21-09-2002

Mountmellick pleas "fall on deaf ears"

"I'm beginning to think our representations are falling on deaf ears," exclaimed Cllr Denis O'Meara at Mountmellick Town Council monthly last week.

He revealed: "People are stopping us and asking what the hell we are doing in here?"

Cllr O'Meara had repeated his pleas for pothole filling at Hill 60, ramps at Kirwin Park, the removal of stones from Lord Edward Street and flood relief in the Connolly Street area.

Deputy Co Manager Declan Byrne said it was the elected County Councils who decided "where the money goes."

Cllr David Conroy: "The four County Councillors (for the Mountmellick electoral area) should put pressure on the Council. The situation in Connolly Street is an absolute disgrace with water going up ver the walls. It's going on for the last eight years and seems to be n nearer a solution."

Cllr Paddy Bracken said Mountmellick, as regards funding, seemed to be paying the price for the "fiasco" on Portlaoise's main street.

Chairman Michael Gormley: "Portlaoise is getting everything, Mountmellick isn't getting a thing."

Town Clerk Ger Scully said Connolly Street would be considered for work next year under the discretionary funding scheme. He gave a similar reply in relation to the proposed Kirwin Park ramps.

Mountmellick relief road

The Mountmellick inner-relief road project had come to the compulsory purchase order stage, Town Clerk Ger Scully told the TC monthly meeting last week.

Derrycloney path "laugh and joke"

There was no money for the Derrycloney footpath, Town Clerk Ger Scully told Mountmellick TC meeting last week.

Chairman Michael Gormley: "I cannot understand that there's no money for a lorry load of gravel."

Cllr Helen Hanson: "People are using it (path) all the time. It's a laugh, really."

Chairman Gormley: "It's a joke."

Mr Scully: "It's not just a lorry load of gravel. There's also the manpower to put it down."

Deputy Co Manager Declan Byrne said representations were made to have the path "hard cored" and he didn't think a "lorry load of dust" was going t improve it. There was no money in the budget to "hard core" it this year. He insisted that the path was not impassable.

Chairman Gormley: "Manager, we are being put under pressure by the general public. We just looked for a lorry load of dressing. There are about six or nine inches of water in one part of the path and people have to walkout n the road."

Mountmellick Rout Rovers

Mountmellick Utd 3 ..................... Pearse Rovers O

Mountmellick started the brighter on a bump Smith's Field and had the visitors on the back foot from the kick-off.

On ten mintutes Paul Lee's corner was driven to the net by John Kerry and they kept the pressure on, resulting in a long kick-out by Donie O'Mahoney being expertly flicked on by Kevin Conroy for Robbie Hibbitts to blast into the net.

Hibbitts, Kerry and Padraig Goodwin all came close in the remaining 25 minutes of the half but the score remained unchanged at the break.

Rovers started the second half well but a well disciplined home defence held firm and on 50 minutes Farrell made the game safe when he volleyed home from 16 yards after a poor defensive header.

Rovers played neat football but could no get past Turner, Conroy, Parkinson and Payne who were excellent at the back.

The midfield never stopped tackling and running during the 90 minutes in what was a fine controlled performance where Robbie Hibbitts was man of the match.

Mountmellick: D O'Mahoney, K Payne, M Parkinson, J Turner, K Conroy, J Kerry, P Lee, P Goodwin, R Farrell, R Hibbitts, K Conroy.