DUNMANWAY Town were crowned 2021 West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League Club of the Year at the recent awards night held at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery.
Dunmanway Town’s Child Protection Officer and Committee member Noelle O’Driscoll was delighted to accept the Club of the Year Paddy McCarthy Perpetual Shield from former WCSSL Chairman Paddy McCarthy.
‘This is fantastic for the club,’ Noelle O’Driscoll told The Southern Star.
‘There is some amazing talent within Dunmanway Town. So, keeping things going after losing our old home pitch (in Mohona) has been tough but the sheer joy you see on our schoolboys and schoolgirls’ players faces when they go training makes it all worthwhile.
‘We have some fantastic coaches within the club as well, who give up so much of their free time to train all our young players. Part of my job as Child Protection Officer is Garda vetting each and every coach and making sure they can look after the children in our club. That’s why I felt, if I could help out the club in any way, I would, and give a little bit back to the local community.’
The West Cork Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League Club of the Year award has not been given out too often since the awards began back in 2014. Noelle O’Driscoll is delighted with the positive boost this prestigious accolade will give, not just Dunmanway Town, but the local Dunmanway area.
‘Winning Club of the Year is huge, absolutely huge for us,’ O’Driscoll added.
‘It goes to show that all the people working behind the scenes, and on the pitch, that our work is valued. It also shows that everybody is part of the club. From the children that play to the parents who transport them to and from matches, everyone helps out to keep the club going. Hopefully, we will go from strength to strength from here.’
Dunmanway Town’s underage academy underlined its burgeoning reputation by winning the 2021 SuperValu U12 Premier League Group 2, SuperValu U13 Premier League Group 1 and SuperValu U13 Cup last season. Add to that, the West Cork club’s growing numbers at U8, U9 and U10 level, as well as their Trojan work off the pitch, and Dunmanway Town were worthy Paddy McCarthy Perpetual Shield recipients.
‘Dunmanway Town has produced fantastic players down through the years,’ Noelle O’Driscoll added.
‘I have two sons playing with Dunmanway (Town) as well as the West Cork Emerging Talent Programme and have seen how they are going from strength to strength for both their club and region. To have those experiences, as young people, is just amazing.
‘Children can be the quietest person in school but are able to express themselves out on the field. It has been amazing to watch so many children develop while playing for Dunmanway Town. Long may it continue.’
