BANDON AFC has announced a year-long calendar of events to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary hot on the heels of hosting Cork City FC in a successful pre-season friendly.
Club PRO Richie O’Regan was delighted with how Cork City’s recent visit panned out and is eager for the club’s committee to build on all the positivity surrounding that friendly ahead of a busy 12-month schedule.
Bandon AFC announced plans to celebrate the club’s half-century with a golf classic, dinner dance plus a host of additional events catering for every age group on the same evening Neale Fenn’s side visited West Cork.
‘We were fortunate that everything worked out so well for Cork City’s visit,’ O’Regan said. ‘The good weather helped with a big turnout for the game of both Bandon and Cork City supporters. Everything around the game worked liked clockwork and we had great help in organising the event itself on the day.
‘We were thankful to the many committee members, the ball boys and girls plus stewards made up of coaches and parents from within the club. On top of that we were very proud of our own Bandon senior team that put in such a great performance.’
Despite the defeat, Bandon gave a fine account of themselves against League of Ireland opposition and prior to the Munster Senior League club announcing their 50th anniversary programme.
‘We are starting off our programme with the Bandon AFC bumper weekend in early April,’ O’Regan said.
‘We really want past and present club members to get involved that weekend. On Friday, April 17th, we are organising a golf classic which will be a fundraiser for the club. Everyone is welcome to take part and the aim is to raise much needed funds including the building a new astroturf training pitch.
‘The following night, April 18th, will be one of the highlights of the year with our 50th anniversary club dinner dance at the Munster Arms Hotel in Bandon. That promises to be a fantastic night and loads of fun.’
The West Cork club’s events will continue following the conclusion of the dinner dance in early April.
A combination of outdoor events and street leagues aimed at the younger Bandon population will conclude with both men’s and ladies legends matches plus a special mass taking place in September.
‘We will have a kids fun day in June as well as tying in with the local primary schools to run another inter-schools cup,’ the Bandon PRO concluded. ‘For adults as well, we will have adult seven-a-side leagues going ahead once again in August.The club has run that particular event over the last couple of years and we hope that the success of that will continue.
‘Our final event sees Bandon AFC honouring deceased club members at a mass in early September.
On the same day, former Bandon legends will also take part in a men’s and ladies matches to round off the year. There is something for every age-group so that everybody can come together to celebrate our 50th anniversary year.’
WHAT'S COMING UP?
Here is Bandon AFC’s 50th Anniversary Calendar of Events for the year ahead:
April 17th: Bandon AFC Golf Classic
April 18th: Dinner Dance with special guest
May 5th: Cathal Murphy Memorial Cup – Cork City/Bandon AFC Legends v Niall O'Regan XI
May 22nd: Club Awards Night
June 6th: Kids Fun Day (blitz, BBQ, bouncy castles, soccer skills)
June 12th: Inter-Schools Cup (primary, boys and girls)
August 2nd: Street Leagues and adult 7-a-side finals
September 6th: Mass for deceased club members, Ladies Legends and Senior Legends matches
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