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Former Harps player takes reins in
Cockhill
23.01.08
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
COCKHILL Celtic have appointed Donal O’Brien as the
new manager of their Ulster Senior League side. The
39 year old, who accepted the job shortly before
Christmas, was unveiled at Cockhill Youth Club last
Wednesday evening.
O’Brien, who has been in charge of the Cockhill
U18s, will be assisted by Shaun McLaughlin. The
Ulster Senior League is set to commence at the end
of March/start of April, the league having made the
shift to a summer season.
The former Finn Harps midfielder said that Cockhill
were well equipped to do well in the USL, but added
that he would be looking for new players to come in
and a couple of the club's underage members to break
into his USL squad. |
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“There is a lot of
youth coming through, but we still need one or two
players, maybe a goalie and a centre half. Most of
the team are 20 to 25 year of age,” said the
Dubliner, who added he’d be casting the net far and
wide in the coming weeks in an effort to build a
squad capable of competing in the league this
season. “There is a nucleus of thirteen players |
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here from last year,
but we need to get a squad of 16 or 17 to put
pressure on certain places,” said the Umricam
resident who added that he would be able to sign
registered players.
The 1992 League of Ireland Player of the Year said
he would be interested in taking a look at any
player who had the ambition to step up to play at
intermediate level, including foreign nationals
based locally. In Shaun McLaughlin, O’Brien has an
able deputy who has experience managing Cockhill
Celtic at USL level, guiding the side to a third
place finish a couple of year ago.
McLaughlin has also managed Cockhill Celtic’s
Inishowen League side as well as underage teams. “We
have been vying for the USL title in the past. That
was important because it got through to the players
that they could compete at this level. Can we win
the league? Why not, you’ve got to aim high,” added
the new assistant manager who said his first task
would be to persuade O’Brien to register as a player
for the coming season.
Donal O’Brien fact-file
Age: 39
From: Dublin
Lives: Umricam, Buncrana
Occupation: Community Youth Worker
Playing career
Underage:
Belvedere FC (Dublin) U11-U18
Senior Career
North Perth Croatia (Australia)
Derry City – 4 years
Glentoran – 4 years
Crusaders – 2 years
Glenavon – 2 years
Finn Harps – 4 years (2 spells)
Cockhill Celtic FC – present
Honours
League of Ireland – Player of the Year 1992
FAI League Cup – Winner 1991, 1994
Irish News Cup – Winner
FAI Cup – Runners-up 1994, 1999
Irish League – Winner 1997
Irish League – Runners-up 1996
Management career
Cockhill Celtic FC – U18s |
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