*Photograph: Joe Buckley
JACK KELLY claimed a third Premier Division medal but his latest accolade was the most memorable as he captained Newmarket Celtic to glory.
Midfielder Kelly won his second league title with the club on Friday and had previously tasted Premier Division success as part of the Donal Magee managed Shannon Town side that won the club’s maiden title in 2017.
Noted for his tenacity and fight, Jack has been a constant in the Newmarket first eleven over the last four seasons.
Leading the club into battle has been a source of great pride for the Shannon native. “I said at the start of the year to the boys that it is a massive honour to captain the club but more importantly it is a bigger honour to captain this group, you see Irish internationals, Harvey and Shane who have played in England, we have experience all over the changing room, David McCarthy, Kevin Harnett who has captained Cratloe to county championships so we have leaders all over the pitch so my job is easy enough”.
Connection between the Newmarket Celtic side and their supporters is very strong and the club visibly has the largest following of all junior outfits in the county. “I’ve never seen support like it in all my life with any junior club all over the country, once this club gets rolling the supporters roll on in and on a cold Saturday evening down in St Michael’s people gave up their own time not just to go to the match but to stick around in the cold and clap us off the field and that is memories that players will never forget and I’ll definitely not forget till the day I’m gone”.
One of Alan Gough’s first moves as manager was to appoint Jack as skipper. On what the former goalkeeper has brought to the fold in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Kelly explained, “When I first heard his name, I looked at his CV and thought he would be coming in with this new-school of tactics but he is the total opposite, he came in with sheets of paper and told us he would get us fit, organised and that we’d have to take care of the rest which luckily enough we have. He is one of the most committed managers, they are all committed but he is non-stop, he’d ring you ten minutes after a match when you’re only in the door, my missus is half sick of him to be honest. The whole management there, from Sammy (Owen McCarthy kit man) to our goalkeeping coach (Johnny Ryan), everyone has pulled in together to get this over the line”.
He’s hopeful there is more success to come on the field in what will be a busy few weeks as he prepares to tie the knot with his long-term partner Jessica Ryan. “We’ve a massive game in two weeks time which is the day before my wedding so shoutout to David O’Grady (fixtures secretary) because the missus isn’t happy about that but another big battle, we know what is to come and we knew today would take care of itself. We know the battle that is coming in two weeks against the Bridge”.
On whether he is married nervous about the football or the big day, Jack told The Clare Echo, “I’m basically married off at this stage, we’re together thirteen years so if I don’t know what is in prospect for me now then I never will”.
