BY KIERAN McCARTHY
JOHN Allan is a dual player with a difference – the 52-year-old is Skibbereen AFC’s chairman and also lines out in goal for their adult team.
‘I will keep playing as long as I can,’ he smiles, and already Allan has stood between the posts for the Skibbereen team in their fast start to their West Cork League Championship campaign.
Three games, all away from home. Three wins. Nine points. They are the only side in this 11-team league with a 100 percent record. Dream stuff for joint-managers Jerry O’Brien and Sasha Murphy as Skibbereen target stability after last season’s relegation from the Premier Division.
‘The aim is to get back to the Premier again,’ Allan says.
‘We’ve had a good start, winning a few tough games away from home. Onwards and upwards, hopefully.
‘All the teams in West Cork want to play in the Premier Division and we’re the same. If you are building, then the Championship is a good test because there are a lot of good teams here.
‘To get out of the Championship you need to be at your best every week and have a full squad, but we’ll take this one game at a time.’
Skibb’s early-season report card reads: so far, so good, with the bigger tests to come. To borrow a cliche, this is a team of youth and experience. Allan jokes he raises the team’s average age, and he’s one of an experienced cohort who know their way around the West Cork League. JP Reen and Mark Collins have been there, done that. Former Cork footballer Kevin O’Driscoll could be back on board soon, too. But there have been some early-season blows – captain Carl McPherson has been ruled out for the season with an Achilles injury, while Aidan Pearce is facing a lengthy spell sidelined with a knee injury.
Both McPherson and Pearce were on target in the early season Championship wins – a 3-2 away win against Baltimore was followed by away victories against Bay Rovers (3-1) and Castlelack (2-1). Add in a Parkway Hotel/Maybury Coaches Cup extra-time win (3-2) against Dunmanway Town, and this Skibbereen team has hit the ground running. An injection of youth has played its role here.
‘We have struggled at U15 and U16, trying to bring through numbers, but we have a few younger players involved this season which is great to see,’ says John Allan, who will compete for the goalkeeper’s jersey with Dylan Heaton-Jones.
Skibbereen are giving youth its fling, with Conor O’Brien, Ronan Collins, Jason Collins (whose dad Noel is also on the team), Ryan Hourihane and JJ O’Brien all involved. Joint-managers O’Brien and Murphy see this season as an opportunity to introduce the club’s youth into the adult team, and that will benefit the club long-term. So far, it’s working. (A little nugget – Jerry O’Brien’s three sons are all in the squad, Jack, Cian and JJ)
The Championship is stacked this season, though. Lyre Rovers, also relegated from the Premier last season, are there. Mizen Hob asked to be regraded from the Premier. Add in Baltimore and Aultagh Celtic, as well as the bolters from the pack, and this will be a competitive division. Skibbereen AFC – one of two Skibb teams in the league, alongside Skibbereen Celtic – want to stay in the conversation. Club chairman of the past four years, John Allan is hopeful for the season ahead.
‘I have been in Skibbereen 14 years so that’s how long I have been involved with the club, coaching the minis up to the U16s, then the junior team,’ he explains.
‘There is a lot involved in running a club, but everyone pulls together. We have one of the best facilities in West Cork with the pitch and the clubhouse.
‘I enjoy it, and it’s all about community at the end of the day. We like to work with other clubs, the GAA club, the rugby club, and even neighbouring clubs in the community.’
Allan knows he won’t play every game but the voice of experience will encourage and help where he can. It’s that team effort, again, as Skibbereen are enjoying that winning feeling after a challenging few seasons in the Premier. They won just five league matches in the last two seasons in the top tier. Already this season they have won three, and will target a fourth away to Mizen Hob this Sunday.
