With a bye-week being enjoyed by our firsts and reserves this weekend, it will be a slightly quieter Sunday for the club.

Notable, however, will be the home debuts of the Rocks Legends and Rocks 1960 who play Sunday morning at St Michael’s for the first time.

The curtain raiser will see Emmett Harvey’s Legends look to put their very unlucky defeat last week in the past when they face Cozmoz FC at 11am.

Harvey will have a much stronger squad available to him with the squad building process in full swing.

“We left it behind us last weekend,” said assistant coach Donal Kelly. “We’re very much looking ahead and the players know we have the potential of putting together a very good outfit.”

In the second game on Sunday, the fledgling 1960 team will face a tough task against SC Eintracht (1pm kick-off).

Eintracht emerged as 4-1 winners last week against NYC Afghanistan.

The Rocks 1960, coached by Andy Connolly, Neil Mannion and Colly Madden, snatched a late victory last week against fellow rookies Beyond FC and will look to build on that this weekend.

“We’re not getting carried away by that win,” said manager Andy Connolly. “SC Eintracht will be very strong and we’re still getting used to each other. But we showed great resolve to grind out the win so it bodes very well.”

In an around the same time in New Utrecht, the Shamrocks Women will be hoping to bounce back from a 3-1 loss last weekend when they face Appletown at 1.30pm.

“I was very impressed by our new players last Sunday,” said Erin Cullen. “We’re looking forward to them getting used to their new team mates and once they do, we will be able to put some good performances together.”

A late kick-off is on the cards for the Over 30s who must visit their arch-rivals Manhattan Celtic in Pier 40 (7.30pm).

The champions have been landed with a tough start to their title defense but enjoyed an impressive win last Sunday morning against Manhattan Kickers.

“Sunday night will be another very difficult game,” said Paddy Mc Carry. “Celtic always make it very hard to get any kind of result especially at their home field. They have a few quality players who can win games for them.”

Lastly, we would like to make our players and supporters aware that women’s team co-manager Erin will be taking part in a charity sleep out next week in aid of Covenant House.

Since 1972, Covenant House has been available to meet the immediate needs of young people, with a hot meal and a safe bed – and to help them further their education, get a job, find permanent housing. In essence, Covenant House helps these kids find and build a brighter future.

“I have decided to take on the challenge of sleeping outside with my peers from the (Re)Insurance industry,” explained Erin. “It will be uncomfortable. It will be dark. But for one night I can give up the comforts of home knowing that – by doing so – I can bring warmth and brightness to young people who need it most.”

You can support her efforts here:

http://covhou.convio.net/site/TR/SO_Corporate/SleepOutCorporateEdition2015?px=1996409&pg=personal&fr_id=1570

Up the Rocks!!

To all our players, members and supporters,

It is a huge honor for this club to be back in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and it has been a busy off-season trying to prepare.

I want to thank our loyal sponsors The Courtyard Ale House and GTI for their incredible and continuing support.

I would also like to welcome the support of Joe Connolly and Solas Electrical – confirmed as new sponsors this past week.

Special word of thanks to our golf outing GOLD SPONSORS Andrew James Interiors and also to our SILVER SPONSORS Creo Design and Life Source Irrigation.

I want to also acknowledge the assistance of Councilwoman Liz Crowley in helping us secure permits for our home field at St Michael’s. We are also very grateful to our good friends at the Irish Consulate for their support and assistance whenever called upon.

Monday’s Golf Outing at Lido Beach Golf Club is a vital fundraiser for our club as we prepare to send six teams out to compete at high levels around New York City.

We will always welcome support for our hole sponsorship drive at $100 per hole.

Please contact NYShamrockSC@gmail.com for more details.

A sponsorship form has been attached.

Finally, to all our players, a special word of praise. There is a long and tough season ahead and I look forward to seeing you all in action and getting to know the new players that have joined this great club.

Our history goes back all the way to 1960 and every player should wear the jersey with pride!

Up the Rocks!

