The Shamrocks will open their Cosmopolitan Soccer League Division 1 campaign with a tough away game at newly promoted Zum Schneider on Sunday September 11.

Ironically, this match-up will hand Kevin Grogan’s men an immediate opportunity to avenge the 1-0 League Cup final loss that ended last season against the same opposition who were promoted as Division 2 champions.

Half-time team talk during the 3-1 pre-season win v CPR Whites at Randalls Island on Sunday. Picture by John Riordan

The 8pm kick off at Icahn Stadium in Randalls Island will round off a busy opening day for the Rocks with seven teams beginning the season across the city.

Double winning Shamrocks Women will begin life in Division A of the New York Metropolitan Women’s Soccer League with a clash at NY Magic Reserves in East River Park at 3pm while the newly formed B team will head to New Utrecht for a showdown with newcomers Beyond FC at 1.30pm.

The Shamrocks Women will head into the season buoyed by their victory at the Beyond FC Pre-Season 7-Aside in Long Island City over the weekend and will welcome several impressive new signings on board for the difficult task ahead.

The successful Shamrocks women’s team that won Sunday’s Beyond FC 7-Aside Tournament in Long Island City.

Although the schedules for the Over 30s and the Legends have not been released yet, Shamrocks 1960 know they will face Ridgewood Romac at St Michael’s at 1pm, kicking off their Metro 1 challenge.

Fellow promoted teams Williamsburg International and Metro City Fury Athletic will be the other two opponents in September.

As for the first team, more than half of the busy league schedule will be complete by the winter break in December. The division now has 10 teams with each team playing every other team twice, home and away. Ten matches have been scheduled in the fall and eight matches will be scheduled in the spring. The top four teams will make the playoffs and the bottom two teams will be relegated.

Grogan’s men have enjoyed a productive pre-season with Sunday’s 3-1 win against CPR Whites at Randall’s Island offering some signings a chance to settle in with their new team mates. Goals from Alejandro Fritz, Jamie Clarke and Kwesi Mills-Odoi ensured the win.

NYAC will visit St Michaels on September 17 while the month will round out with a tough away trip to last year’s runners-up, Westchester Eagles. October will be Irish Derby month with away games at Manhattan Celtic (Sunday Oct 9) and Lansdowne Bhoys (Saturday Oct 22). Halloween weekend will then see Polonia visit St Michaels after the dissolution of United FC allowed the Greenpoint outfit a second chance at the top level.

There will be two games against Pancyprians before the year’s end with those home and away ties split by a home game against newly promoted Doxa on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

Rocks Women’s team star Becky Torres has sent along this amazing photo from Rio! Great to see our club and our sponsors being represented around the world!

With the new season just under three weeks away, the NY Shamrocks Soccer Club gathered for their annual Sunnyside Gardens Six-Aside Tournament at Sunnyside Gardens Park in Queens on Sunday and a highly enjoyable day was had by all.

The victorious Shamrocks First team with the King McCormack Trophy. Back row, left to right, Anthony Tagliaferri, Frankie Tsasse, Teresa Ferraro, Stevie Doyle and Aoife West. Front tow left to right, Sinead Hennessy, Laurie Child, Zach Gosse and Joey Zorbo.         Picture by Eoin Sweeney

The idyllic surroundings of the park were a perfect backdrop for some very exciting games that pitted eight teams against each other in competitive but fun games.

Kids enjoyed a bouncy castle and – the highlight of the day – a race across the field with a very happy medal presentation directly afterwards.

“This is the ideal way to celebrate the start of a new season,” said social secretary Aoife West, the event organizer. “A lot of new players were experiencing this occasion for the first time and they will now have a sense of the community which has built up around this club over the years.

“I want to thank the committee members who volunteered their time and all our sponsors, especially GTI, AJ Interiors and the Courtyard Ale House. I want to also thank all the players who gave up their Sunday to join in the fun and we are very grateful that Flynns, McGuiness and The Dugout sent teams along to take part.”

In the end, the King McCormack Trophy was awarded to tournament winners, the Shamrocks First Team, who won a tense penalty shoot out against the Over 30s/Legends team.

Sean Mc Mullan presents the King McCormack trophy to Laurie Child. Picture: Eoin Sweeney

The Over 30s/Legends team – from left, Colly Madden, Paddy Mc Carry, Tricia Reed, Jarielle Uter, Paddy Geraghty, Ger Shivnan and Jackie Pounder.

The squad representing Flynns.

The Shamrocks Reserves – back row left to right, Paul McDaid, Sharee Goodson, Gil Christenberry, Jessica Kambic and Andrew Scott. Front row, John Riordan, Johnny Hayes and Mike

The GTI Alumni Squad

The Dugout

The 1960 Team

McGuinness

Thanks to Eoin Sweeney for these nostalgic photographs of the annual Sunnyside Gardens Six-aside Tournament!

The NY Shamrocks Soccer Club is seeking volunteer coaches and assistant coaches to run our men’s reserves team and our women’s reserves team.

