Success for new boys BJD Celtic

A new soccer club in Ballyjamesduff has received a major boost with the news that five of its young players will represent eircom league side Monaghan United at Under 20 level in the coming months. Goalkeepers Jamie Leahy and Conall Robinson, right winger Jay Donnelly, centre-half Raymond Briody and striker Daniel Majola, who all line out for Ballyjamesduff Celtic, were selected from a recent trial to represent the Mons, the leading club in this region. The players' selection has been welcomed by club chairman Martin Kelly, who told The Anglo-Celt this week that the success of the quintet will be "fantastic" for the fledgling soccer club, which was only founded last August. "Eleven of our players went for trials," stated Kelly, "and five were successful. It's a brilliant scheme, it allows the five lads to play at a high level of football for the summer before returning to this club as better players for next season." The new trial scheme which was rolled out by the Gortakeegan club saw over 60 players try out, with only the cream of local junior clubs making the cut. The fact that players remain with their parent club means that the scheme was embraced in this area and looks set to be a huge success. All five were members of the Monaghan United squad which took on the Irish International Deaf team, who are currently preparing for the European Championships, in Dublin last weekend. Promising attacker Majola (whom Kelly describes as "a joy to watch"), at 17 years old, is the youngest of the five but all have been playing for Ballyjamesduff since last season, when the club was formed to provide adult football for the Ballyjamesduff area for 16-year-olds and upwards. Ballyjamesduff Celtic, who play their homes matches at the Castlerahan Community Pitch on the Oldcastle Road, compete in the Meath and District League and have big plans, starting with a glamour tie against Monaghan United on June 13 for the inaugural Macari Cup, an event which the club hope will become an annual fixture on their calendar. The club will also present its end of season awards on that day.