League of Ireland club in Meath in the next "five to 10 years"

There will be a League of Ireland club in Meath within the "within a five to 10-year framework" if former FAI chief Bernard O'Byrne's plans for Athboy Celtic come to fruition.

As revealed in the Meath Chronicle this week O'Byrne outlined his plans to turn the Athboy club into League of Irealand outfit.

The North East Football League club was involved in opening their new clubhouse last week but O'Byrne - who is now chairman of Athboy Celtic FC - says there are very real reasons for believing the ambitious club can make the step up the to the highest level.

His bold, highly ambitious assertion comes in the wake of the recent announcement that Kerry FC have applied to join the League of Ireland for next season. O'Byrne made reference to the achievement of local man Jamie McGrath in becoming only the second player from Meath to be capped for the Republic of Ireland at senior level.

"In sport, you should never reach a situation when you can say - that's it, we don't need to do any more. There is always something you should target," he said at the opening. "Athboy is a growing town population-wise with already an insatiable appetite for sport among our young people. We should be imaginative in what opportunities we present to them for the future. As Jamie McGrath has shown, great things can be achieved and the green shirt of Ireland is a draw that not every sport has.

"Personally, I would set a challenge to my club to have League of Ireland football in Athboy within a five to 10-year framework. If they can do it in Kerry, and I know several of the great people involved down there, we can do it in Meath.

"For my sins, I have a deep knowledge of what would and would not work in forming a plan to do this. I firmly believe all the ingredients are here to be tapped if we assemble the right people and have a clear sensible plan. This is what we will be thinking about in the coming months and hopefully we will have many more great days in Athboy."