With the advent of the new football on the horizon there are few young footballers in the county who could be looking forward to it more than Sean O’Neill, who will be playing for the youth team at Haverfordwest County and looking to build on the giant strides he made last campaign at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium.
Sean plays up front for the Young Bluebirds and is well-known for his speed off the mark and good footwork that make him a potent threat up front with his ability to create space down the right flank and get in telling crosses for others, like ace striker Gwion Howell, to turn into goals.
High praise from canny Steve
This ability was never more evident than when Sean was called up as an impact player by canny manager Steve Batty in the latter stages of games where his turn of speed surprised the tired legs of defenders and he utilised any space they left unguarded.
Now he is a year older and growing in physical strength, Sean hopes to play an even more influential role and when we asked team manager Steve Batty about him it was nice to hear Steve tell us:
“Sean is a talented young player who is very committe
d to our cause. He rarely misses a training session and is a great example to the youngsters coming into our squad with his willingness to listen to advice and work on his skills. We are hoping he will do very well for us this season.”
Sean set out in local football when he was only six years old, playing mini-football at Kilgetty AFC, which is one of the nearest clubs to his home – and also included in the squad looked after by Chris Griffiths were fellow Young Bluebirds Aidan Rainbow and Lloyd Hughes.
As they grew in confidence and stature so they knitted into a more than useful squad, which culminated in their winning the county cup final at under 15 level as they beat Narberth at Monkton Swifts’ ground in Monkton lane to give Sean his first taste of silverware.
Early start at Kilgetty
Sean set out in local football when he was only six years old, playing mini-football at Kilgetty AFC, which is one of the nearest clubs to his home – and also included in the squad looked after by Chris Griffiths were fellow Young Bluebirds Aidan Rainbow and Lloyd Hughes.
As they grew in confidence and stature so they knitted into a more than useful squad, which culminated in their winning the county cup final at under 15 level as they beat Narberth at Monkton Swifts’ ground in Monkton lane to give Sean his first taste of silverware.
Successes start
The following season saw them do really well in the West Wales U16s Cup Final as they beat several sides from ‘up the line’ before they lost to eventual winners, Garden Village.
“They were a very strong, physical team,” Sean told us, “and although they went on to win the competition we were still very disappointed to lose so close to the final.”
Then Sean had to make the transition to senior football and he joined Carew AFC, where he played m
ainly in the 2nd or 3rd team coached by Adam Hughes but it was at this time that Gerry Rigby told him about the Haverfordwest County Youth team playing in the McWhirter League and contacted manager Steve Batty, who agreed to give Sean a six-week trial.
“I was really made welcome by Steve and everyone else at the club,” admitted Sean, “and so I was pleased when Steve told me I could sign as one of the younger members of the squad.
“It meant a lot more travel to training sessions and even longer trips to away games that took place all over South Wales, from Monmouth right along the M4 corridor, with Carmarthen as our nearest opponents. I am very lucky though that my mum Tracy and dad Tony are great supporters of all I do and dad even travels to watch me play at away games, as well as those at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium.
“A lot of the games are played on Sundays as well as some played in a brilliant atmosphere under the floodlights at home – and as I settled in so Steve gave me more game time.
“The nicest surprise of the season came when we reached the McWhirter Cup Final against West End at Afan Lido and although I hadn’t played in any of the earlier rounds Steve told me he wanted me to be ready to come on and use my pace in the last quarter of the game.
“I did play for the last 15 minutes against a huge opposition but sadly we lost narrowly as we failed to take chances at vital times.”
Last season was even better for Sean and Co as they were one of the front runners after only losing once from their first ten starts – and he certainly played his part with a double-figure tally of goals and loads of assists down the right wing.
These included two good goals against Llanelli and local pundits were generally in agreement that this was one of the best Haverfordwest Youth squads in the last decade.
But they had a lot of games postponed because of weather at away games and matches put off because of international commitments.
“It meant we still had ten games still to play when some sides had finished their programme and although we could still have won the league title at that stage we simply ran out of steam playing three games a week over a three-week period.
