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Manorhamilton Rangers Football Club was
formed in 1980 by a group of dedicated locals wishing to bring
soccer to the North Leitrim enclave of Manorhamilton. The club play
at the Bee Park grounds in Manorhamilton and its primary colours are
blue and black stripes, similar to AC Milan and in recent years
yellow and blue has come more to the fore. Manorhamilton Rangers or Manor Rangers, as the club
is known locally, entered into Division 4 of the Sligo/Leitrim
League. In its first season in existence the club won this division.
Not content with this Manorhamilton Rangers FC won Division 3 in
1981 and Division 2 in 1982. This rapid rise to the top of
Sligo/Leitrim Leagues continued in the 1988/89 season when
Manorhamilton Rangers confirmed as Champions of the Premier
Division. The Premier Division was again won in 2001/02 and 2006/07.
Manorhamilton Rangers now play their football in the Sligo/Leitrim
Super League finishing 3rd in the current season 2007/08. Season
2007/08 moved the club on to the National stage as they competed in
the FAI Umbro Junior Cup. The Senior team went on to claim the
scalps of notable teams such as Mervue and Douglas Hall before being
narrowly beaten in the quarter finals of the competition by Corduff
FC of Dublin. They also got to the quarter finals of the Connacht
Junior Cup.
With the early success of the senior team it was decided to set in
place an underage structure to encourage young boys and girls play
soccer. Under the auspices of the Sligo/Leitrim Youth Schoolboys &
Schoolgirls league Manorhamilton Rangers now have teams which cater
for boys and girls from U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, and U-18.
Under the careful guidance of Joe & Bernie Cleary the youth teams
have gone from strength to strength. Success has been achieved by
various teams. Season 1991/92 will forever live in the memory of
North Leitrim Soccer lovers, when Manorhamilton Rangers U-17 team
retained the league title won the previous year and then went on to
claim the clubs first provincial title when they beat the king-pins
of Junior soccer in Galway, the mighty Galway Mervue.
Manorhamilton Rangers U-16 team under the guidance of Billy Brick
and Gabriel McSharry Snr travelled to Blackpool in the 2007/08
season to compete in an International Team Tournament. They went on
to excel themselves beating some of the best English, American and
Scottish teams on the way to the final where they were narrowly
beaten after extra-time and penalties in the final.
On returning home the U-16 team went on to claim the Sligo/Leitrim
U-16 League title for 2007/08.
The future is bright for the club with such talent emerging. Nearly
all of the senior team has come through the Youth structure of the
club. Sligo/Leitrim League acknowledged the fine work being done by
Manorhamilton coaches over the years and presented Joe and Bernie
Cleary with a Special Merit trophy for their outstanding
contribution to youth soccer. Joe was also presented with an award
for being the first Leitrim Clubman to hold the position of
Sligo/Leitrim League Chairman.
Other honours can be seen by clicking the honours link on this site. |
