Ultimately, sport is as much about memories as medals. Ollie Neary was lucky enough to enjoy success with Mervue and Galway United, but reflecting back on his career it is the friendships and relationships that count.
The Neary brothers, Justin and Ollie, have made a considerable mark on Galway football. Those who assisted him on the sporting path have not been forgotten.
“Back in the late 70s when I was looking to join a club, a flyer came in the door, that was the normal thing at the time asking people if they were interested in joining a soccer club,” Ollie Neary recalls about starting with Galway Bohemians. “They had set up trials down in Wellpark where Tara Grove is at the moment, it was Mick Killeen and Michael Reen from Wellpark doing the trials.”
Alongside Neary was one of Galway’s greatest and most versatile sportsman. “Eric Elwood signed at the same time as me, we played for a couple of seasons with Bohs,” Neary adds.
“In 1980 then Mervue were in the Community Games, both of us went for the trials and got picked. We went on to win it up in Mosney against Ballybrack from Dublin. Ray McDonnell and John Joe Fahy were over us at the time.
“They asked would we join Mervue because at the time Bohs were branching out as far as Grattan. It was probably just easier to play with Mervue at the time. I never looked back really after I signed in 1980 for Mervue.”
Billy Carr’s ability to stitch teams together is still a source of conversation in the town. Neary benefited from Carr’s guidance. “When I started with Mervue I was fortunate to have Billy Carr as my manager for numerous years probably from U12 as far up as U17, Billy McCormack was assisting him,” Neary says.
“Billy was excellent, he was well known in Galway for everything he has done in the game, I was just delighted. His two sons, John and James were involved, it was great to be with that squad of players and team at the time.
“Billy knew everything and he more or less taught you life skills too as a coach and a manager. The way you should conduct yourself on and off the pitch, it was fantastic to have a mentor like Billy.”
In his teenage years Ollie Neary started to feature for Mervue at adult level. “The Connacht Senior League was very competitive at the time, they were great games to go to watch on Sunday afternoons,” Neary says.
“I got an opportunity through Jimmy Sullivan in the Challenge Cup in the 1986-87 season. He brought me in for the final, it was the one and only time I got to play with Justin. Gerry Lynskey was the captain at the time, we won that against Castlerea 4-2.
“The following year Jarlath Connolly, who had been my minor manager took the senior job, himself and Peter Coppinger were our coaches. Peter was probably ahead of his time, he was brought in to do strength and conditioning work with the players. It stood to me to a certain degree when I went into the senior squad.”
Mervue also embarked on an FAI Cup adventure that nearly culminated in a clash with Shamrock Rovers. “We played Longford Town in the first round of the FAI Cup and Rockmount,” Neary says. “We were two nil up against Rockmount in Terryland, it came back to two all, and we lost the replay midweek.
“If we had held on that day in Terryland Park we would have got Shamrock Rovers in the next round. It is the one regret we probably always had - that we didn't get that win to get a major player in Ireland, Shamrock Rovers, to Galway.”
Representing Galway United in the League of Ireland was the next mission Neary accomplished.
“Before I had got to the League of Ireland Tommy Lally had asked in 1989 would I be interested in going up,” Neary says.
“Back in the 1985-86 season we trained with Paddy Mulligan in College Road. A few of us were asked in for local trials - Tommy Keane would have been one of them, Ronan Killeen, Dave O'Connor from West, Adrian Brennan from Corrib Shamrocks.”
Neary continued to deliver for Mervue alongside Donnie Farragher. Tony Mannion, the distinguished Galway United boss, was monitoring their continued development. “The real exposure we got was the Connacht Senior League at the time,” Neary responds.
“That was a shop window for the League of Ireland to get players in. Any players that excelled were asked in, we were very fortunate Donnie and myself. They could have picked half a dozen from that Mervue team.
“We were excellent that year, we won four trophies in the one season, the League, the Challenge Cup, the Shield, and the Senior Cup. All eyes were on Mervue at the time, they took Donnie and myself.”
Progressing to the League of Ireland mattered. Neary netted 20 goals for United including some splendid efforts when the club returned to the revamped Terryland Park.
“I will always be indebted to Tony Mannion for asking me up there and to Kevin Cassidy, who was with him at that time,” Neary remarks.
“Kevin was fantastic, he was always one you could go to have a chat, he'd put his arm around your shoulder to give you some advice. I was very fortunate, I was probably at a good time, I was 24 or 25 years of age. I was that bit more mature than lads coming into the game now, I had a bit of football behind me.
“The first night the lights were switched on against Cork I got the winner in Terryland. Mr John Caulfield had equalised for Cork that night, we had some great times in Glenina and Eamonn Deacy Park.”
Neary contributed handsomely throughout an exciting era. Since then Neary's time in the game has been well spent coaching progressive Mervue teams alongside his friend Damien Brennan. Senior Irish internationals and respected League of Ireland performers received support during their teenage days. The good work continues.
**Listen to the full interview with Ollie Neary on this week’s ‘Cian on Sport’ podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple podcasts.
