Inchicore Athletic celebrate 50 years
By Daire Walsh
THERE was a momentous night at The Cottage Inn last Saturday as local club Inchicore Athletic FC celebrated the 50th anniversary of their foundation in fine style.
A pillar of the community for the past half a century, Inchicore continues to go from strength and strength with 290 players registered to the club at present. Supplementing the 40 players that are to be found across two senior men’s teams, ‘The Core’ also have nine academy teams that consist of a combined 250 boys and girls footballers.
This is a testament to the great work that has been done by a large group of volunteers down through the decades at the club. In addition to the current members of Inchicore Athletic, a number of former players and managers were also on hand to celebrate a significant milestone in their history.
On the night in question, a 20-page booklet was distributed to mark Inchicore’s 50th anniversary. Put together by PRO Finbarr Dolan, it featured the thoughts of current chairman Mick ‘Mossey’ O’Shea.
Quite rightly, he recognised the stellar work of those who initially brought community soccer to Inchicore as well as those who have followed in their footsteps.
“I wish to start by thanking our founding members from fifty years ago, to all our committees and thousands of players who donned the jersey of Inchicore Ath. To our many supporters and particularly to the sponsors who provided financial support to keep the club going and the dream alive,” O’Shea said.
“The combination of the above has kept football going in the Dublin 8 and surrounding areas for all these years. Our founding committee who had the vision to form the club deserve great credit.
“But unlike many clubs who have become history to the game over the half century, the pride and passion have stood the test of time and Inchicore Ath are now one of the longest established clubs in Dublin.”
While newly-created outfits have often struggled to leave an imprint on the Dublin soccer scene, Inchicore managed to do so within six years of coming into existence. Courtesy of a 3-0 victory over the Ballyfermot-based Cherry Orchard at Tolka Park, ‘The Core’ secured the FAI Junior Cup title in 1978.
The legacy of this side very much remains intact with one of the team’s star performers, Patrick ‘Mo’ Green, having a son (Eoin) on the club’s senior squad. There were no fewer than four Marshall brothers in the starting line-up for that groundbreaking success and Ger Marshall is keeping this surname in good stead with some stellar work at board level in Inchicore Athletic.
More recently, ‘The Core’ faced local rivals St Patrick’s Athletic in the opening round of the 2018 FAI Senior Cup.
They remain highly competitive at adult level with one team currently lying fourth in Senior Sunday 1A and the other occupying second spot in Major Saturday 1D. Significant strides have been made by the club in the past 50 years and there is no reason why it can’t continue in the same vein in the near and distant future.