Next week sees the Club Ladies kick off their 2008 season with their first game in the new MDL Ladies All Weather Sevens League at the MDL Grounds on Tuesday night. The new initiative was the idea of local WFAI Regional Organser Eoin Killackey who has worked with a number of local Club Officials including Des Clancy to put the competition together in order to bridge the long gap between the end of the DWSL summer season in September & its resumption each May. Hopes are high that the new competition will prove to be a big hit & if so it will be extended to run both sides of Christmas next time round with more teams maybe in two separate divisions.

The Club Ladies are very anxious to recruit new players for the 2008 season & anyone interested should make contact with any of the Ladies Club Officers - see Club Contact Information on the menu to the left of this article. It is also intended to run an U16 team for the summer season & details of training & trails will be announced shortly.

On Friday of next week the Ladies will hold a Table Quiz in the Castle Arch Hotel in Trim commencing at 9.00pm sharp & all comers are welcome to come along.

Pictures show some of the Ladies after training this evening at the MDL Grounds.

After two defeats at the hands of teams from Albion Rovers this weekend (U16 yesterday & U17 this morning) the Seniors travelled to Collon this afternoon hoping to deny the Co. Louth club the satisfaction of a hat-trick of wins against Celtic & this they did in some style by beating the home side 3-1 to land three very welcome MDL Premier Division league points. Keith Jones, Alan Douglas & Seamus Harte had Celtic three goals to the good in the first half & although they ‘took the foot off the pedal’ after the break they conceded only one goal & ran out convincing winners.

Full match report to follow.

The U17s took on Albion Rovers this morning at Tully Park in the league but lost out by the odd goal in five despite a good all round performance. They went two goals down early in the game but Stephen Moriarty pulled one back just before the break with a fabulous strike from outside the box - see picture. Albion added a third after the break & Donal Loughlin converted a penalty to keep Celtic in the game but they were unable to find an equaliser. For more pictures click here.

Despite yesterday’s report to the contrary, the U16s did actually play but they too lost out in league fare to Albion Rovers in Co. Louth when they went down 3-4. On target were Thomas Noone, Damien McGee & Jamie Lee.

In the only game played by the Club today the U14s suffered the heartbreak of elimination from the SFAI Goodson Cup when they lost on penalties after a scoreless draw (AET) in a very exciting game played at the MDL Grounds. The fixture was moved there when Tully park was declared unplayable.

In truth this was a game that Celtic could easily have won. They were far superior to the visitors technically from start to finish but had difficulty at times coping with the direct approach of the Monaghan lads. Both keepers distinguished themselves in an entertaining end to end game & Celtic keeper Sean Spratt turned from hero to villian in the shoot-out after extra time failed to break the deadlock. Having saved from the spot he took the last penalty himself for a place in the last 32 of the competition but saw his shot rise well over the bar. The visitors hit the winner in sudden death after another Celtic miss.

Robert Sweeney & Joan Lehmann were outstanding throughout & Gavin Mullen turned in a another top class performance but this was a fine all round display that deserved more.

The Club wishes Monaghan Utd the very best of luck against St. Joseph’s from Sallynoggin in tbe next round.

Full match report to follow. Click here for more pictures.

Today’s games scheduled for Tully Park have all been called off because of waterlogged pitches.

 Also off are the U15 game away to Parkvilla & the U13B game away Oldcastle.

Oscar Traynor Win for MDL

Despite the loss of the Rock Celtic contingent of players, the Meath & District League recorded an impressive victory when they saw off the challenge of the Leinster Senior League at Oriel Park last Friday night in the second round of this year’s competition.

The MDL previously lost 1-3 to the Athletic Union League before Christmas.

This was an excellent all round performance by the locals who shot out of the blocks to take a 3-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals by Mark Quinn (Square Utd), Alan Larkin (Glenmuir) & Anto Reilly (Glenmuir).

The Leinster League responded well after the break & pulled back a gaol from the spot only for Mark McGeogh to restore the two goals advantage for the MDL to score the best goal of the night. Square Utd, keeper Dwane Crosby enjoyed an outstanding game.

Celtic had two representatives playing on the night – Colm Harte turned out another polished but energetic display & Paul Campbell came on for Anto Reilly in the second half. Congratulations to both of them.

Well done to Manager Alan Clarke & all of his squad.

The final group game which will decide the outcome of the group will see the MDL take on the Amateur League. A date has not yet been set.

Showing the way to all the boys at the MDL Grounds this morning was Patrice Fox who lined out & starred for the U9 Rovers.

Patrice is only one of a number of girls playing on the Club’s Sevens teams & plans are afoot in the Ladies Football Club to provide for them in the future on new eleven-a-side teams, if we can get some Mums involved to take charge!

Any volunteers out there?

Tomorrow’s scheduled MDL Premier Division game against Glaslough Villa at Tully Park has been called off because of a waterlogged pitch.

The remaining fixtures listed for the Club’s Schoolboy teams today were all postponed also - home & away.

The only remaining fixture as of now is the U17 NECSL game away to Enfield tomorrow morning at 11am.

The recent bad weather may have dampened the spirits of the Club Senior & Schoolboy teams & caused quite a number of fixture postponements but it has not interrupted the action at the MDL Grounds on Saturday mornings as the Club’s thirteen Sevens teams line out weekly in the NECSL U8, 9 & 10 Coaching Leagues.

Click here for pitcures of all the action!

The entire programme of games scheduled by the Meath & District League for this Saturday has been postponed because of the unsatisfactory weather conditions. Sunday’s programme of games in the MDL has not been called off…….yet!

Tomorrow’s scheduled Schoolboys games for the U13s, U14s & U16s have also been postponed.