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Winning the 4 in a row, getting capped by Ireland and escaping a 2016 terrorist attack
Ex-Shamrock Rovers player Peter Eccles is the latest to feature in our League of Ireland Legends series. Paul Fennessy By Paul Fennessy Sunday 17 Jan 2021, 9:30 PM Jan 17th 2021, 9:30 PM 42,503 Views 3 Comments
Peter Eccles pictured during his time with Home Farm Everton.
Peter Eccles pictured during his time with Home Farm Everton.
PETER ECCLES COULD hardly have imagined what lay ahead when he first laced up a pair of football boots, lining out for Cabra side St Brendan’s.
The defender started playing organised soccer around the age of nine and was not an obvious contender to be a future footballer, with none of his family having any connection to the game.
And so, we start another Irish international year looking ahead to an away date in March that might just shape the entire mood for what follows.
It was Slovakia on the mind last Christmas, a countdown to a Euros play-off that was delayed by the health crisis that shook the world. As a consequence, that game ceased to be Mick McCarthy’s problem and landed on Stephen Kenny’s desk.
Twelve months on, Kenny is probably through his honeymoon period, and looking at the calendar to see an opening World Cup qualifier in Serbia that appears likely to set the tone for a defining year in his life.
Prior to his Noosa move, Buckland coached for 10 years at the Randwick Rugby Club in Sydney. New Noosa Dolphins A-grade coach Matt Buckland and assistant coach Josh Mason. Picture: Noosa Dolphins Facebook He will be joined by Josh Mason who will again take on the role of senior assistant coach. I m really excited and it s fantastic challenge, Buckland said. The club has been so welcoming and everybody has been so nice and taken me on board as one of their own from the start. The players have been fantastic and I can t wait to get started in mid-January (for pre-season).
And he is hopeful today could be the day.
“I just would love them to do it once in my lifetime. I’m a long time following them now, I’m 63.
“I have never seen Mayo win an All-Ireland. I know it’s the same for a lot of people, when you have been there so often, it’s heartbreaking being so close.
“It’s just unfortunate we have come up against the greatest team of all time.
“I do know we left a few behind us, but with the help of God we will win.
“We do deserve it, we are a long time on the go following them through thick and thin.