St.Anthonys F.C Season 16 Preview

A spot in Division 4.12 was the reward for finishing 3^rd in D 5.28 in their maiden season. Granted, they joined late on in season 15 but they managed to string together some well timed wins to secure a first trophy for the club on top of promotion. How they will fare in their first full season, only time will tell.

Goalkeeper

Brazilian Nivaldo gets the nod as first choice keeper ahead of two inexperienced young Irish keepers. His is a keeper with decent stats (superb reflexes in particular) who should do very well in Division 4. It also won’t be long before promising youngster 21 year old Conor Conroy is challenging for the number one spot.

Defence

Although there are no stand out players at the rear, Anthony’s still have a solid looking defence, one which should be more than capable of dealing with the majority of D4 squads. Recent signing Andrew Furey will be a great addition to the squad.

Midfield  

Anthony’s midfield boasts several players who could easily slot into a lot of D2 squads, none more so than 22 year old Hugh Sheeran. Capable of slotting in on both the right and left flank, he has great strength, pace, passing and is a tidy finisher.  He also has the added bonus of being a great set-piece technician. With the talented Thomas Lucas playing down the right and Sheeran down the left, Anthony’s have a creative duo capable of striking fear into the most seasoned defence.

Attack

Signing Mounir Tadrus looks to be the coach’s first choice striker. His strength and pace will get him in good positions but his finishing skills are slightly lacking. With such a formidable wing attack, Anthony’s could do well using senior player Nathan McNamara as a target man. His heading ability is a great asset and with service practically guaranteed thanks to the solid midfield, he could be an unlikely star for the club this season.

Division 4.12 has a lot of very useful teams. St. Anthony’s will be tested a lot but they have already shown glimpses of a squad that is ready to compete for a place in Division 3. They should be there or there abouts come the end of Season 16.

Prediction – 4^th Place