Midleton Football Club
Looking Back on 2009
As 2009 draws to a close,
We look back on the past year with great satisfaction and a sense of achievement of so many club players and teams who give us so much enjoyment each week on the field of play. Our senior team have started this season well in the league and are one match away for qualification for the FAI senior cup. The junior teams have had a slow start to their league due to injuries and changes on the playing field, while our youth team are unbeaten and top of their league. We have also seen many great performances from so many of our schoolboys/girls teams during the past year who continue to do very well in local and national competitions.
Early in the year Our 35th Season in football was celebrated with a civic reception from the Mayor of Midleton Urban District council Ken Murray. A re union of the first team members to win the clubs first trophy Tom O Kelly Junior Cup in 1979 took place at Knockgriffin with a special pen to mark the year of celebration. Honors came for Senior team winning Pop Kelleher Cup, Under 13 team crowned League champions, The Under 11,12 and 15 teams won League Promotion. On a personal note I was honored with a legend Award, presented at the Munster Senior League Annual Awards Night in Cork
The clubs All Weather playing facility continues to be a great benefit to club players, teams and the community.
The club academy, making football fun for all where our stars of the future are born has continued to grow, now catering for over 220 playing members from 5 to 10 years every weekend.
Our summer camp now the biggest supported camp in Ireland organized by the FAI and Ulhsport camp were a fantastic success and fully booked out well in advance, so book early next year.
Our first club open day for all the family at Knockgriffin Park was a tremendous success and will continue next June at the end of the Academy season.
Huge crowds turned up for our first Open Day at Knockgriffin Park for all members family and supporters. It was a tremendous success and enjoyed by all.
We had full house signs up our biggest attendance ever at the Annual Players Awards Dinner in Midleton Park Hotel. Over 55 recipients from the club’s 13 teams were presented with an award.
Off the field we continue to develop our grounds. Floodlights’ on our number one playing pitch were completed for christmas at a cost of €110,000. For the new year we will see Friday night competitive football played for the very first time in Midleton. It is very encouraging in these difficult financial times to see the sound club structures that are in place have carefully planned another major project on time for Knockgriffin Park.
New Club Website is up and running so Log on to midletonfc.com for all club fixtures results and news
The increase in membership has continued with more teams entered into schoolboy leagues for the coming season. We now have a total of 515 playing members the highest number ever recorded. Our club has 14 eleven aside Teams now playing football each week from under 11 years up to senior level.
We have a fantastic group of people who give so much of their time to manage and coach club team’s players and also org anise the administration of the whole club each week. But the continuous growth of playing members, teams and pressure on playing facilities is still a challenge for club management..
We have set ourselves a target for increase numbers at all levels and this will demand a significant extra focus which we are confident will be delivered right across the whole club
The year ended with our Annual Charity event on Sun 27th December. Team managers, coaches and officials took part in a 5 aside sponsored kick about on the All weather pitches. Proceeds to Lourdes District Invalid Fund..
I would like to thank you all for your commitment, your efforts and contribution to our performance over the past year. Our thanks to the business community for their financial support to team kits, footballs, training equipment, awards, club development, etc.. I would like to thank all of you who have responded to the challenges which we face and I look forward to 2010 with great optimism for what we can achieve together.
Wishing you and your families a very happy and Successful New Year
Michael Kirby on Behalf of Midleton F.C.
