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History

Avenue United was founded on April 12th 1983 at a meeting in Mickey Kerin's Bar in the Lifford area of Ennis. The founding members were David Connellan, Anthony McMahon, Sean Downes and Gerard O'Grady all of whom were from Marian Avenue & Steele's Terrace in Ennis. These and other lads from 'the road' had previously been involved with various Junior soccer teams in Ennis, particularly Lifford F.C. But they decided the time was right to branch out and form their own club, based in Marian Avenue.

In the club's first season in the Clare & District Soccer League (Div.2 1983-84) the Avenue panel comprised exclusively of players from Marian Avenue & Steele's Terrace and included no less than seven sets of brothers; Caseys, Mounseys, Purtills, McMahons, Connellans, Lyons and Guilfoyles. They captured the Div.2 League and Shield titles without losing a single match and in the subsequent season (1984-85) added the Div.1 League & Shield trophies - in the process creating a record of going 42 matches without defeat.

With promotion to the Premier League in 1985-86 new 'outside' players were drafted in to strengthen the panel. During this 3rd season, Avenue reached the semi-final of the Munster Junior Cup, being beaten by Ballincollig of Cork 2 - nil, at Turner's Cross. They won their first Munster Junior (Clare Area) final against a previously dominant Newmarket and also won the prestigious Haughey Cup (also against Newmarket) after a replay. This was to be the first of an historic three-in-a-row Haughey Cup wins.

'The Avenue' had truly arrived at this stage but the best was yet to come. In 1987-88 the club won the only ever Clare 'Grand Slam' of Premier League & Shield, Haughey Cup, Munster & FAI Clare Area Finals. Such was their supremacy at the time that their Haughey Cup final win was by a score line of 6-nil!

In 1989, team manager Anthony 'Boob' McMahon retired having had the distinction of being the most successful manager in Clare League history. The club progressed, fielding successful Youths and 'B' Teams, and much later, Schoolboys teams. In 1990 Avenue United became the first Clare Club ever to reach the FAI Junior Cup Final after a great campaign. In the final in Dalymount, they were beaten by a superb Cherry Orchard side, 2-nil.

During the 1990's the Avenue maintained a high standard. In 1992 and 1995 they captured the 'Cheers Cup' against Bridge United and Cloughleigh Celtic respectively. The Cup competition was subsequently re-named the 'Carling Cup' (won in 1997) and then as the 'Clare Junior Cup' (won in 2002 and 2007). In all, ten Premier League titles were captured between 1988 and 2005. Regular Clare Area titles of the Munster Junior and FAI Cups followed. The club has fielded a successful 'B' team intermittently between 1993 and 2007. Up to 2007, no season has ever passed without some Junior silverware being captured or shared.

In 1996 the club expanded by gradually adding Schoolboys teams and have since fielded U/8, U/10, U11, U/12, U/13, U14, U/15, U/16, U17 and Youths (U/18) teams with great success. In 2007 the club's schoolboys section was awarded the Clare Champion/VEC sponsored soccer award in recognition of their achievements in League and Cup competitions. The club runs a successful Clare Champion sponsored 'Avenue Academy' for up to one hundred and forty 6-10 year olds, who subsequently feed into the club's various schoolboys teams.

Avenue United's home ground is at the Lees Road Sports Facility, Drumcliffe, Ennis, Co. Clare. Click here for directions.

In 2008, the club celebrates their 25th Anniversary with a series of events including the publication of a comprehensive book on the history of the club (by local author Ollie Byrnes).