“But with Joe Brill as an excellent captain alongside Mark Davies in midfield, plus Laurie Haworth and Lloyd Hughes out wide, Gwion Howell to score loads of goals and defenders like Spencer Williams, Dan Harding and Owain Coombs to help Dan Evans stop them, we couldn’t have tried any harder.
“What was great was that Steve always encouraged us to stick together and we even joined him to play bingo at the club’s Christmas session – and won loads of prizes!
Ask Sean about highlights and he would be sure to nominate his selection for the Welsh Schools’ team to play against the English Independent Schools at Oswestry – and at the same time pinpoint it as a huge disappointment because on the morning of the match he felt really unwell and had to withdraw!
“I went for the first trial at Jenner Park, Barry, with Lloyd Hughes and Aidan Rainbow, and joined Lloyd in the second trial at Newtown as we played for South Wales in a good win against North Wales.
“I was thrilled to be selected and it was awful when I couldn’t even travel. I did tell our team manager and I was placed on stand-by for later matches – but never made it into the squad!”
This season has started well for Sean as he played against Carew in a 6-2 win and Herbrandston in a 4-3 defeat, scoring in both games – and he intends to work very hard at his fitness to make sure that he continues to improve.
And there are a couple of things for sure: Sean O’Neill is a dedicated and modest young feller and those attributes are sure to help him continue to climb the ladder in his footballing career!
“I was really made welcome by Steve and everyone else at the club,” admitted Sean, “and so I was pleased when Steve told me I could sign as one of the younger members of the squad.
Long travel and great family support
“It meant a lot more travel to training sessions and even longer trips to away games that took place all over South Wales, from Monmouth right along the M4 corridor, with Carmarthen as our nearest opponents. I am very lucky though that my mum Tracy and dad Tony are great supporters of all I do and dad even travels to watch me play at away games, as well as those at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium.
“A lot of the games are played on Sundays as well as some played in a brilliant atmosphere under the floodlights at home – and as I settled in so Steve gave me more game time.
McWhirter Cup appearance
“The nicest surprise of the season came when we reached the McWhirter Cup Final against West End at Afan Lido and although I hadn’t played in any of the earlier rounds Steve told me he wanted me to be ready to come on and use my pace in the last quarter of the game.
“I did play for the last 15 minutes against a huge opposition but sadly we lost narrowly as we failed to take chances at vital times.”
Last season was even better for Sean and Co as they were one of the front runners after only losing once from their first ten starts – and he certainly played his part with a double-figure tally of goals and loads of assists down the right wing.
These included two good goals against Llanelli and local pundits were generally in agreement that this was one of the best Haverfordwest Youth squads in the last decade.
League disappointment last year
But they had a lot of games postponed because of weather at away games and matches put off because of international commitments.
“It meant we still had ten games still to play when some sides had finished their programme and although we could still have won the league title at that stage we simply ran out of steam playing three games a week over a three-week period.
“But with Joe Brill as an excellent captain alongside Mark Davies in midfield, plus Laurie Haworth and Lloyd Hughes out wide, Gwion Howell to score loads of goals and defenders like Spencer Williams, Dan Harding and Owain Coombs to help Dan Evans stop them, we couldn’t have tried any harder.
“What was great was that Steve always encouraged us to stick together and we even joined him to play bingo at the club’s Christmas session – and won loads of prizes!
Welsh joy – and then dismay
Ask Sean about highlights and he would be sure to nominate his selection for the Welsh Schools’ team to play against the English Independent Schools at Oswestry – and at the same time pinpoint it as a huge disappointment because on the morning of the match he felt really unwell and had to withdraw!
“I went for the first trial at Jenner Park, Barry, with Lloyd Hughes and Aidan Rainbow, and joined Lloyd in the second trial at Newtown as we played for South Wales in a good win against North Wales.
“I was thrilled to be selected and it was awful when I couldn’t even travel. I did tell our team manager and I was placed on stand-by for later matches – but never made it into the squad!”
Fresh start promises much
This season has started well for Sean as he played against Carew in a 6-2 win and Herbrandston in a 4-3 defeat, scoring in both games – and he intends to work very hard at his fitness to make sure that he continues to improve.
And there are a couple of things for sure: Sean O’Neill is a dedicated and modest young feller and those attributes are sure to help him continue to climb the ladder in his footballing career!