Season Preview 2017 - Cabinteely

Manager: Pat Devlin.

Stadium: Stradbrook Road.

Players in: Daire Doyle, Conor Keeley (Shelbourne), Cory Galvin (Waterford United), Adam Harney, Jack Watson, Jason Byrne, Kieran 'Marty' Waters (UCD).

Players out: Oscar Brennan (Bohemians), Ben Hanrahan (UCD), Mark Slater (Wexford).

Extratime.ie Key Man: Kieran 'Marty' Waters

Waters made his name at Bray Wanderers, scoring 13 goals in 67 league appearances for the Seagulls. He spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons at Tallaght with Shamrock Rovers. He appeared regularly in the Hoops’ league campaigns, netting seven times. He was also twice on target for Rovers in the 2015 Europa League against Luxembourg outfit Progrés Niederkorn. Waters played well in the First Division for UCD last term, scoring seven times in all competitions.

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Cory Galvin

Galvin was formerly part of Ipswich Town’s academy. The striker scored five goals in two separate spells with Waterford United. He represented Cobh Ramblers during the first half of the 2016 season, scoring once in ten appearances.

How they did last season:

League: Seventh in the First Division. Lack of firepower was a big issue for the Cabinteely men. Cabo found the net just 19 times in 28 league matches, the lowest strike total in the Division. The goals against column didn’t make for great reading either. 54 goals conceded was only exceeded by bottom club Athlone’s 62. Cabinteely failed to win a single away match all season and picked up just two points on the road.

FAI Cup: Cabo exited the 2016 Daily Mail FAI Cup at the second-round stage, suffering a 3-0 reverse away to Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds on May 21^st. A brace of goals from Kieran Sadlier and a first half Jimmy Keohane strike gave Dave Robertson’s side an easy victory.

EA Sports Cup: Cabinteely’s interest in the 2016 EA Sports ended on the opening night of the competition. The South Co. Dublin men conceded four second-half goals in a 5-0 loss to Shelbourne at Tolka Park on March 21^st.

What to expect this season:

New director of football Pat Devlin has a wealth of League of Ireland experience from previous spells in charge at Athlone Town, Drogheda United and particularly Bray Wanderers. Devlin’s backroom team looks strong. Former manager Eddie Gormley is now first a team coach. Former Bohemians assistant manager Graham O’Hanlon has also joined as a first team coach. Experienced midfielder Daire Doyle, who has switched from Shelbourne, will double as player coach.

There will be a good mix of youth and experience at Stradbrook this term. Jason Byrne will play for his seventh League of Ireland club when he lines up in the green and white for the 2017 season. The legendary Byrne is the second highest scorer in league of Ireland history. He contributed four to UCD’s ultimately unsuccessful drive for promotion last year. Two other former UCD players Adam Harney and Jack Watson have signed for Cabinteely. The 20-year-olds will bolster the Cabinteely defence and midfield respectively.

With a number of stronger looking squads in the First Division, it looks like it will be tough for Cabinteely and sixth place may be a realistic objective.

Title Odds: 66/1.

First game: Home to UCD, Friday 24^th February (kick-off 7.45pm).