Clery is appointed the new manager of Galway WFC

By Francis Kennedy

FORMER Galway United captain Billy Clery has been appointed manager of Galway WFC, succeeding his former boss at United, Don O’Riordan who left the club in December 2016 following a season of disappointing results.

A native of Galway City, Clery was an inspirational captain and centre-half for Galway United. He also had a spell as caretaker manager in 2008 following Jeff Kenna’s departure to St. Patrick’s Athletic FC. He was also part of Sean Connors’ management team in 2010.

In 1994, he was a key member of the St. Mary’s College (Galway) team which won the Connacht Colleges Senior Cup, scoring in the school’s 2-1 final victory over local rivals The Bish (St. Joseph’s College).

He played underage football with Galway Hibernians where his father John was a player and coach, but it was as a goal-scorer that Clery first made his name in the Dublin Schoolboys League with Belvedere Y.C., travelling to the capital by train every weekend for two years.

Playing in the same team as Mark Kennedy, Liam Kelly and Wes Byrne, among others, Clery won the DDSL U-15A title with Belvedere and was runner-up in the U-17A the following season.

He made his League of Ireland debut at the age of 16 in 1992. Snapped up by Galway United, Clery’s impact on the National League was an explosive one. He scored on his debut in Drogheda and was sent off the following week after a tussle with Shamrock Rovers’ hard-man, Alan Byrne.

The new manager has considerable experience having been U-21 head coach at Galway United, Kennedy Cup Under-15 head coach, Oscar Traynor Galway League squad assistant coach, Barna-Furbo United head coach and NUIG Collingwood Cup head coach.

Maz Sweeney from Fanad, Co. Donegal has been appointed assistant manager. She is the current Futsal co-ordinator with the WSCAI and a former player with IT Sligo, Athlone IT and Castlebar Celtic WFC. She was also part of the Ireland Under-19 management team and coach at the 2015 World University Games.