By Harry Walsh
A BUMPER crowd is expected to gather at Leckview Park, home to Letterkenny Rovers Football Club, on Friday evening next, August 1.
The occasion is a charity football match in memory of Patrick (Paddy) Orr from Glencar. A well known and respected member of the local community Paddy lost his brave battle with cancer on April 18. He was 49 years old.
Former team-mates from the Letterkenny and District Schoolboys Leagues of yesteryear have come together, dusted down the football boots in a bid to raise money for the Donegal Hospice.
Glencar, managaed by Paul Collier, and Burma, under the guidance of Pauric ‘Preco’ O’Donnell have come up with two crack (or should that read crocked!) squads with guest players from around the town complementing the ‘old townies’ on either side.
SQUAD
The Burma squad includes former Letterkenny Rovers players like Charlie Collins, the McGovern brothers Paul and Andrew, Mark Nee and yours turly while Liam Haughey, Seamus ‘Barney’ O’Donnell, Martin and Dessie O’Donnell, Sean Crossan and Anthony Gildea would have been more familar in the Bonagee United colours.
Add in local legends Vincent Bianconi, Cathal Flood, Paul McIlroy and former Fanad United defender Davy Deery and it all adds to a formidable team.
At the time of going to press Paul Collier was still trying to finalise his squad although he was king enough to release a number of names.
These include the Kennedy brothers, Jimmy and Rory, Jimmy Doherty, Paul McGill, Peter Blake, John Wilkie, Enda Nicholls, Ben Tracey, Dean ‘Dixie’ Doherty, Colm Gibbons, Jackie Duffy and Patrick’s siblings Martin, Barry, Declan and Finbarr Orr.
“I’ve a few more names up my sleeve but you’ll find out more on Friday week.
On a more serious note though we would like to see the stand packed at Leckview Park next Friday night as, ultimately, this is about trying to raise as much money as we possibly can for the Donegal Hospice,” Paul Collier said.
Paddy’s brother Martin and his band the Honky Tonk Heroes wil provide the post-match entertainment in the Ard Ri Bar where a signed Irish jersey, worn by Everton’s Shane Duffy in the pre-World Cup meeting with Costa Rica in America earlier this summer, will be raffled.
Shane’s father Brian is a Burma man and he too might even play next Friday night (Brian that is and not Shane!).
The Paddy Orr Meorial Cup will also be presented to the winning captain by his partner Bríd.
The match kicks-off at 7pm while the post-match festiviies are expected to get underway at the Ard Ri from 10pm.