Wikipedia

Rosemount Rec F.C.

Rosemount Recreation Football Club (commonly known as Rosemount Rec) is a Northern Irish football club from Greyabbey playing in the Premier Division of the Northern Amateur Football League (NAFL). The 2011/2012 season saw the club celebrating 100 years of organised football in Greyabbey. The club finished 1st in Division 2A of the NAFL for the 2016/17 season, which saw them in intermediate football for the first time. In the 2017/18 season, the 2nd team won division 3D of the amateur league, being promoted to 3C, celebrating two consecutive promotions.

Rosemount Rec
Full nameRosemount Recreation Football Club
Nickname(s)The Mount, The Rec
GroundIslandview Road Playing Fields, Greyabbey
ChairmanTrevor McKay
ManagerScott Ritchie
LeagueNAFL Premier Division
2023-24NAFL Premier Division, 6th

In the 2002/03 season, the club completed a treble of trophies, winning the Down Area Winter Football League, Sittlington Cup and Billy Allen Memorial Shield.

The 2012/13 season was also a season of great success, with the club winning Division 2B of the Northern Amateur Football League and the Cochrane Corry Cup.

In the club's last season in the Down Area Winter Football league (2009/10), before joining the amateur league the next season, the club won a double, lifting the Sittlington Cup and the Down Area Winter Football League premier division.

The club fields 2 teams, The First Team plays in the premier division of the Northern Amateur Football League, and the 2nd team plays in division 3c.

The club reached the Junior Cup final in the 2014/15 season for the first time in their history, although they lost 3–1 to Harryville Homers.

In 2017, the club made history, winning an Irish cup game for the first time in their history, beating St. Lukes FC in Greyabbey.

The club is currently managed by Scott Ritchie, who previously managed the 2nd team & Killyleagh

In the 2019/20 season, Rosemount celebrated another league title, winning division 1C, however, promotion was left in doubt due to the Amateur League voiding the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, eventually, however, Rosemount were confirmed to be promoted and be playing in 1B for season 2020/21

In 2021/22, Rosemount secured back-to-back league titles and in turn back-to-back promotions, with the club reaching 1A, it is the highest level the club has ever played at.

In 2022/23, Rosemount secured a 3rd consecutive promotion, finishing runners up in 1A behind runaway leaders Dromara Village.

2017/18

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2018/19

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In the 2018/19 season, led by Cathcart, Rosemount made more history by becoming the first team from 1C in the amateur league to make it to the 5th round of the Irish cup, drawing Glenavon away from home, one of the biggest and best clubs in Northern Ireland at the time, Rosemount went on to lose 5–0, but Glenavon players and officials praised the Rosemount players for their attitude and effort, Rosemount had a few chances of their own including a corner cleared off the line, Rosemounts fans were also praised for the support they gave to the Greyabbey club, the same season they made it to the semi-finals of the Border cup, losing to the previous season's champions Crumlin Star in extra time, Rosemount also made it to the clarence cup final against East Belfast, where they lost 2–1 after extra time due to a very poor refereeing decision, despite Rosemounts fantastic cup form, they went into the new year in the bottom half of the league, picking up just 3 wins from their first 9 games, drawing 2 and losing 4.

2019-20

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The 2019–20 season is over for Rosemount. They have just secured promotion and won the 1C league title by winning their last fixture against a strong Saintfield side. Rosemount were much improved in the league this season after finishing in a disappointing 6th place in 2018/19, Rosemount looked very impressive early season, beating Suffolk 3–1 in the first game of the season, and also a memorable comeback away at Woodvale, 3–0 down at half time, before winning 4–3. The club will now take a well deserved rest and get ready to play their games next season at the highest level Rosemount have ever played at. Retaining the squad and adding a few will see the club push for another promotion in 1B.

2021/22

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After amateur football resumed in Northern Ireland following the COVID-19 Pandemic, Rosemount secured a 2nd consecutive promotion, by winning the 1B title, this time securing it by finishing the league season undefeated.

2022/23

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Rosemount once again secured another promotion, finishing runners up behind runaway leaders Dromora in a tightly fought race for 2nd place.

2023/24

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Rosemount secured their highest ever finish, finishing 6th in the premier division of the amateur league, and making it to the 5th round of the Irish Cup once again, losing 3-0 to Loughall. It was the end of an era for the club, with Lee Cathcart & his management team leaving, as well as club stalwart Stephen Acheson retiring, and Curtis Giltrap & Luke McKee leaving to move to Australia

2024/25

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Following the departure of Lee Cathcart and his staff to Dundonald, a move labelled bizarre by many, plus a mass exodus of players including long serving players such as Luke Adair & Neil Melville, it is a fresh start for the club after former player & 2nd team manager Scott Ritchie, who has assembled his own squad full of young players, with a mind to building for the future, with premiership survival the objective for the club.

First Team Squad 2023-24

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK   NIR Chris Rice
— DF   NIR Dillon Turnbull
— DF   NIR Jack Thompson
— DF   NIR Josh Ritchie
— DF   NIR Matthew McAvoy
— DF   NIR Tommy Harrison
— DF   NIR Ross Murray
— DF   NIR Nicky Eccles
— DF   NIR Ben McMorris
— MF   NIR Alex Cafolla
— MF   NIR Kristian Trainor
— MF   NIR Michael Hunsdale
— MF   NIR Mitchel Watterson
— MF   NIR Mark Harrison
— FW   NIR Callum Carleton
— FW   NIR Scott Shannon
— FW   NIR Jay Thompson

Club Officials

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  • Chairman: Trevor Mckay  
  • Secretary: Gary Bailie  
  • Treasurer: Rodney Bailie  
  • 1st team Manager: Scott Ritchie 
  • 1st team Assistant: William McIlroy  
  • 1st team Coach: Ryan Shaw  
  • 1st team Goalkeeper coach: Kurtis Browne  
  • 1st team administrator : Reece Bailie  
  • Club Captain: Captains Committee  
  • 2nd team Manager: Neil Moore 
  • 2nd team assistant: Stephen Acheson  
  • 2nd team coach: Daryl Harrison  
  • 2nd team attendant: Glenn Edgar  

Club honors - (1983-Present)

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  • Down Area Winter Football league (3),

-2001/02, 2002/03, 2007/08

  • Billy Allen Memorial Shield (5),

-2002/03, 2003/04, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10

  • Sittlington Cup (5),

-1995/96, 2002/03, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10

-2010/11

-2012/13

  • Cochrane Corry Cup

-2012/13

  • Champions of Down

-1983, 1984, 2014

-2016/17

  • IFA Junior Cup

Runners up: 2014/15, 2015/16

-2019/20

-2021/22

In 2011 Rosemount Rec released "A Clutch Of Memories", a book written by the Newtownards Chronicle journalist Dennis S. Nash, which covers the history of the club.[1]

The club has a few rivals; Ballywalter, (Division 1B) and Kircubbin (Division 2A) but the club's biggest rivals are Portavogie Rangers (Division 2A)

References

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  1. ^ "New book on football in Greyabbey". Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
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