Ratoath Harps shape up for promotion

RATOATH Harps are well placed to launch a major bid for Leinster Senior League Major Division honours.

Currently in second position only five points off the pacemakers, Glenville, the Harps have games in hand as they bid to put back-to-back titles together after last season's Major 1 success.

However, they will also face a number of tough examinations in 2008 when they tackle Shamrock Rovers, UCD and local rivals and neighbours, Dunboyne.

Those games should attract large crowds as the club heads into its 40th year since it first affiliated to the AUL in 1968 where they enjoyed two seasons. 

The club successfully applied to the AUL in 1968 where they were to spend two seasons they added Harps to the name in 1970.

Stints in the Leinster Junior League and a North County Dublin League followed before they affiliated to the Leinster Senior League (LSL) and graduated to intermediate football. They then joined the Meath & District League where they remained until 2001 when they rejoined the LSL in an effort to attract new players who were moving  into the locality. Ratoath initially struggled in this new environment, despite the best efforts of several coaches, as the necessary influx of players did not materialise.

The appointment of first team manager Gay Goucher in 2005 started a change for the better and last season they won the Major League and also reached the final of the Polikoff Cup while the second team narrowly missed out on promotion. The club also fields a third team in Div 3A, a ladies team and under-age teams.

The first team management comprises Gay Goucher, Colm Curry and Jimmy Deegan, the panel of players is - Gareth Wilson, Gary Duff, Joey Burke, Damien O'Neill, Derek Kavanagh, Danny Lonergan, Barry Maguire, Mark Kelly, Matt Conway, Jordan Lancaster, Brian Byrne, David Geraghty, Ciaran Donnelly, Paul Byrne, Mark Shannon, Chris Doran and Keith Scally.

The second team is under the management of Darren Gilchrist and coach Noel Farrelly and includes the following players: Andrew Harte, Dylan Kiely, Colm Eglington, John Moore, Andy Griffith, Alan Farrelly, Brendan Kelly, Terry Whelan, Ralph Smenton, Conor Killian, Stephen Creagh, Mark Woods, Damien Lynch, Jonathan Drake, Ger Sweeney, Stephen Hanna, Hugh Kelly.

The third team: manager, Pat Naughton, coach, Mervyn Ennis, panel - Eoin McEvoy, Ian Davis, Peter Higgins, Brian Colgan, Kevin Timoney, Darragh McGill, Andrew Salama, Kevin Walls, Brian Snowe, Jordan Finlay, Gary Hynes, Conor Dempsey, Shane Griffin, Ritchie Lombard, Matthew Byrne-White, Jason Harte.