Erris United Football Cub

Plans are at an advanced stage for the Clubs 25th Anniversary celebration which will be held on the weekend of the 13th June. A Dinner dance will be held in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel and the guest of honour is C.E.O. of the F.A.I., John Delaney. Tickets will soon be available. More information as the time draws near.

Iorras Aontaithe wish to thank everyone who attended and supported the Club in the Semi Final at Milebush in Castlebar on Sunday, the support the team received on the day was phenomenal. Many people travelled from all over Ireland and England to support the team on the day and many of these people had already travelled to Kinsale and Limerick for the previous matches. The club are very grateful to the general public in Erris for their financial support and the many businesses (too numerous to mention) who sponsor the Club. It was great to see Pat Gallagher Erris Person of the Year there to support a team from the Barony of Erris, a great ambassador for the community. The club appreciates the live commentary, by Erris man Michael Gallagher, on M.W.R , many Erris exiles were tuned in on the internet to listen to Michael’s passionate commentary.we also wish to thank the local newspapers for their coverage during the Umbro Junior Cup campaign. It was great to see so many people putting out flags and bunting to show their support for the club. Finally we wish to thank Ballymun United for an entertaining and clean game and their words of encouragement afterwards, we wish them the very best of luck in the final.

Iorras Aontaithe/Erris United have been drawn at home to Dublin side, Cherry Orchard, in the second round of the F.A.I. Ford Cup which will be played on the 24th May at Carnenash Park. The Club received a bye in the first round. The draws for the First and Second Rounds of the 2009 F.A.I. Ford Cup were made this evening the 6th April at F.A.I. Headquarters in Abbotstown.

Iorras Aontaithe exciting run in the F.A.I. Umbro Junior Cup came to an end on Sunday 5th April as they lost 2 – 1 to Ballymun United in extra time in a thrilling game at Milebush Park, Castlebar. Iorras came so close to qualifying for the final of Junior soccer’s biggest competition, but the goal post denied them their glory. Iorras fell behind after 11 minutes when Irish International, David Keane put Ballymun ahead with an excellent strike from the edge of the area. It stunned the Iorras men, but the visitors lead was short lived, and on 38 minutes Iorras were awarded a free just inside the Ballymun half on the right and the resulting, Jonathan Donoghue kick, eluded everyone and sailed straight into the left corner of the goal. The 1500 or so Iorras supporters went wild and the visitors were rattled. It remained at 1-1 going into the break. Ballymun dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half with David Keane and Barry Kavanagh stretching the the Iorras defence on a number of occasions but on 82 minutes Micky Togher found space in the Ballymun area and his shot rebounded off the bottom of the upright and that was as close as Iorras got to sealing the game and it ended 1-1. In the 5th minute of extra time a long ball had the Iorras defence at sea and David Keane nodded the ball across the face of the goal for Barry Kavanagh to head home and the lead for the Dublin side. It proved to be the winner but Iorras never dropped their heads and in the dying seconds Iorras had one more chance with a long ball effort but it was not to be. The great cup run was over. Iorras Aontaithe never really replicated the style, of play that brought them this stage of the competition, in this game. Player-Manager, Eric O’ Reilly his assistants, Harry Reilly and Paul Reilly the Team and Panel can be very proud of what they have achieved in this Cup campaign bringing pride on themselves the Club the Erris Community the County and the clubs wonderful supporters. This performance will hold them in good stead going into Super League campaign, remembering that they have beaten very good sides in this cup campaign, and over 90 minutes of football a very good Ballymun side failed to overcome this Iorras Aontaithe team.
Check out Gallery for all the photos that were taken in this Cup run including the weekend of the 4th/5th April their all in the bottom section over 4 pages of great moments.
Team Shane Nallan, Liam Donohue, David Reilly, Neil Geraghty, Henry Gaughan,Pat Barrett,Anthony Mills, Brendan Nallen, Stephen Carolan,Mickey Togher and Jonathon Donoghue. Subs used; Eric O Reilly, Garth O Malley and Sean Gaughan. Panel John Gaughan, Kenneth O Connor, Michael Meeneghan, Stephen Nallen,Mark Reilly, Seamus O Malley,Ian O Boyle, Jason O Donnell, David McDonnell, Thomas McAndrew and Enda Conroy (GK)

Management and panel in The Broadhaven Bay Hotel Belmullet on Sunday morning the 5th April

Iorras Aontaithe Senior team panel and management were in the newly refurbished  Western Strands Hotel, Belmullet, this evening, for dinner and some refection on their F.A.I. Umbro Semi-Final clash with  Ballymun. Early on in the afternoon they had a light run out at Carnenash Park.

Iorras Aontaithe at dinner

Former Erris United greats Noel McNulty and Kevin Barrett reflecting on their playing days with the club

An Builin Blast /O Donoghues Bakery/ Slainte Health Food Shop sponsored a set of new Umbro hoodies for the Iorras Aontaithe Senior Panel and Management for the F.A.I.Umbro Junior Cup Semi Final. Davy O’Donoghue is pictured presenting the leisure wear on Saturday evening the 4th. The Club gratefully acknowledges this welcomed sponsorship.

Iorras Aontaithe with their new Umbro hoodys

Congratulations to the young men of Our Ladies Secondary School, Belmullet on winning the U16 Connaught Colleges title when they defeated Charlestown 3-1 on Friday 3rd April on a score line of 1-3. With goals from David Conroy, Bangor Hib’s (2) and Eamon McAndrew, Iorras Aontaithe  (1) and also to their Management Team of Rob Turner and Harry Reilly (Iorras Aontaithe).

Come out and support Iorras on Sunday in the F.A.I. Umbro Junior Cup semi final.

Iorras Aontaithe v Ballymun ,Milebush Park. Castlebar on Sunday 5th April Kick-Off at 2.00pm

Congratulations to former Iorras Aontaithe and now Ipswich Town player, Ronan Murray (Young Erris Person of the Year) on making his U19 debut for the Republic of Ireland in preparing for the second qualifying stage of the 2009 UEFA U19 Championship which will take them to Belgium in June 09.  Ireland drew with Slovakia on Tuesday 31st March and Thursday 2nd April they scored a marvellous 2-1 win over the same opponents. Ronan came on as a sub in the second half of the first game on Tuesday and on Thursday was in the starting 11, scoring one of the two goals for Ireland. Ireland took the lead in the 30th minute when Ronan Murray bravely scored. He ran through on to a pass from Conor Hourihane, drove the ball against the goalkeeper as he threw himself in the Irishman’s path and then jumped to head the rebound in.

Ronan Murray