Annacotty continue to prepare for Liverpool Legends visit

Aisling Annacotty AFC are hosting a massive club fundraiser on Saturday September 7th when the club welcome a Liverpool Legends selection managed by Jan Molby to the club’s grounds in Annacotty. A brand new community centre, dressing room facilities and grass pitch will be unveiled to the public for the first time.

Chairman Jim Canny and the committee announced the ambitious plans at the beginning of the year and work commenced before Summer. Aisling Annacotty manager Mike Aherne is looking forward to the occasion and says that it couldn’t come at a better time as the club is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary.

“It all coincides with the club’s 50th anniversary and with the brand new facilities in Annacotty which include new dressing rooms, a new grass pitch, committee room and a new community centre that have been developed at the club.

I think it’s fairly apt that in the year that Liverpool won the Champions League that we have so many Champions League greats coming to the club on the 7th of September. It should be a fantastic day.”

The football match itself kicks off at 2.30 pm at Aisling Annacotty AFC but there will also be a barbeque at the facility as well as face painting. Before any of this, there will be a pre-match meal at the Millhouse Bar and Grill, who are the main sponsors of the event and have been pivotal in the organisational process. Furthermore, there will be a drinks reception held at the Castletroy Park Hotel from 6.45 with a Q&A with former Liverpool player and Liverpool legends manager Jan Molby.

There is plenty going on both before and after it. We have a pre-match lunch at the Millhouse Bar and Grill who are our main sponsors and then later in the evening back at Castletroy Park Hotel where Jan Molby (manager of Liverpool Legends) will be the guest speaker.

We have a couple of local celebrities as well. Paul O’Donnell played in a very famous Liverpool side that won the European Youth Cup and he will be lining out with the Liverpool Legends side. With the likes of Jason McAteer and Jermaine Pennant to come it should be a huge day in Limerick.

Aisling Annacotty have been busy promoting the event on social media and have confirmed a number of Liverpool Legends who are taking part including Irish duo Jason McAteer and Ronnie Whelan. Also, a number of packages including a pre-match lunch and match day packages have become available to purchase for the big day. You can contact info@aislingannacotty.com for more information.

Aherne reserved big praise for the committee members who have put in a lot of work and raised a lot of money to improve the club’s facilities. Also, Aherne pointed out the contribution of Julie Kilmartin Educational Services who have provided great support.

“The committee have been absolutely fantastic in driving this. It couldn’t happen without the sponsors and the local sponsors in particular. Julie Kilmartin Educational Services have been fantastic in lending their support.

It’s a costly business when you bring a team of superstars to Limerick but for the public to get to see this Liverpool side for just 10 euro for adults and 5 euros for kids is extremely good value. The club really wanted to commemorate the opening of the new community centre and facilities by doing something really special. It will be a community event and is about Annacotty, Monaleen, Castletroy and all around Limerick coming together. “

Despite Annacotty. Monaleen and Castletroy possessing a large population and many local business, the area does not possess a community centre and Aherne says the club are delighted to provide the facility to the local community and was quick to stress that it is available to all members of the community despite being on the grounds of Aisling Annacotty AFC.

“Apart from Monaleen GAA Club, there isn’t a community centre or place for the community to congregate and the place will be available for bookings.

For the players and club members, it will be a great sanctuary. The club will have giant screens erected in the centre. The dressing rooms will be fantastic for home and visiting players alike. A community centre where people can get together whether it be for a yoga class or soccer meeting, it will facilitate all sorts of events. “

Many people believed that Aisling Annacotty would build another Astroturf pitch next to the already existing Astroturf due to demand as the club have a number of teams to cater for on a weekly basis. However, the club decided to re-lay a grass pitch and work has been ongoing for a number of months including extending the size and quality of the surface. Aherne says that the progress has been brilliant.

“Yeah it really is fantastic. Anyone that has driven past it has probably seen the freshly painted walls with the Aisling Annacotty crest on the wall behind the far goal.

Many people asked would we go for two astroturf”s but I’m not sure that is conducive to the way everybody wants to play football so I think having the option of one main grass pitch and one main Astroturf means you will never go without a game.

I think it’s important that players can play on both surfaces. Of course, with a club that has 950 members, you need the facilities as it can be quite busy on any given week to try to get a slot to train. The grass pitch will rival any pitch around and you could compare it to the Markets Field. I’m not sure if it will be ready in time for the Liverpool Legends to actually play on the grass pitch but hopefully it will. It’s really exciting times.”

Tickets for the event can be purchased at various locations including The Black Swan, The Hurlers Pub, Monaleen Stores, Chawkes Centra Castletroy, The Still House Bar, Taphouse and Millhouse Bar and Grill.

Liverpool Legends Squad (Confirmed):

Jan Molby (Manager)

Ronnie Whelan

Jason McAteer

Don Hutchison

Alan Kennedy

Paul Walsh

Jermaine Pennant

John Wark

Mark Walters