Parkvilla club bidding for FAI Cup success

Some years ago Kenny Ratty started coaching a group of youngsters at Parkvilla.

They were five and six-year olds who were just starting out.

In just about every respect both Ratty and the youngsters were embarking on a journey into the unknown.

There was no guarantee any of the players would mature into talented footballers willing to work at and develop their game.

No guarantee that they would even stay together as a team - but many of them have.

Now they and their manager are on the verge of landing a big prize indeed, a national title no less.

On Sunday Ratty’s young guns take on Galway’s Mervue Utd in the FAI u-17 Cup final at the Oscar Traynor Complex, Coolock at 2pm.

It’s a huge occasion for the Navan club. They are, after all, seeking a prize normally monopolised by one of big Dublin outfits.

“It’s brilliant, absolutely brilliant, it’s a credit to the players, they work so hard week in, week out,” Ratty told the Meath Chronicle.

“There’s no moaning, we’ve trained in the lashing rain and the cold. They love to train, they want to get better.”

Parkvilla secured a place in the final when they defeated Killorglin 3-1 last week and the composition of the squad that travelled to Kerry for the game indicated just how many players have stayed the course over the years.

“Of the 17 squad members last week nine of them have been with me since they were five or six,” added Ratty.

Over the years, as the players have moved up through the age groups they have enjoyed considerable success at every level, an indication of the talent in the squad.

Initially the team played in the NECSL then a decision was taken to switch to the North Dublin Schoolboys’ League – and that, the manager feels, was a significant turning point for his eager, young guns.

“We were always looking to try and get them up to Dublin to play in schoolboys football because we felt there would be more of a challenge to them there, that they would become better footballers playing in a very competitive league.”

Were they daunted? Not a bit.

The team thrived in the new surroundings. At u-15 level Parkvilla finished third and won the cup; in the u-16 grade they were second in the league and won the cup.

At the same time the Navan club fielded a second team in the NECSL.

“It was important to us that we had a team in the NECSL, that we still had a representation in the local league.”

Those words “want to get better” reveals a lot about the manager and the culture surrounding the team.

Along with coaches Gavin O’Neill and Murt Doyle, Ratty decided some time ago that only players with a certain attitude would be taken on.

“We had times when everyone wasn’t happy, that’s when we decided the first thing we’d make sure is that players who joined us had the right attitude.

"If their attitude was right we’d take them, we’d coach them because we discovered, if they haven’t the right attitude you’re banging your head against the wall, they won’t listen to you anyway.”

Ratty, who works as a prison officer, has had his own experience as a player to draw on.

He is a Parkvilla man and spent most of his playing career in the claret and blue.

When he briefly left the ‘Villa it was to join another claret and blue team, Drogheda Utd in the mid-1990s, when Jim McLoughlin was first-team manager, but he was happy to return to his beloved Parkvilla.

He enjoyed some great days with the Navan side, including extended cup runs and promotions, but he struggles to find anything to match, satisfaction wise, the achievement of guiding his young team to a FAI Cup final.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” he added.

The journey to Sunday’s final started with a bit trouncing of Maynooth Town, before Ashbourne side Killegland Athletic were overcome 3-0.

They defeated Cork side Everton 3-1 and were drawn to play another Cork side Midleton, a tie that would have evoked memories of a great tussle in the FAI Senior Cup in 1990s for the more mature members of the Parkvilla club.

They were due to travel to Midleton, but the Cork side was not allowed to proceed following incidents in a previous round and Parkvilla got a bye.

They marched on famously defeating Crumlin Utd 2-1 in the quarter-final in Navan with strikes from Finn Murray and Tommy Buchanan.

Then Killorglin were defeated with two goals from top scorer Buchanan and one super effort from Kian Ratty.

During the lockdown the team didn’t train collectively, but the players came back fresh and eager. Now they are on the cusp of making it big.

Before they take on Mervue, Ratty will tell his players to just go out, relax and enjoy the occasion because they have already achieved a great deal by simply getting to the final.

“Whatever happens on Sunday I’m very proud of them and what they have achieved,” he said.

He will tell them to pass and move; that the ball was made round to go around.

He will tell them to attack, don’t be afraid, no fear, go for it. The same kind of messages he has been telling them since they were youngsters just starting out all those years ago.

MERVUE UTD

Mervue Utd will provide stern opposition for the Navan lads and have experienced former League of Ireland player Ollie Neary at the helm.

Mervue won the FAI u-18 Cup last season and two weeks ago were knocked out at the semi-final stage of the 2020 competition by Killarney on the same weekend that Parkvilla were in Kerry for the u-17 semi-final against Killorglin.

Sunday's decider is a little bit extra special for the Neary family as the manager's son, Aaron, will be in the panel for the game.

"It would be a great family occasion, if we can win, Aaron was on the bench last year for the u-18 final that we won and hopefully we can win this final now, it will make up a little for the disappointment of losing the u-18 semi-final in Killarney," commented the Mervue manager.

On the way to the final Mervue defeated local sides Oranmore and Salthill in the first and second rounds, the challenge of Tulla (Clare) was negotiated in round three.

Top Dublin side St Francis provided the quarter-final opposition with Mervue winning 2-0 while Cork side Douglas Hall was edged out 1-0 with a ninth minute goal in the semi-final.

Sunday 9th August - Parkvilla v Mervue Utd, FAI u-17 Cup final, 2pm at Oscar Traynor Centre, Coolock.