Kentstown club to be presented with FAI award for good governance
Kentstown Rovers will get some early festive season cheer coming their way when they will be presented with the FAI Club Mark Award on Sunday 5th December at Paul Lenehan Park.
It promises to be a special occasion for the club with the FAI representated by development officer Richie Smith and perhaps another official from the governing body.
The FAI Club Mark is an award based on best practice in the governance, management and administration of a football club. It was announced last April that Kentstown Rovers had won the award.
The club's vice-chairman Neil Cunningham says the award is an indication they are going in the right direction.
"It's brilliant for the club because it shows we are doing things right," he said . " A lot of work was put into getting the FAI award. It's a great reflection of the work done by club members, the committee, everyone involved with the club."
That sentiment was echoed by Stephen Laverty who manages the Kentstown Rovers first team along with Dundalk kitman and great soccer stalwart Noel Walsh.
"It's a super honour, long overdue. It's more a recognition for the people behind the scenes for the committee and people who go about their work quietly, that is what this is for, the people who are not heard about. That's what these things are for," said Laverty.
"We're lucky as a club in that we've got super people behind the scenes and they don't get any glory at all. It's great to win games, a cup or a title, but we're lucky to have the people we have behind the scenes."
Kentstown Rovers are currently looking to finish second behind Termonfeckin in the NEFL Div 1 and they have four games to play. They are also in the Challenge Cup semi-finals.
HISTORY
The club was established in 1979 by its founding members Sean Wall, Joe Lawlor, Packie McDonnell, Brian Lawlor, Pat Matthews, Noel Matthews, Martin Farrelly, Kevin Smith, Pat Smyth, Gerry Lynch, Larry Clarke and the late Paul Lenehan.
The club's first senior managers were Pat Smyth and Richard McGuirk, with Pat Smyth winning MDL Manager of the Year in 1989. Kentstown Rovers Football Club has grown from strength to strength in its 40+ years, beginning in the Mid-Louth League and then joining the newly formed Meath and District League (MDL) in the 83/84 season. The Senior teams have been involved in the MDL and later branded the North East Football League (NEFL) to this day. The club facilitates girls and boys teams ranging from academy all the way to senior men & ladies.
The club’s underage was set up in 1993 by Willie McDonnell, Pat Hyland, Tom Lynch and Tony Oakes and this has proved very successful in the development of young players in the community. By the early noughties the club had an underage team at every age group, which for a club based in a small village in Co Meath was a huge success.
The club have won two Challenge Cups (1990 and '98), League Cup winners 1982/83, one Division 1 title (2000/'01), one Division 2 title (2009/'10), Kilmessan Shield (1984/'85) as well as numerous promotion/playoff wins.
The 200/'01 season was a historical year for the club as they became the first team from Meath to make it to the quarter finals of the FAI Junior Cup. The Team was managed by Kevin ‘Stubsy’ Traynor who also won the MDL Manager of the Year award as well as the club picking up MDL Club of the Year. As for Kentstown’s underage they have had numerous league and cup wins through the years.
The club is very proud to have sustained not only senior football but underage football for over 40 years. This is a great achievement for such a small village and is testament to all their members and committees down through the years.
For a number of years the club relied heavily on the kindness of local farmer Pat Finnegan to get their games played but in 2001 the club purchased and moved to their current home at Paul Lenehan Memorial Park. The club named its home ground in memory of one of the founding members.
In addition to a clubhouse and an 11-a-side playing pitch at their home ground, the club now includes a seven acre site in conjunction with Greenstar facility, which includes: Changing room, shop and toilet facilities; car park, one 11-a-side playing pitch; one nine-a-side playing pitch; two seven-a-side playing pitches and two five-a- side playing pitches.