Herbertstown AFC

Herbertstown identity

Herbertstown AFC has served its rural south east Limerick community since 1976. The club’s home is Anthony Baggott Memorial Park in Ballinard, Herbertstown, where local football is organised around children, teenagers, adult teams and family volunteers.

The club serves a wide rural area, so the Herbertstown name reaches beyond the village itself. Its role is practical as well as sporting: it gives players a nearby place to train, compete, meet friends and stay connected to football through different age groups.

Anthony Baggott Memorial Park

Anthony Baggott Memorial Park is the club’s local football base in Ballinard. For visiting teams, the most useful anchor is the Ballinard, Herbertstown address and the V35 CD88 postcode.

The ground sits in a rural setting, so teams should allow enough time for local roads, parking and pre match arrival. Confirm the exact meeting point with the team contact before travelling.

Visitor anchor: Anthony Baggott Memorial Park, Ballinard, Herbertstown, Co. Limerick, V35 CD88.

Rural club catchment

Herbertstown AFC draws players from a broad south east Limerick area. That rural setting shapes the club: families travel from scattered homes, coaches organise around school and farm routines, and match days depend on clear communication.

The club’s value is strongest when every age group can stay connected locally. A player can begin at early ages, move through youth football, and still see adult teams inside the same community structure.

Player base

The club has grown beyond a small local team model, with membership of more than two hundred players. That scale matters because it supports coaching groups, team management, player welfare, pitch scheduling and volunteer roles across the season.

More than two hundred players also means Herbertstown AFC has become a shared community hub. Parents, guardians, coaches and committee volunteers all help keep training, matches and social activity moving.

Underage pathway

Herbertstown AFC runs teams from under 6 through under 17. That gives children a clear local pathway from first touches through structured youth football.

The age spread helps families plan ahead. Younger players can start in a fun setting, move into regular training, and then progress into older youth groups before deciding whether adult football is the next step.

Soccer Sisters and girls football

Herbertstown AFC introduced Soccer Sisters in 2015 and built a girls pathway from that work. Girls teams have included under 10, under 12, under 14, under 16 and under 17 groups, while younger girls can play in mixed under 6 and under 8 football.

That pathway is one of the most important parts of the Herbertstown story. It creates a clear route for girls to begin locally, stay with friends, and see older teams ahead of them inside the same club.

Junior Ladies route

The club includes Junior Ladies football, giving older girls and adult women a local team identity after underage football. That route helps retain players who might otherwise lose access to football after youth age groups.

Herbertstown’s women’s football has also reached a Limerick cup final setting at Markets Field, showing that the pathway can move from local participation into a strong adult competition environment.

Junior Men’s teams

Herbertstown AFC has two Junior Men’s teams. A second adult men’s team is useful for a rural club because it creates playing time for more adults, returning players and younger players moving out of youth football.

The men’s route connects the club with Limerick Desmond football and with wider Munster competition. It keeps the club active beyond underage weekends and gives local players a senior target inside Herbertstown.

Football For All

Herbertstown AFC launched Football For All in April 2018 with support from the FAI. The programme gives children and young people aged 5 to 18 a football setting when mainstream soccer may not suit their needs.

This is a major part of the club’s identity because it widens who gets to belong. The aim is simple: more children getting time with a ball, more families feeling welcome, and a football environment that adapts around players.

FAI Club Mark

Herbertstown AFC was among the first eight clubs in Ireland to receive FAI Club Mark recognition. The award reflects work on governance, child protection, coaching standards and club ethos.

For families, that recognition points to structures behind the football: safer coaching, clearer roles, stronger organisation and a culture that puts the player experience at the centre of the club.

Club ethos

The Herbertstown AFC ethos places fun first and winning second. That does not mean competition is ignored. It means the club wants players to enjoy football, improve steadily and respect the people around them.

The club’s stated principles include integrity in relationships, a quality atmosphere, equality, fair play and competition. Those principles fit a community setting where parents, players, coaches and opponents meet regularly across many seasons.

Munster cup milestone

Herbertstown AFC reached the 2024–2025 Munster Junior Shield final against Tramore AFC at Ozier Park in Waterford. For a rural Limerick club, that final gives players and supporters a shared milestone beyond local competition.

Cup runs matter because they bring different age groups together. Younger players see adult football at a higher stage, while volunteers and families get a moment that reflects years of everyday club work.

Club leadership

The 2026–2027 club officer group includes chairperson Shane Keogh, secretary John Collins and treasurer Catriona Doherty, with Terry Ransom, Dylan O Sullivan, Joe McCarthy, Glenn Flanagan and Joanne McCarthy also listed in named roles.

Publishing those roles matters for a community club because families need clear routes for welfare, administration, finance, communication and volunteer coordination.

Joining and contact

New player enquiries should include the player’s name, year of birth, school year, playing experience and the team or programme being requested. Families should also mention any inclusion needs if Football For All may be the best fit.

For general contact, families can use the club email address or the club website. Coaches may ask for extra details before confirming the right training group.

Match visit notes

Visiting teams should confirm whether the game is at Anthony Baggott Memorial Park, the arrival time, pitch allocation and footwear guidance before travelling.

Players should bring boots, shin guards, water, wet weather gear and warm layers. Rural grounds can feel colder in winter, and younger players may need spare dry clothing after the match.

Durable Herbertstown points

The table gathers the Herbertstown AFC details that are most useful for players, parents and visiting teams.