Clonaslee Dream of Glory in their First Counties Cup Final
Sunday next June 7th is the date for the Combined Counties Cup Final. The game will be held in Leah Victoria Park Tullamore with a 3.00pm kick off. It brings together two clubs with contrasting backgrounds, but both with the one goal of securing this much sought after prize. Mullingar Athletic and Clonaslee Utd are the clubs who will be locking horns in this year’s blue ribbon event of the CCFL season.
Mullingar Athletic were formed in 1983, but in the intervening years have developed into the top club not only in Mullingar, but in the whole midlands region. This is mainly due to the outstanding work carried out in developing their facilities to a world class standard. This combined with their investment in their underage players and the success of their teams at all levels has confirmed them as a truly top club. Mullingar Athletic have also brought in Real Swans female teams into their fold to further consolidate their position as a club that caters for all with over 35 teams entered in competitions last season.
Mullingar Athletic have won this cup on two previous occasions and have reached the final on other occasions. This gives them more experience from this point of view. However, it is 13 years since they last played in and won this cup meaning that their current panel of players have very limited exposure to playing in this final. They do though have experience of playing in a major cup final as recent as this year when they went down by a solitary goal to Clara Town in the final of the Paddy Cotter Cup.
Clonaslee Utd FC was formed in 1989. In those early years they were competing in the lower divisions of the Leinster Football League, but after gaining experience in those early years they secured promotions and eventually were playing in the top divisions. This level of consistency has continued right through their involvement in the Combined Counties Football League where for the past 20 years they have continued to play in the top two divisions of the league. The club has also entered a second team on occasions, but in recent years have concentrated more on fielding teams at youth level. In addition, the club now has a thriving schoolboy/girl section with several teams of both boys and girls playing in the Midland Schoolboys League. This will ensure the club continues to prosper with a line of young players coming through the system every year.
This is Clonaslee United’s first time to play in the final and there is no doubt but this is the biggest day in the history of the club and the event has caught the imagination of the whole community with big support expected to get behind the rural Laois club.
Clonaslee Utd and Mullingar Ath both played in the CCFL Senior Division this season. But to emphasise the strength of the division they both have finished in the bottom two positions at season’s end. This will not bother either team on Sunday next. Both teams were very competitive all season and they are well prepared and ready for this final.
As both teams played in the Senior Division this year, they received byes in the first round.
Clonaslee then had to overcome Inny FC, Longford Rovers, Gracefield FC and local rivals Rosenallis to reach the final. Mullingar Athletic had a slightly more difficult route to the final where they had to get the better of Willow Park, Portlaoise, Clara Town and Mountmellick Utd along the way.
It is expected that this will be a very tight game with very little between the sides with the team that adapts best and performs closest to their best expected to claim the honours and the glory.
