*Mark Roche, Nnabuike Nneji, John Roche, Marie Roche and Jamie Roche. Photograph: Joe Buckley
A THIRTEEN YEAR career with Avenue Utd’s first team came to an end in the sweetest of manners for winger Mark Roche.
Roche picked up his fourth league title after Avenue Utd finished top of the table for a second successive season, this time with sixteen wins from eighteen outings in the top tier.
In 2022, Avenued Utd’s junior side ended a nine year trophy drought, Roche was there all along as they aimed to end a wait for silverware. Winning the Premier Division for the third time in four season was the best of the lot, he admitted. “It’s league number four but I think this is the best because during the season after we got knocked out of the FAI and Munster Junior we had a really bad couple of weeks, we said we’d come together and try give it one last blast for the league, we had to win thirteen games to go and win the league, you don’t do that too often especially with the quality of Bridge and Newmarket plus Tulla who are coming through, it’s as sweet as it gets”.
Expectations were high within Avenue’s squad and management that this was their best chance to win a major title at provincial or national level. They found it difficult to bounce back after they were eliminated from both competitions in the space of two weeks in February. The left winger recounted, “It humbled us a small bit, the two teams we lost to, Coachford won the Munster and North End are in the FAI Junior Cup final, we had to be a bit more grounded, we had aspirations of winning something outside of Clare but this is the bread and butter, you can see how much it means to everyone, it’s a huge thing for the club so we’re absolutely delighted”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, the thirty two year old outlined that their 2-0 win over Bridge Utd showcased their experience and composure. “John Mulready was a huge loss to them, that set them back a little, we knew we needed to get that first goal, I should have scored but I hit the post, Tiny (Eoghan Thynne) hit the post, I hit the crossbar then, we just couldn’t seem to get it and then of all people to score Seán O’Callaghan did but he’s good with his head to be fair, once we got the first we looked comfortable but it was a proper experienced disciplined performance which we’ve lacked sometimes in the past, it shows we’re coming on well”.
At the beginning of the season, the Dublin based business and geography secondary school teacher made it clear this would be his last campaign with the Cherries. “I’m doing it the last five years, travelling up and down from Dublin, it’s tough going, you can’t keep doing it so I said at the start of the season that this was definitely my last season, I’ve to try go shopping for clubs now in Dublin and see who I can sign with”.
Regardless of whether current manager David Russell remains in charge of Avenue Utd or a new successor is appointed, Sparky confirmed he will not be part of the set-up. “I said no matter who was here that I’d be leaving, I actually planned on leaving before that but the team kept getting better and better so it was hard to leave but this is it but it is a nice way to finish”.
As the eldest of the Roche brothers, Mark said he’d prefer to see the youngest of the siblings Jamie assume his spot on the starting eleven as opposed to one of St Francis Credit Union’s most popular staff members Gary, whoever gets the nod their parents John and Marie will continue to be among the club’s most loyal and dedicated supporters. “Gary’s ego is at all-time high after getting his goals for the B team and winning the season but definitely not I’m not leaving to give him game-time, Jamie maybe, Jamie seems to be a winger, centre-half, right-back, left-back, he can take my position next year if he wants,” Sparky said.
