Ballingarry AFC have launched a memorial fundraiser in memory of our friend James Clancy R.I.P. We are paying tribute to our founding member James by launching the James Clancy RIP Memorial Fund in memory of, and to honour him in a fitting way.

Our fundraiser aims to seek at least 185 contributors to sponsor a seat in the soon to be named James Clancy Stand (picture attached). The general sale of seats will go ahead next week Friday 15th of April but we are writing to you a week beforehand to give lifetime members the opportunity to buy first. All contributors will be listed on the memorial contributor’s boards which will in turn be erected and remain permanently in the lobby of the clubhouse.

Artist Impression of new stand

There are two ways you can contribute:

You can sponsor a seat in the stand for €100.
Or
For those who can afford, sponsor a seat for €250. As the James Clancy Stand is an approved
project under Revenue’s Tax Relief for Donations Scheme, the club would then receive an additional €167 from revenue based on your sponsorship of €250, bringing the total benefit to the club of €417.

We hope you will support this initiative in memory of James and help bring his vision of having a seated stand and full floodlights at the Paddocks to reality. The total cost of the project is €183,000 (€25,000 for the stand and €158,000 for the Floodlights). As you are already aware we received €150,000 from the Sports Capital Programme and we hope to raise the rest from your donation.

You can contribute to the fund by clicking the below link:

https://member.clubforce.com/memberships_cart_m.asp?LL_ID=763&intMF_ID=9930#Anchor

View Fundraiser Flyer (PDF format)

Ballingarry AFC vs St Francis FC (Dublin)

Ballingarry youths will create another historic day for the club and for the LDFL when they line out
Saturday to face DDSL kingpins St Francis FC in the QTR final of the FAI youths cup and in doing so
will be Ballingarry’s first ever youths team to reach the quarter final stage of the nation completion.
Ballingarry’s prominence in youth football in the past 5 season has been very impressive indeed, the
highlight of course being the Munster youths cup final of 2020 which they lost on penalties. Having
been blessed with a crop such pedigree players each season it’s not surprising that they would be
capable of challenging for silverware in all competitions. But as players move out of the age group
each season what may be surprising is the consistency of the youths teams. The one constant of
course is the manager Dean Clancy who has been at the helm for that entire period. Dean’s
contribution to youth football within the club has been crucial, complemented by the expert
couching for the last 2 years by Mike Boyle and Shane Markham.

Locally Balingarry are top of the league knowing one more win will secure the title, have already
booked themselves into the league cup final and are in the semi final of the Desmond cup. Having
bowed out of the Munster Youth in the last 16 two weeks ago on a day when whatever could go
wrong did go wrong, the FAI is the only trophy outside domestic competitions that is still on offer.
Ballingarry have scored 56 goals in their 16 games this season averaging over 3 goals a game and will
rely again on strikers Paudie Murphy and Eoin Lynch to continue their fine goal scoring form. It has
been an eventful journey to the QTR final playing Limerick giants Fairview in the first round having to
go to extra time to win 2:1. Kildimo from the Desmond league were next and a comfortable 4:2
victory at home set up a home tie against St Mary’s of Cork which was won 2:1 in Mick Hanley Park,
Clonreask.

Free scoring St Francis are riding high too, top of the DDSL and look favourites to become
champions.

Saturday represents possibly the toughest task the management will have encountered to date. But
there is a confidence and desire about this squad that suggests that the task is not unsurmountable.
I’m sure the lessons are learnt from the recent disappointment of their Munster youth cup exit, and
no doubt the manager will have the homework done

Big day ahead team and management would really appreciate local and wider LDFL support.

FAI Youths Cup 4th Round

Ballingarry (2) 2 (Paudie Murphy 35 mins, 37 mins pen)

St Marys (1) 1 (Robert Docherty 2 mins)

Last Saturday evening at Mick Hanley Park Ballingarry made light of the testing weather conditions to advance to the last eight of the FAI Youths Cup for the first time in the clubs history. Ballingarry did enough to edge out St Marys from Cork city by the odd goal in three and did do by overturning a poor start when they conceded a poor goal to the opposition.

