*Avenue Utd centre half, Dylan Barry with relations at the final whistle. Photograph: Joe Buckley
DYLAN BARRY collected his second Clare Cup medal as part of the victorious Avenue Utd side but title number two was far more special for the twenty year old.
An unused substitute when Avenue Utd won the Cup last season defeating Newmarket Celtic 2-1, Dylan got the full ninety minutes at centre-half when they won the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup for the twelfth time overcoming Lifford FC 2-0 in the town derby.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Dylan admitted that the on-field involvement made the 2023 win more special. “It is great to be part of the squad but the difference when you’re on the field is massive, throughout the season one to eighteen has been absolutely crucial.
“I know I’ve had my fair share of time on the bench but everyone is a part of it and to be fair to the lads, Russ, Davy and Oliver make sure even if you’re on the bench that you are still included and we always have great numbers at training whether it’s sixteen, seventeen or eighteen and every single person is putting in the work so regardless of who the eleven is it is very very important that we all have the same goals and we will hopefully drive on”.
Getting a break in a settled side is never easy and unfortunate circumstances led to Dylan nailing down a starting jersey. One of the club’s most loyal players, experienced defender Conor Mullen has been out of action since March with a knee injury, meaning a new partner for Dylan Casey had to be found. Different players were trialled by David Russell and his management but Barry has been the most natural fit.
Getting the nod and repaying the trust shown in him has been rewarding for Doora native Dylan. “With Conor Mullen getting injured and it being a long injury meant he was out so we had different people centre-back but the lads have trusted me in the last few games to go there and to be fair I’m happy with how we’re playing, I feel we’re playing better football and it’s showing off, we’re more comfortable on the ball which is important because that is the way football is going in the future”.
One touch football and moving the ball quickly has been a feature of Dylan’s game and it has been more commonly used by Avenue as the season has progressed. “It’s absolutely crucial,” he said of this style of play. “I think our backline is brilliant on the ball, just look at Dylan Casey. Na and Tiny are savage on the ball so we’re playing to our strengths, keeping the ball is crucial especially knows these days that if you have the ball then your opponent can’t score, that’s as simple as it is, however I feel we’re going forward that way and Luke in goals has been a massive addition to the squad, we’ll drive on and we can only get better”.
Composure was key to their latest Cup final, Dylan a third year business student at UL felt. “A final is a final no matter who you are playing, credit to Lifford who have had a brilliant season. Finals are always fifty fifty games, I felt we took our chances well but that we could have had two or three more goals to be honest, they had their chances too but I felt we were calm and composed on the ball especially in the first half, they came into it in the last fifteen to twenty minutes but our discipline came into show and we kept our shape very well”.
Of their upcoming League showdown with Newmarket Celtic in Roslevan, he noted, “we have to think about Wednesday, it will be a massive game, Newmarket won FAI for a reason, they are a savage team but we are coming”.
