Paddy Scannell on his lifelong service Avondale United and their ambitious plans

Paddy Scannell is one of the first faces you see when you visit Avondale Park to watch a match.

He's regularly seen on his machine cutting the grass to make sure the ground is in pristine condition.

The likes of Scannell, Pat Gosnell and Kevin Mullane are the bloodline of every soccer club. Players, managers and parents often don’t see the work behind the scenes to get the pitch and training areas ready, especially in bad weather.

He started playing with the Dale at U16 level and moved right up to senior level, winning an FAI Intermediate Cup medal before he joined the committee. 

He was very instrumental when the club bought Avondale Park for £32,000 at the time. Recently, the club sold it to the Cork County Council for €2.5 million.

"I played for Ringmahon Rangers underage until I was 15 and joined Avondale United after they formed to play with their U16 team,” Paddy said.

"I played alongside goalkeeper Aidan Ryan, Michael Morrisseym who was the captain, and the late Micheal O’Leary. However, we had a great side that went on to win the very first FAI Intermediate Cup for the club.

"I continued playing for as long as I could and then joined the committee to work with the late and great Chris O’Herlihy. The purchase of Avondale Park for £32,000 was the highlight for me personally.

“When late Tom Mullane's health deteriorated, I took over ground maintenance. I really enjoy doing it. 

"The work on the grounds is seven days a week but Monday is definitely the main day with repairing pitch divots after match days and other repairs on training area. 

Pat Gosnell and Kevin Mullane are by my side every Monday to help me and Geraldine Mullane is also close by when called upon.

"I get huge satisfaction when games are off due to bad weather at different venues across the city and county and our ground is playable, it just shows the hard work that Pat, Kevin and myself put in to get as many games played as possible."

The Cork County Council are the new owner of Avondale Park in Carrigaline in a deal valued at €2.5m.

The closure of the deal has released funds to the club to press ahead with the development of alternative lands on the Straight Road, closer to the city and leased from Cork City Council for a peppercorn rent.

The club will be hoping to move to their new home in 18 months after they lodged a planning application in last May to develop a new sporting infrastructure at the Carrigrohane site. This is to include one full-size artificial pitch with ancillary training areas; one full-size natural grass pitch, and floodlighting for both pitches and training areas, as well as upgrades to an existing car park.

Avondale is in the top four clubs in Cork in terms of membership, with about 1,100 members, including 700 school players under 16. Their home games are played in Beaumont Park where Avondale Utd has a 99-year lease.

Exciting times

The decision to relocate after 40 years was in the hope of 'optimising the value of the lands for the club' and to 'realise the full development potential of the site in what is currently a buoyant housing market'.

All monies raised through the sale will now fund the development of new facilities for its growing membership.

"I'm really excited about our new grounds, as it will give us a high-class arena with an all-weather pitch, grass lighted pitches with every space utilised and great accessibility from all areas of the city. However, it is very important that Beaumont Park will still be the hub for our young Dales.

"I have been very lucky to have seen the club win eight Intermediate Cup victories, but more importantly, the growth in all areas of the club with boys and girls teams.

“I also do Avondale club social media covering all club news and senior match preview and match reports and that is another job that I get great satisfaction from. 

"The club are very lucky the current committee are very dedicated and former players playing a huge part on and off the pitch with the likes of David Spratt, Ken Bruton and Michael Mulconry, who works incredibly hard to keep the show on the road.

"I hope to continue to my role and help the club in any way I can, as long as my health continues."