Sean Mc Mullan

• Top division action returns for Shamrocks after ten-year absence
• Rocks host Greek Americans on Sunday
• Over 30s begin title defense with tough task
• 1960 and Legends make their league debuts
• Rocks Women add impressive new players

Midfield dynamo Sean Steed has been named as NY Shamrocks club captain ahead of the hotly anticipated return to the first division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League.

Steed (pictured) said he was honored to be chosen by Kevin Grogan and was looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“All the players are ready after a very good pre-season,” Steed told NYShamrocksSC.com.

“We are looking forward to testing ourselves against very strong opposition and it doesn’t get much more difficult than facing the Greek Americans.”

Grogan also confirmed that newly signed defender Lee Toland will serve as vice-captain. Born in Derry, Toland is a former Newcastle United and Derry City player and has settled in extremely well since joining the club in July.

Grogan has been hard at work recruiting in new players with the likes of Sean Reilly, Laurie Child, Chuong Tran and Anthony Tagliaferri adding quality to the side while Brazilian Rafael Carpes will add much needed steel to the midfield.

But the head coach has also been keen to retain the players who got the Shamrocks promoted with last season’s top scorer Mohamed Fofana expected to lead the line again while the talented midfield trio of Michael McGreevy, Sean Doran and Santiago Rigby will be looking to avail of the higher standard of soccer.

“We are underdogs this season but we are giving ourselves the best chance possible to achieve success,” Grogan told NYShamrockSC.com.

“We have worked hard now for five weeks training, recruiting and playing five pre-season games. We have a good mix of new players and players from last year.

“The Greeks are one of the biggest clubs in the league so its a tough start but we will function and compete. Every game is a cup final for us. If we win a game we cant get carried away and if we lose we must move forward and bounce back. Every point will count.

“John Kenny obviously had a vison and founded the club in 1960. Here we are in 2015. It’s an amazing history. I’m honored to be involved and I fully understand the responsibility attached to my role in the club.”

Stevie Doyle will once again coach the reserves and has named Shane Moore as his skipper ahead of Sunday’s 11am kick off.

His side will be backboned by club stalwarts such as Nikle Guzijan, Mitch Jones, Brendan Lane and Paul McDaid while some of last year’s more impressive players were rewarded with a shot at the first division with keeper and player of the year Nick Meola joining Cathal Monaghan and Daniel Cano in the squad.

“I am very excited to get going this Sunday,” said Doyle. It has to be described as another great chapter in Shamrocks folklore.

“Players have been working extremely hard in preseason and we can’t wait to get started and get going. It’s a top quality league and with a squad of old players and new players this year, we will be hoping to turn a few heads this year.”

Meanwhile, Paddy Mc Carry’s Over 30s league champions will begin their title defense Sunday with a tough task against Manhattan Kickers Premier at Randall’s Island Field 75 (8am).

“It won’t be an easy way to get going,” admitted Mc Carry, “but we have retained a lot of our squad and we have added some good new players. We’ll be the ones every other team wants to beat so we will be ready for that.”

It will be a big day for the new teams at the club, meanwhile, with Shamrocks Legends and Shamrocks 1960 lining out for their first league games.

The Legends, led by coaches Emmett Harvey, Donal ‘Ducky’ Kelly and Eoin Sweeney will be at Hoboken at 3pm on Sunday. Randall Friedman returns to the club as captain with Kelly named as his vice-captain.

Dave Harvey will captain the 1960 team which will be coached by Andy Connolly, Neil Mannion and Colly Madden while Ruairi Lavery is named as vice-captain.

Fellow new arrivals Beyond FC will host the Rocks at Randall’s Island Field 75 (4pm).

In the Women’s Metro League, the Rocks Women will take on NY Skulls in New Utrecht at 1.30pm with some impressive new additions.

“It’s an exciting time for the women’s team,” said player-manager Erin Cullen.

“The roster is quite different from last year in that we have nearly 10 new players joining the team, as well as some very strong players returning from last season. We’ve been practicing throughout the summer and we’re hoping that this new lineup will present a stronger team dynamic on the pitch.”