The visitors got a dream start and were ahead after only two minutes. Ben Moynihan took the ball down their left and sent a low cross into the area where the ball broke but Ballingarry keeper Eoin O’Connor who didn’t gather the ball which then fell to centre forward Robert Docherty who blasted to the roof of the net. This gave Marys confidence and for the next ten minutes or so they were on top but really didn’t create clear openings. Gradually Ballingarry got into their stride and began to enjoy some good possession but like their opponents they were finding chances difficult to create. As the half wore on Ballingarry began to carve out a few openings like the one on twenty four minutes when Cian McGoey played a slide rule pass up to Paudie Murphy but the striker dragged his effort wide of the left hand post from sixteen yards. Ten minutes later TJ Tierney played the ball into space down the left for McGoey to run on to and he took the ball into the area, the covering defender got a slight touch on the ball before McGoeys shot was saved by the keeper with the ball then rebounding off the Ballingarry player for a goal kick.

Ten minutes to the break and Ballingarry were deservedly on level terms with a fine a goal as you are likely see. Murphy, having been picked out in space just inside the Marys half was still a long way from goal and had plenty to do. He took the ball down the line before coming inside towards the penalty area and dinked a beautiful chip with his left foot over the keeper and inside the rigging at the back post. Two minutes later it was advantage Ballingarry when Murphy converted from the penalty spot following a foul on Eoin Lynch. It certainly is a competition Paudie Murphy likes as in all of Ballingarrys games so far he has scored a brace in every game. Half time 2-1.

Ballingarry started the second half the better and two minutes in midfielder John Fitzgerald had a decent enough chance. Having been picked out by Adam Hickey down the right, the midfielder came inside towards the edge of the area but finished poorly by dragging his effort across goal and wide of the far post. Three minutes later keeper Eoin O’Connor did well to gather a Marys corner from the right in a crowded area before releasing left back TJ Tierney down the wing but his drilled cross was handled by Marys custodian Jake Healy. On the hour mark Cathal McMahon, on as a sub attacked down the right and his low cross almost picked out Cian McGoey but keeper Healy was brave to gather the ball at the feet of the Ballingarry forward.

Marys goal scorer Docherty then linked well with Dave Culley whose effort was easily gathered by Eoin O’Connor in the Ballingarry goal. Moments later Cian Cullahane thought he had equalised for Marys but it was disallowed for offside. Marys were pushing forward more, but the Ballingarry defence, led superbly by skipper Brian Sheehy along with Jack Mullane, Cian O’Carroll and Tierney were giving nothing away. Ballingarry nearly got the insurance goal when confusion in the Marys defence saw a loose pass being played across their area with the ball coming to McMahon and with an open goal shot wide from thirty yards. However it didn’t matter as Ballingarry held on to achieve a deserved win and a win that sees them into the last eight in the country.

Ballingarry: Eoin O’Connor, Jack Mullane, TJ Tierney, Brian Sheehy (capt),

Cian O’Carroll, Adam Hickey, John Fitzgerald, Jamie Ryan, Eoin Lynch, Paudie Murphy, Cian McGoey. Subs Gary Storin, Cathal McMahon, Luke Hayes, Zach Hayes, Colin Bresnihan, Kieran Wall, Mark Ruddle.

St Marys: Jake Heaphy (capt), Jamie O’Connor, Jamie Barrington, PJ O’Donovan, Adam Murphy, Sean Daly, John O’Sullivan, Eugene Hendricks, Ben Moynihan, Robert Docherty, Shane Gostl. Subs Cian Cullahane, Dave Culley, Ryan O’Driscoll, Conor O’Sullivan, Sean Salmon, Andrew O’Driscoll, Adam McCarthy

Referee Pat O’Connor