Last weekend saw St. Mary’s Park come alive as OMP United hosted our May Bank Holiday Tournament, and what a weekend it turned out to be.

Across two fantastic days of football, we welcomed players, coaches, parents and supporters from clubs across the NERL community for a tournament packed with brilliant football, great sportsmanship and a fantastic atmosphere from start to finish.

From the youngest players taking to the pitch for the first time to tightly contested matches throughout the weekend, the tournament showcased everything that grassroots football is about: enjoyment, community and giving young players the opportunity to play the game they love.

A huge thank you must go to everyone who helped make the weekend possible. Events of this scale only happen because of volunteers who give up their time behind the scenes before, during and after the tournament.

Special thanks to Ava, Lily, Melissa, Karen, and Sandra who kept the shop running all weekend and looked after everyone throughout the tournament. Thank you also to all of our referees, Joe, Alex, Noah, Evan, Daragh, Adam, Dan, Conor and Jack, who gave up their time and ensured every game was played in the right spirit. Whether it was helping with pitches, equipment, team organisation or jumping in wherever needed, your support made a huge difference.

Thanks to Graham who supported the refs, made sure all games ran smoothly and on time. Lenny who assisted in orgainsing the tournament medals and trophies. Morgan who was brilliant at the MC on both days. Fionan groundman who prepared all the pitches and decorated for the tournament. Wayne who coached and supported the teams, before and on the day. Brian took a lot of pictures to memorise the amazing weekend. 

A special mention also goes to Kieran, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes organising fixtures, schedules and scores throughout the tournament. Keeping everything running smoothly across so many games is no easy task and the organisation across the weekend was exceptional.

The feedback from clubs afterwards reflected the spirit of the weekend perfectly. Kingscourt Harps described it as a “brilliant tournament” and praised the organisers for putting together a fantastic event. 

“Big thanks to Richie and all at OMP for having us here today. Also, big thanks for the referees on the day! Super day had by all the kids and parents! Thanks for having us” – Athboy Celtic U10s Team

Finally, thank you to all parents, guardians and supporters who lined the sidelines across the weekend. Your encouragement and positivity helped create a brilliant environment for every player involved.

Weekends like this remind us what grassroots football is really about, and we are incredibly proud of everyone involved in making the tournament such a success.

We already can’t wait to do it all again next year.