible as Aston Village FC attempted to get back into the game in the final ten or fifteen minutes. But Japo Kelly quickly noticed the danger and reorganised the defence as Paddy directed matters from the sideline. Final score: DLTFC 2 : Aston Village FC 0

3rd Premier League Match - Friday 2nd March 2007

2007-02-27T19:07:00.000Z

The lads of Dún Laoghaire Town FC, as anticipated by all, faced their toughest encounter yet on Friday 2nd March at 22.00hrs on the back pitch at Three Rock Rovers. The current top team in the Premier Division of the NightHawks League, Réal Coachiadad, presented Japo's lads with a really challenging, tough and fast game. The overall fitness levels of the two teams proved to be the deciding factor on the night with the more experienced lads of Réal Coachiadad taking control of the match after around twenty-five minutes. Two silly errors by "The Town" were easily exploited by the opposition and a further goal followed leaving the final score as DLTFC 0 Réal Coachiadad 3.

2nd Draw in Premier League - Friday 23rd Feb. 2007

2007-02-19T15:04:00.000Z

The game against Riverside on Friday 23rd February on the back pitch at Three Rock Rovers was the second game for Dún Laoghaire in the NightHawks Premier League and once again it produced a draw. The game was not without incident and according to observers, some controversial decisions by the referee may have contributed to the situation. Following such a decision Dún Laoghaire Town were reduced to ten men with the early sending off a vital midfielder. The pressure was on Dún Laoghaire throughout the game but at half time the score stood at 1 all with Dún Laoghaire's goal coming from Daniel Downey (see previous post). The second half was a tense affair but Japo's lads soon went into the lead with a fine goal by Luke Murphy (pictured left). A late equalizer by Riverside left the final score at 2 all. The Club Board will look at all aspects of this match at its next meeting as the issuance of two Red Cards requires careful consideration.

DLTFC v DGT - Friday 16th Feb. 2007

2007-02-14T15:40:00.000Z

The match between Dún Laoghaire Town FC and DGT in the NightHawks League was a very fast and tight game in which DGT were lucky to hold Dún Laoghaire to a 1 all draw. The lads of "The Town" dominated much of the play but unfortunately a combination of the woodwork and a very skillful DGT goalkeeper denied the lads of "The Town" a well deserved win. At the previous encounter between the teams, a jubilant DGT won 5 : 1 against a team with a number of key players out due to injury and with a few unavoidable absentees due to the seasonal Office Parties. Though, DGT have size, weight, experience and indeed, some talent on their side, youth, speed, agility and skill are the hallmarks of Dún Laoghaire Town and Japo's lads proved this in great measure last night. The final score: Dún Laoghaire Town FC 1 : DGT 1 - Daniel Downey (pictured above) scored for "The Town".

DLTFC WIN LOCAL DERBY

2007-02-13T00:05:00.000Z

Dún Laoghaire Town FC played, according to most observers, its best game this season in the NightHawks League on Friday February 9th 2007. The match was really a "local derby" between DLTFC and Borough Celtic which draws its players from the Ballybrack/Loughlinstown and Sallynoggin areas. The two teams knew each other very well and in a hard fought game, Dún Laoghaire scored 3 spectacular goals against a shell-shocked Borough. Clearly Borough were not only outclassed on this occasion but they seemed to have lost the flair and passion of their previous encounters with Dún Laoghaire. The final score was DLTFC 3 Borough Celtic 0

NightHawks League Cup 2007

2007-02-13T00:00:00.000Z

Dún Laoghaire Town FC is now in the Quarter Finals of the NightHawks League Cup 2007 following our win over Image Now on Friday 2nd February 2007. The match was a 2 all draw at the close of play and went to penalties in which Dún Laoghaire proved the better by far. The Quarter Final match will be played on Friday March 23rd 2007 against East Coast.

