*Finn Woods of Lifford AFC. Photograph: Natasha Barton
ONE OF Clare’s oldest clubs, Lifford AFC are fighting to find consistency and show they have plenty of life when it comes to competing in the top flight.
Lifford AFC came into existence in 1961 a year before the Clare league was formed making them one of, if not the oldest clubs in Clare. Hermitage also formed around the same time.
The club was particularly successful in the early years but it’s been a while since silverware was last brought to the club.
Lifford last won the league and cup in 1976. In the intervening years Lifford have come close on a number of occasions and this was particularly true of the 2000 season.
Lifford has its own pitch, Steele’s Rock Park in Drumcliffe. The land was purchased in 2004 and the facility which includes two pitches along with dressing rooms, was opened in 2007.
Having joined the club last season after moving to Ennis, Nathan Phelan is the first team manager this season, a role he took over midway through last season, replacing Michael Clair of Kilrush.
While living in Waterford, Nathan was playing premier league football with Waterford Crystal. His first involvement in Clare was “a very brief spell with Tulla United. They have a nice set up and this week we meet them in the opening game in the league when we will have home advantage”, he outlined.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Nathan recalled, “I stepped in last year in mid-season. I really hadn’t been involved in the league before and didn’t know anything about it. I am still learning. I have brought in a few lads from Limerick. We have played about ten games in pre-season and only lost once, to Ballynanty Rovers. We shipped a big defeat to Avenue in the league cup last week. It was just 1-0 after 66 minutes but we were well beaten after that. They have a couple of really good young players”.
Looking to the new season the Lifford manager said “we have a small panel and we will be fighting to be the best we can as we chase the likes of Newmarket, Avenue, Tulla and the ‘Bridge. We are fighting to find consistency”.
Concluding he said “our overall aim is to be better than we were last year and not to be in the battle to avoid relegation. As I said, we have a small panel, probably not big enough to challenge for league honours but maybe we might get a good cup run”.
Building a level of consistency has been a problem for Lifford in recent seasons. On many occasions they have matched the leading teams in the league but haven’t managed to close out games. That’s an aspect of their game that must improve if they are to capture silverware this season.
Lifford AFC Factfile
Management: Nathan Phelan (manager), Jean Ganda, Aidan Jordan
Captain: Albert Obadeyi
Key Player: Luca Silva
One to watch: Bradley Higgins
Fresh blood; Emmanuel Cristhian da Silva, Bradley Higgins, Messiah Chirwa, Kieran Doyle, Kaique Lopes, Prince Ogbuagu, Hocine Bensadok.
Departures Gate: Ethan Cronin, Emmanuel Obadeyi, Fiachra Roche, Josh Ryan, Darren O’Neill
Treatment table: None
Last year’s run: survived relegation.
