*Donal Kirby & Jason Ryan at the 2018 CDSL AGM. Photograph: Martin Connolly
Former Fixtures Secretary of the Clare District Soccer League (CDSL), Donal Kirby has been elected as Chairman of the Clare Schoolboys/Schoolgirls Soccer League (CSSL).
Shannon’s Kirby will succeed Declan Farmer in the post as he was the only nominee and was unanimously proposed by the sixty plus delegates at Tuesday’s CSSL AGM.
“I am honoured and privileged to become Chairman,” he told delegates. Earlier in the meeting, frustration was voiced by delegates regarding lack of communication from the CSSL particularly in relation to the lack of meetings with the committee pointing out that several scheduled sittings failed to attract the required quorum.
Kirby stated, “One of my strengths is communication. Hopefully going forward we will hit the nail on the head with that”. The Lifford FC clubman paid tribute to departing officers for their contribution to the game. Among those to step down were Farmer as Chairman, Ciaran O’Dea (Secretary), Dermot Mahony (Vice Chairman/PRO), Frank McDonagh (Child Protection Officer), John O’Neill (Committee Member) and Davy Ryan (Committee Member).
During his time as Fixtures Secretary, Donal led the introduction of a masters fixture plan and an earlier start to the season. He held this role on the CDSL from 2014 until 2018 and left the Committee having lost out to Oliver Fitzpatrick in a bid to become Chairman. His first task as CSSL Chair will to be hold an EGM which was called as delegates did not pass the Treasurer’s Report at the AGM.
CSSL Committee 2019/20:
Chairman: Donal Kirby (Lifford FC)
Vice Chairperson/PRO: Deirdre Shannon (Hermitage FC)
Secretary: Caroline O’Brien (Shannon Town Utd)
Fixtures Secretary/Registrar: Conor Twomey (Shannon Town Utd)
Treasurer: Nigel Bradish (Avenue Utd)
Committee Member: Tommy Molloy (Avenue Utd)
Committee Member: Brendan Wall (Shannon Hibs)
Committee Member: Chris Curran (Ennis Town FC)