The Two Squads 2006 - 2007 Season

2007-01-22T17:04:00.000Z

The Squads listed below are currently under review by the Managers and when the new lists are available they will be published here.

The Provisional list of the "A" Squad Members is as follows:-

1. Darren "Japo" Kelly, Player Manager from Monkstown, Co. Dublin
2. James Kane, Deputy Manager from Ballybrack, Co. Dublin
3. Patrick Kershaw, Captain from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

4. André FitzPatrick, Forward from Ballybrack, Co. Dublin

5. Damien Kelly, Goalkeeper from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

6. Daniel Downey, Forward from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
7. Darren Brown, Defender from Monkstown Farm, Co. Dublin

8. Dean Byrne, Forward from Monkstown Farm, Co. Dublin
9. Dean McAfee, Midfielder from Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin
10. Gary Mullally, Forward from Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin
11. Graham McGrath, Midfielder from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
12. Ian M. Kane, Midfielder from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
13. Karl Smyth, Defender from Ballybrack, Co. Dublin
14. Karl Verhoeven, Midfielder from Monkstown Farm, Co. Dublin
15. Kevin Plunkett, Midfielder/Goalie, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
16. Luke MacMahon, Midfielder from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
17. Luke Murphy, Forward from Monkstown Farm, Co. Dublin
18. Mark Brady, Midfielder from Monkstown Farm, Co. Dublin
19. Ross Rogerson, Midfielder from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
20. Seán Mulligan, Midfielder from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
21. Shane Kearns, Forward from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
22. Stephen McAfee, Forward from Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin
23. Thomas Downey, Midfielder from Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin

24. Kenneth Gorry, Midfielder from County Galway (new signing)

25. Paul Roche, Midfielder from Shanganagh, Co. Dublin (new signing)

26. Desmond Long, Forward from Rathsallagh, Co. Dublin (new signing)

27. Wayne Downey, Right Winger from Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin ( re-signing)

29. Ross McKeever, Goal Keeper from Blackrock, Co. Dublin (new signing)

30. Graham Brack, Right Wing Forward from Ballybrack, Co. Dublin (new signing)
31. Glen Forsyth, Striker from Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin (re-signing)

Nos 12 and 16 are also Player Directors on the Board of Directors of the Club.

NightHawks League see: www.a2zsoccer.com

For further info. contact japokelly@hotmail.com (Player Manager)

The Provisional List of the "B" Squad Members is as follows:-

Abiola Tubi, Midfielder from Nigeria

Afolabi Yisa, Midfielder from Nigeria

Bernard Daniel, Midfielder from Nigeria

Bola Oguns, Striker from Nigeria

Boye Karunwi, Defender from Nigeria

Gabriel Akujobi, Defender from Nigeria

Muyiwa Olajide, Defender from Nigeria

Oshoke Will, Defender from Nigeria

Yinka Quan, Midfielder from Nigeria

Rilwan Jaiyeola, Midfielder/Striker from Nigeria

Divaldo Colsul, Midfielder from Angola

Kennedy George, Striker from Sierra Leone

Eugenio Antonio, Defender from Angola

Yusuf Taiwo, Goalkeeper from Nigeria

Bruno Carvalho, Striker from Angola

Romeo Combey, Striker from Togo

Tunde Oni, Goalkeeper from Nigeria
Henry Bah, Midfielder from Liberia
Derrick Joseph, Midfielder from Liberia
Famoko Gackou, Midfielder from Guinea
Isaac Hassan, Right Forward from the Sudan
Timson Aigbe, Midfielder from Nigeria

The "B" Squad's participation in leagues has been made more difficult by the Irish Government's on-going policy of dispersal of refugees/asylum seekers around the country. But the Board of the Club is determined to organise weekly games for the "B" Squad on the new pitch at Shanganagh, County Dublin.

For further information on the "B" Squad contact Abrahim Abdul Wahid on 086 120 6666

or by E-mail on abrahimwahid@yahoo.co.uk