Join one of the fastest growing clubs in the New York amateur soccer scene and learn from some of the best coaches in the game.

Ideal candidates would be well organized with access to their own transport and passionate about the game with a keen eye for players that can progress to a higher level.

The commitment will involve Sunday games throughout Fall and Spring.

For further information, contact the club: NYShamrockSC@gmail.com

With less than a week to go until the Shamrocks pre-season begins, Kevin Grogan has received timely boosts from four of his key players each of whom have followed his lead in committing to the club’s second season back in the top flight of New York amateur soccer.

Player of the Year Zach Gosse’s decision to return is an important boost for the Rocks while retaining the young, talented trio of Alejandro Fritz, Nick Zorbo and Dan Giorgi is an indication of Grogan’s bid to build on a foundation of young talent.

Nick Zorbo (left) and Dan Giorgi pictured recently after confirming their decision to stay with the Shamrocks for the Division 1 campaign ahead.

“We did a lot of recruitment last season to build the squad and now player retention is vital,” said Grogan.

“On top of retention, I’m looking very closely at new players. I have 17 players on my radar and I’m looking to sign four to six of them so we can strengthen the squad and build the training culture. Kwesi is a big signing. It’s going to be a very busy summer for recruitment. Detailing potential recruits and identifying the right personalities with the right temperament is very important. It’s a calculated process. We will have a full time pre-season with training, games, nutrition, sports psychology.”

Influential center back Gosse, who was ever present for the Rocks last season, said he was looking forward to his second season at the club.

Zach Gosse played in every game last season.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have gained a wealth of experience playing at various levels in the NYC metropolitan area, but I must admit the club is top notch,” he said.

“It’s astounding how much effort and sacrifice everyone puts forth in order for all of the teams at the club to succeed. From the players and coaches to the board members and supporters, the desire for ‘The Rocks’ to win has become infectious.

“Moreover, I must admit, having built relationships with my teammates and other club members both on and off the pitch, the club has become a second family for me. With a year of Division 1 football knowledge and maturity under our belts and the addition of several impact players to our talented core, I truly believe we can do extremely well next season.”

Fellow Long Islanders Dan Giorgi and Nick Zorbo settled in very well to the club after joining the Shamrocks in the spring.

“I am very happy with the experiences I have had in my first season,” said Giorgi. “In the past couple of months, I’ve learned a lot, worked hard, got to play in a cup final, and came out a better player. This is a great club that does so much for us and I’m very excited to re-sign and pick up where we left off. Up the Rocks!”

Zorbo was similarly delighted to recommit, adding that he was looking forward to experiencing a full season at the club.

“I’m delighted to re-sign with the Shamrocks for next season,” he said. “I would like to thank Kevin Grogan for bringing me in and introducing me to all the great people involved with the club like Stevie Doyle, John Riordan and Sean Mc Mullan. They have already made me feel so welcome at the Rocks. I have enjoyed being able to gain some experience playing with the older guys on the team. I’m motivated to be a bigger contributor to next season’s goals.”

The Annual General Meeting of the NY Shamrocks Soccer Club heralded some new faces on the committee as well as a seventh team in competition as the curtain was officially brought down on a record-breaking season.

Club president Sean Mc Mullan, who was re-elected to the position for a fourth season, praised the outgoing committee and welcomed the new board members as well as taking the time to compliment the players and coaches for what was a successful year overall.

Two new officers were named to the committee with women’s team captain, player of the year and top scorer Sinead Hennessy taking on the role of secretary while her team mate Aoife West filled the reprised social secretary position, an important job which has been vacant of late.

Vice President Pat Burke and treasurer/PRO John Riordan were both returned while the new look 13-member executive combined returning directors, Braden Ruddy, Brian Wolohan, Kevin McPartland, Neil Mannion and Tricia Reed with a trio of new board members, Kailey Walsh, Teresa Ferraro and long-time Shamrock Teresa Brink, the co-founder of the women’s team.

Departing committee member Glen Wrafter offered a well received ‘State of the Union’ review of the season, recalling events like Sunnyside Gardens, the golf outing, the Stand Up comedy night, the Concern charity run and the End of Season Awards banquet as well as the successes for the Over 30s, Shamrocks 1960 and the women’s team as well as the growth of the Legends squad and the sixth-placed finish of the first team in CSL Division 1.

Coaches Andy Connolly, Emmett Harvey and Paddy Geraghty were all unanimously voted back in as the gaffers of Shamrocks 1960, the Legends and the Women’s team respectively while Stevie Doyle announced he would be focusing solely on his role of first team assistant coach. Sean Mc Mullan will take over the Over 30s team from departing club legend Paddy Mc Carry who bows out on a high note for family reasons but will still be very much involved in the club.

A revamp of the club’s constitution and by-laws was discussed and over 30 motions were passed in order to update the rule book to match the club’s activities today. This will be available to view soon on the club website.

The meeting was adjourned in time for the Euro 2016 final kick-off as the new committee prepared to look ahead to the new season, Sunnyside Gardens on Sunday August 21 and the golf outing on Monday September 12.