I played for lisnagry from 10s to 14s before they disbanded underage. Played two further years in town after then settled on playing for shower of head cases in the Clare junior league a year after that.
Castleconnell has a couple of rough estates in the likes of Scanlon Park and a good bit of council housing who were soccer heads. There are also some lovely houses and areas in it too.
I used to have some run ins with a fella of the Byrnes’ when we played them. He was a terrific player
We’d most of them in school with us. Jaysus some of the Scanlon Park crew were the roughest crowd going. Then you’d have the posh Boatclub crowd as well.
Bobby?
There were a few Byrnes. What age you taking here?
Jack Byrnes was the man who was over us in underage and got me playing for Bridge Celtic afterwards but he would be a man in his 60s now. His son Shane was a nice player and the main man on the lisnagry sides I played on. Would be 35 or so now. Left footer but a bit hot
Im 38, could have crossed that fella, the fella I’m thinking about was a tall ish, thin fella, like a greyhound and hard as nails.
May have been a cousin. The Byrnes are a big enough Castleconnell family and all soccer mad.
This fella was good, he could beat you on his own if he took a mind. He was too easy rattled though
Would meelick/parteen not have been closer to you for underage soccer? Theyd good teams and Ken O’Brien was a gentleman running them
A good number of lads from Clonlara and O’Briens Bridge who are your vintage used to go and play with Star Rovers as John Slattery was involved with them and he had a son that age. My older brother played a couple of years with them. I went to Lisnagry as Jack Byrnes rounded us up to go play with them.
Can’t recall any of my vintage going to Meelick. A couple played for Corbally due to the close proximity when they moved to Shanakyle.
I remember Corbally playing in a field down by the river, you had to walk a good bit from the car to get to the pitch. Their new setup is lovely.
You must know Sean Conway. Came into Sextons St for the hurling. A gas cunt
Daft would be the best word to describe him.
He went on the lamb for about 6 months in third year and was surprised he got caught 
He’s a nice lad
“I’m not as fast from A to B as I once was. Of course, I now don’t start from A.”
Beckenbauer
All soccer played in roaster Desmond League so No
If any Dublin lads played Ballymun united at their San siro (flats surrounding pitch), they’d know all about intimidation. Won a cup game on penos there one evening and sprinted to the cars immediately fending off slaps.
Outstanding thread title change
Have to agree ref hurling, love GAA and soccer, but skill levels of hurling beats them all
Soccer is miles more difficult to master than hurling. Gaelic football is more difficult to master than hurling. Proper Gaelic with accurate kicking and so on. Not the hand passing and possession stuff.
Rugby is a cod of a game. Basketball is too.