A Co Armagh football club recognised as the “only senior men’s club” in their area has launched a campaign to develop an “additional participation capacity that did not previously exist within the club”.

Keady Celtic FC – established in 1987 – is a grassroots football club and the only senior men’s football club in Keady.

The volunteer-led club are continuously looking for ways to develop and expand their offerings to better serve their community and encourage both young and older more experienced players to remain involved in the sport.

Launching their new campaign to develop a new third’s senior team, the club say last year’s Creating Opportunities project was an U-21 development programme, created to address the lack of local Under-21 football provision.

The project successfully demonstrated both the demand for this type of opportunity and the positive impact that additional football provision can have on participation, say the club.

But it also highlighted a “gap” in participation extended beyond U-12 football. Thus, while the need was clear for providing a pathway for youth into senior, it was equally clear that more experienced players who had perhaps taken a hiatus from the sport or had pre-existing obligations in life, couldn’t always commit to the demands of first-team football.

The ‘Keady Celtic Oriels’ are therefore a new initiative, creating a third senior team and additional participation capacity that did not previously exist within the club.

The club say this new project brings these two needs together, “providing a pathway for younger players while also creating an opportunity for more experienced and former players to return to regular physical activity and remain connected to football”.

To progress their Oriels project, Keady Celtic have now successfully raised £8,000 towards the establishment and development of their third’s team.

A £5,000 Sport NI contribution will directly support the participation element of the project, providing access to training facilities and the project-specific equipment required to enable players to take part.

And, a further £3,000 raised through a crowdfunding initiative will now cover the remaining costs associated with establishing the new team, including match-related costs and team kit.

They say: “Keady Celtic is about more than football. As the only senior men’s football club in the town, we provide a place for people to stay active, build friendships, develop confidence and remain connected to their community.

“The project will support physical activity, wellbeing, social connection, youth development, volunteering and leadership, helping more people remain active and involved in their community.”