ESBI teams scoop main awards at MERP 5-a-side soccer tournament

A 5 a-side soccer tournament was held in Ennis on Thursday September 27th for all contractors on the Moneypoint Environmental Retrofit Project (MERP) site. The aim of the tournament was to have a recreational afternoon away from the site whilst at the same time raising money for a deserving local charity. This was the second year in which this tournament was run and last year’s winners were ZRE, a Polish Mechanical Erection contractor.

This years’ tournament was well supported by all contractors on site and Moneypoint Station staff. 13 teams in total lined out. There was a diverse range of nationalities represented including German, Polish, Lithuanian, Scottish, English and last but not least, plenty of Paddies.

A bright sunny day lifted the spirits and after the group stage and early rounds of knock out matches, it was the ESBI Site and ESBI Commissioning teams who found themselves in the final. The ESBI Commissioning Team caused the upset of the tournament by knocking out last years winners in a hard fought semi-final clash. In the other semi-final clash, ESBI Site beat Pyeroy, a scaffolding company in a very sporting game without a hint of any ‘trash talk’.

The final was hard fought affair with the trophy and associated bragging rights at stake between the two ESBI teams captained by John Kelly and Paddy Boyle. The ESBI Commissioning team could not repeat their heroics of the semi-final clash with ZRE and it was the ESBI site team that came out on top in the end with a convincing 3-1 win.

The tournament was followed by an enjoyable night in Ennis. There was much glamour added to proceedings with the arrival of the WAG’s of some of the key participants. There was also some singing into the late hours. Certain individuals unfortunately demonstrated their inability to hit the right notes, thus ensuring that no cat and dog within a one mile radius got to sleep that night.

After raising funds for last year’s Charity, the Kilrush Autism Support Group, this years event also came up trumps for this years selected Charity, the Cahercalla Hospice. The event raised almost €1500 for this well deserving Charity. The Cahercalla Community Hospital is a long established facility in Ennis. It comprises of three separate facilities namely a Nursing Home, an Outpatient & Surgical Day Unit and the Clare Hospice. The Hospice is currently extending its facility from a seven Bed Unit to a brighter and larger 10 Bed Unit due to the increasing need for Hospice Care in the local area. The new extension work will also include 10 extra Nursing Home rooms. The Hospice will have to take on debt of almost €1 million to complete this project. Whilst the soccer tournament was only able to make a small gesture in relieving some of this debt, Mary Maloney the Cahercalla Hospice Manager was very appreciative of ESB’s efforts on behalf of their cause.

The Organisers would like to thank all those who participated in this year’s tournament and who also gave so kindly to the Cahercalla Hospice. Next years soccer tournament will be the last in this series as the MERP Site will wind down towards the end of 2008. Here’s hoping that it will be as enjoyable and successful as this year’s event.