Combined Counties get ready to kick off prestigious Oscar Traynor trophy campaign
RECENTLY appointed manager of the Combined Counties Football League Patrick Ruane is hoping the league?s representative team can create history this year.
The CCFL have never qualified from the initial group stage and have been pitted once again with Kildare, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow, and open the group campaign with a home match against Kildare this coming Friday (8pm, Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore).
A disappointing record to date in the prestigious competition has not deterred Patrick Ruane, the former Tullamore Town manager who recently took the reins from the outgoing Martin Devine, and he believes a good start on Friday could set the CCFL up for qualification from the group.
?I think it?s crucial to get off to a winning start. Kildare will be confident of beating us, they will probably see us as their easiest game, but we feel it?s a game we can win also.
?I?m looking forward to it. There are great new facilities in Tullamore and it gives us no excuses. I badly want to get out of the group stage and I expect my players to have the same desire and appetite,? Ruane said.
The CCFL manager has selected a squad of seventeen players for Friday?s match, with players from clubs such as Tullamore Town, Killavilla and CK Utd included. Athlone-based coach Anthony Sherlock is assisting Patrick Ruane.
The CCFL have drawn with the Roscommon & District League and defeated UCL in their recent friendly fixtures.
Ruane reported no injury worries at time of going to press.
