The 00's
The millennium started with more underage success for the club with the U-14 team winning the Premier Division title.
The 2001 season saw Ballyglass challenging once again for the Super League title this time losing out to Castlebar Celtic. The B team was going strong and was unlucky to finish only Runners-up in Division 2.
The U-16 team was starting to show the signs of things to come when they were runners-up in the Premier Division in the same year.
On 24th May 2001, Damien Coleman became the first Ballyglass player to receive an Irish International cap when he lined out for the Republic of Ireland U-14 v Northern Ireland at Armagh City F.C.
Damien also scored for the Irish U-17 side against Russia during an international tournament in the Algarve, Portugal, which took place from February 28th to March 5th 2003. He went on to win three caps.
Another milestone in the clubs history was reached when on the 12th July 2001, in his last official engagement as President of the Football Association of Ireland, Pat Quigley performed the opening ceremony of the new viewers stand to add to the fine facilities already in place at the club. This was to become a 289 all seater stand later in the year.
The first team had come a long journey since the mid nineties, and the glory days. Ageing bodies meant retirements through injuries were inevitable, and the pressure fell on young shoulders to carry on the cause. In 2002 the club was relegated from the Super League and the team was to go through a number of seasons in transition.
However it was not all bad news as the time and the energy being invested in the underage system began to pay dividends. The 2003 season must go down as the crowning glory of the Ballyglass underage structure. With Joe Sheridan and Ivan Carroll at the helm the U-16 team captured the Connaught Cup (link to story) amid jubilant scenes in Milebush Park, Castlebar. Two outstanding goals from Irish international Damien Coleman gave Ballyglass a 2-1 victory over Yeats United from Sligo.
2004 saw the U-12 team go unbeaten as they captured the Division 2 crown. It was also the year that the club received National Lottery funding for the development of the training pitch and the installation of floodlights.
With the success at underage level beginning to filter through to the senior teams Ballyglass entered the 2005 season with a glimmer of hope. Following a few mediocre years in the Premier Division the team started strongly, and with players like Alan McHugh, Alan Plunkett, Damien Coleman, Dean Connolly and Niall Costello coming through to combine with the experience of John Noonan, James Malone and Niall Gallagher the future looked bright. With Joe Glynn at the helm the team finished the season as Runners-up to a strong Castlebar Celtic B team and could now look forward to being back where they belonged in the Super League.
Unfortunately the 2006 season was to end in disappointment for the team with their relegation to the Premier Division
2006 saw the U-18 team make it to the Quigley Cup final only to go down 2-0 to a more experienced Castlebar Celtic outfit.
It was also the season that saw the U-14 Boys team progress to the fourth round of the Connaught Cup only to miss out on a quarter final spot with a 2-0 defeat to Sligo outfit Strand Celtic on 13th January 2007.
On February 4th 2007 the Under 16 squad captured the Division 1 South league title when they beat Westport B 3-0 (Click here for match report and pictures)
April 29th 2007 saw the club further extend its facilities when the new training pitch, complete with floodlights was officially opened by John Carty T.D. (Click here for report)
Another chapter was written in the club's history on 16th May 2007 when at 6.05pm, Irish time, Ryan Connolly made his debut for the Republic of Ireland Under 15's against Belgium in Switzerland. Ryan went on to make four appearances in less than two weeks for his country to cap an amazing year for the Summerhill man.
The 2001 season saw Ballyglass challenging once again for the Super League title this time losing out to Castlebar Celtic. The B team was going strong and was unlucky to finish only Runners-up in Division 2.
The U-16 team was starting to show the signs of things to come when they were runners-up in the Premier Division in the same year.
On 24th May 2001, Damien Coleman became the first Ballyglass player to receive an Irish International cap when he lined out for the Republic of Ireland U-14 v Northern Ireland at Armagh City F.C.
Damien also scored for the Irish U-17 side against Russia during an international tournament in the Algarve, Portugal, which took place from February 28th to March 5th 2003. He went on to win three caps.
Another milestone in the clubs history was reached when on the 12th July 2001, in his last official engagement as President of the Football Association of Ireland, Pat Quigley performed the opening ceremony of the new viewers stand to add to the fine facilities already in place at the club. This was to become a 289 all seater stand later in the year.
The first team had come a long journey since the mid nineties, and the glory days. Ageing bodies meant retirements through injuries were inevitable, and the pressure fell on young shoulders to carry on the cause. In 2002 the club was relegated from the Super League and the team was to go through a number of seasons in transition.
However it was not all bad news as the time and the energy being invested in the underage system began to pay dividends. The 2003 season must go down as the crowning glory of the Ballyglass underage structure. With Joe Sheridan and Ivan Carroll at the helm the U-16 team captured the Connaught Cup (link to story) amid jubilant scenes in Milebush Park, Castlebar. Two outstanding goals from Irish international Damien Coleman gave Ballyglass a 2-1 victory over Yeats United from Sligo.
2004 saw the U-12 team go unbeaten as they captured the Division 2 crown. It was also the year that the club received National Lottery funding for the development of the training pitch and the installation of floodlights.
With the success at underage level beginning to filter through to the senior teams Ballyglass entered the 2005 season with a glimmer of hope. Following a few mediocre years in the Premier Division the team started strongly, and with players like Alan McHugh, Alan Plunkett, Damien Coleman, Dean Connolly and Niall Costello coming through to combine with the experience of John Noonan, James Malone and Niall Gallagher the future looked bright. With Joe Glynn at the helm the team finished the season as Runners-up to a strong Castlebar Celtic B team and could now look forward to being back where they belonged in the Super League.
Unfortunately the 2006 season was to end in disappointment for the team with their relegation to the Premier Division
2006 saw the U-18 team make it to the Quigley Cup final only to go down 2-0 to a more experienced Castlebar Celtic outfit.
It was also the season that saw the U-14 Boys team progress to the fourth round of the Connaught Cup only to miss out on a quarter final spot with a 2-0 defeat to Sligo outfit Strand Celtic on 13th January 2007.
On February 4th 2007 the Under 16 squad captured the Division 1 South league title when they beat Westport B 3-0 (Click here for match report and pictures)
April 29th 2007 saw the club further extend its facilities when the new training pitch, complete with floodlights was officially opened by John Carty T.D. (Click here for report)
Another chapter was written in the club's history on 16th May 2007 when at 6.05pm, Irish time, Ryan Connolly made his debut for the Republic of Ireland Under 15's against Belgium in Switzerland. Ryan went on to make four appearances in less than two weeks for his country to cap an amazing year for the Summerhill man.
