Celtic set sights on Europe

Castlebar Celtic set sights on Europe


Feature
Daniel Carey

CASTLEBAR Celtic’s move to enter the League of Ireland A Championship has been hailed by manager Declan Kilkelly as the first step in a process which may one day see the club playing in European competition.
Speaking at a press briefing in the TF Royal Hotel, Castlebar on Friday night, Kilkelly described the decision as ‘very brave’, but one that has been proven ‘correct’ by the flurry of players who have joined or returned to the club since it was announced.
“A player with any ounce of ambition should want to play at the highest level they can,” the manager told the sizeable gathering. “We’re on a map to start in the A Championship, get into the First Division [of the League of Ireland], get to the Premier Division, and maybe play in Europe. Ye might think I’m mad saying that, but … we’re on the ladder to do that now.”
Celtic have been placed in Group 1 of the A Championship alongside Salthill Devon, Tullamore Town and the reserve teams of six League of Ireland clubs – Derry City, Drogheda United, Finn Harps, Galway United, Dundalk and Sligo Rovers. Derry City will come to Celtic Park next weekend for the first in a series of floodlit Saturday night games. Finn Harps will visit Castlebar next Tuesday for a League Cup match, while Drogheda will provide the opposition for their first away match. Celtic hope to emulate Mervue United from Galway, who have joined the League of Ireland having enjoyed success at A level last year.
Kilkelly said that his players had shown ‘great energy’ in training and warned that the club were not going into the A Championship just to make up the numbers. “We’re in there to compete and try and win,” he concluded.
Gerry Walsh, chairman of Castlebar Celtic, said the decision was ‘not taken lightly’ and has caused a certain amount of ‘angst’, but added: “We think we’ve made the right decision’. He paid tribute to Pat Duffy of the Football Association of Ireland, who he said had been ‘a tremendous help’ during the club’s successful bid for an A Championship licence and since. He noted that the expense of competing in the competition meant the club would ‘need the support of the people of the town’, and paid tribute to Celtic’s sponsors, including the TF, Elverys Sports and Rival, Casey Ford and Hynes Shoes.
Pat Duffy of the FAI said that Castlebar Celtic ‘have always set the standard in Mayo and in Connacht for player development’. The Westport man described the move as ‘a huge step’ but added: “Ye should have no fear”, saying he had ‘no doubt’ that Celtic ‘will do very well’ in the A Championship, which is sponsored by Newstalk. He noted that Mervue United had ‘made the breakthrough’ to the First Division of the League of Ireland, and said that Celtic were the envy of a lot of League of Ireland clubs.
Pat Quigley, chairman of the Mayo Association Football League, wished Castlebar Celtic the best ‘in moving up another notch’ – and noted that they now have ‘just one or two notches to go’. The former FAI President paid tribute to the club’s excellent facilities, and noted that the name of Castlebar Celtic ‘goes very far’, recalling the time a Liverpool scout had mentioned the club to him at an event in Austria.
The night opened with an impressive presentation by Michael Dwyer, who explained recent developments at Castlebar Celtic both on an off the pitch. He outlined the club’s plans to renovate and extend the existing dressing-room area, complete the terrace and construct a stand. “We cannot stand still,” he noted, and explained that the club’s underage structures are in good health, with 120 players involved with the U-12 and U-14 teams alone.
Jimmy Staunton of Elverys Sports said he was ‘delighted’ to be involved with Castlebar Celtic, who first purchased gear off him all of 29 years ago. He said that Celtic were ‘a model club’ and expressed the hope that it will ‘go from strength to strength’.
Pat Jennings of the TF Royal Hotel said that as a former player, Castlebar Celtic was ‘near and dear’ to his heart. He noted that those involved in the club ‘never let the grass grow under their feet’ and said Celtic was ‘an upcoming club in an upcoming town’.