Treaty United Player Profiles: Ludden, Walsh and O’Riordan

As the season approaches, we give a run down of the Treaty United squad ahead of the home fixture with Bray Wanderers on February 17th at the Markets Field. We begin with the defensive trio of Marc Ludden, Mark Walsh and Ben O’Riordan.

Marc Ludden: The experienced left-back enters his 14th season in the League of Ireland having started with Galway outfit Mervue United in 2009. After five seasons in the First Division with Mervue at a time in which the Fahy’s Field outfit, Salthill Devon and Galway United were all competing in the league, Ludden joined the latter and spent the next 7 years with his hometown senior club. Salthill and Mervue pulled out of the League of Ireland to make way for a sole representative called Galway FC.

During his time at Eamon Deacy Park, Ludden was part of a promotion winning squad in 2014 and also suffered relegation 3 seasons later. In 2020, Ludden was a key player as Galway, who were underachieving until John Caulfield’s appointment midway through the season, went on a late run to secure a play-off place. The Tribesmen lost out to Longford Town at the Belfield Bowl and the club’s decision to return to full-time football did not suit Ludden due to existing work commitments and he joined newly formed Treaty United in February 2021.

Tommy Barrett was delighted with the capture of the left-back as he would add significant experience to a team who would be made up largely of players from Clare, Tipperary and Limerick junior clubs. Ludden enjoyed a fruitful season in 2021 as his long throws and set-piece deliveries proved to be a huge asset to the Limerick side as they surprisingly reached the play-offs. His leadership and one-v-one defending also proved crucial for the surprise package.

As we enter what could prove to be his final year at this level, Ludden will take plenty of confidence from 2022 as he captained the side in the absence of Jack Lynch for the majority of the campaign and scored four goals and assisted 8 further goals as Treaty reached the FAI Cup semi-final and the play-offs and were defeated by Derry City and Waterford FC in those respective competitions.

Mark Walsh: Walsh signed for Treaty in February 2021 from Tipperary outfit Nenagh Celtic. It wasn’t Walsh’s first sojourn into League of Ireland football as he had lined out next to his current manager Tommy Barrett and his current teammate Sean Guerins with Athlone Town in 2012.

Little was known about Walsh as he was announced by the club in February but he was exceptional on his debut against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds during a 0-0 draw and he became a mainstay in the centre of midfield area for the season. His versatility has been key for Barrett who has also used Walsh as a centre-back. It hasn’t always been plane sailing for the Tipperary man since his arrival as he has suffered two relatively long-term injuries in both 2021 and 2022 which ruled him out for a couple of months at a time, so he will be hoping to have an injury free-run in 2023.

With the arrival of Andy Spain and Anto O’Donnell in defence and the likes of Ryan Connolly in midfield, he will face competition to earn a starting place in the team but it is a challenge which Walsh will relish on the basis of the last two years.

Ben O’Riordan: The centre-back arrived to Treaty from Cobh Ramblers in July last season and quickly earned himself a regular starting berth in a relatively new position of right-back. O’Riordan had actually scored an own goal while in the colours of Cobh against Treaty just weeks before his arrival at the Markets Field. The tall defender left shortly after the arrival of Shane Keegan to St. Colman’s Park. He had spent 6 years as a key member of Cobh’s first team before his departure.

O’Riordan proved to be a solid right-back and although he didn’t offer as much going forward as the departed Charlie Fleming, he is a very solid defender who rarely makes errors. As mentioned, O’Riordan provides Barrett with the opportunity to play him as a centre-back or right-back as he equally adept in both positions.