St: Kevin’s Community College, Clondalkin 5/0 St: Kilian’s DSD, Clonskeagh
Daniel Matthews (27), Marco Chindea (55), John Harcourt (57), Dylan McKeever (63, 75)
ST: KEVIN’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE were crowned the kings of Leinster schools soccer after an emphatic 5/0 success over Clonskeagh’s St: Kilian’s Deutsche Schule Dublin in the impressive surrounds of Leixlip Amenities Centre on Friday last (January 20):
The Kevin’s lads secured their spot in the Leinster Cup Final following a difficult encounter with O’Fiaich College of Dundalk: The Clondalkin side managed an impressive 2/1 victory in ALSAA seven days previously: Clonskeagh’s path to the final came courtesy of a win over Coláiste Eoin, Hacketstown on the same score/line
The Clondalkin School are traditionally one of the heavyweights at senior level in particular, having secured double celebrations last year winning the U19 Division 3 and U16 Division 3 Metropolitan League titles in fine style:
However, the team failed to secure an incredible treble as they suffered a major blow in the same Cup competition last season at the hands of Greenhill’s College:
Following their bitter 2/1 defeat to a well drilled Walkinstown outfit last season, a game many thought Kevin’s should have won, the Clondalkin lads picked themselves up and ensured the tables were turned this time around:
I’m sure as proceedings kicked off in Leixlip last year’s defeat was playing on the minds of mentors Sheridan and Smith as they commenced battle with Al Sugg’s crew:
Kevin’s would definitely not underestimate the sporting ability of their opponents: The achievements of the St: Kilian’s students on the soccer pitch are no less notable: The boys have four Leinster Senior “B” Cup titles to their name and have finished runners/up on three other occasions: They went one step further in 2007 when they won the All Ireland title: They have also enjoyed great success in the leagues, with the most recent honour (U16 Metropolitan League) arriving in 2010:
The game was scoreless for the opening 27 minutes, during which time St: Kilian’s were enjoying the majority of the possession with some well executed passing around midfield: During this purple patch the Clonskeagh students only produced one worthwhile effort, with Jessie Kamm breaking through from midfield only for his effort to be well blocked by the St: Kevin’s keeper, Stephen Kavanagh:
It was Kevin’s Captain, Dan Matthews, who missed last year’s Final due to a dislocated knee; that grabbed the first goal of the game: It came from a corner on the right and after a bit of pinball in the box, Matthews was on hand to stick the ball into the corner of the net:
Despite having the majority of the play after their goal, Kevin’s barely tested Allesandro Del Gener between the Kilian’s sticks for the remainder of the first half:
Kilian’s came out of the interval looking the more eager and pressed hard for the all important equaliser early on to take the game to their crafty opponents:
However it was St: Kevin’s who then started creating all the chances and in the 55th minute, a long kick out from Kavanagh was headed on from midfield into the path of Marc Chindea: The youngster out muscled the Kilian’s defender and slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner:
From the restart the Clondalkin side won the ball back and fifteen year old Dylan McKeever took a shot from outside the box which the keeper did well to save: However the ball broke into the path of John Harcourt who made no mistake despite the best efforts of Del Gener in goal:
St: Kilian’s Brian McCann had a goal bound free kick blocked down by a brave Aaron Bailie: If successful this may have given the Kilian’s side a lifeline back into the game:
However it was St: Kevin’s who were gaining the momentum and looked extremely dangerous going forward: Moments later they had the ball in the back of the net again, when McKeever beat the offside trap and latched onto a through ball from right winger Chindea: McKeever tucked his shot away, in off the right post: It was McKeever who finished off the scoring when he got his second of the afternoon, and St: Kevin’s fifth, with a well taken goal on 75 minutes: The young star was substituted immediately following his goal scoring spree to the rapturous applause of the Clondalkin supporters:
Substitute Luke Byrne had two good chances after good work from Dylan Byrne on both occasions, but he was unable to convert:
One has to ask if the Kevin’s performance benefited from the players sporting a newly designed haircut on the day: The aptly shaped K was a definite talking point among the large contingency of Clondalkin supporters: This lucky trait may have to be repeated in the All Ireland series as it brought about an excellent team performance against St: Kilian’s:
Fintan Sheridan’s side will now await the winners of the Ulster Cup qualifier which sees Finn Valley College, Stranorlar take on St: Clare’s College, Ballyjamesduff in the other provincial decider on Thursday next (January 26): The winners will then progress to the All Ireland Semi Final series with the eagerly awaited St: Kevin’s doing battle on Tuesday, February 7:
ST: KEVINS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CLONDALKIN: Stephen Kavanagh, Aaron Bailie, Amine Djimani, Daniel Matthews (Capt), Dylan Smith, Lee Higgins, Christopher Ward, Marco Chindea, Dylan Byrne, Dylan McKeever, John Harcourt
SUBS: Nathan Browne, Bradley Foley, Jason Byrne, Ian Greene, Nazim Djimani, Paul McMahon, Luke Byrne, Daniel Condron, Razcan Neculai
TEACHERS: Fintan Sheridan and Ciaran Smith
ST: KILIAN’S DSD, CLONSKEAGH: Allesandro Del Gener, Josh Knipschild, Noah Sandys, Brian McCann, Alvaro Garcia, Keanu Fischell ( Capt ), Stuart Gourlay, Nika Arevadze, Edward McDonagh, Jessie, Kamm, Niall Carruthers:
SUBS: David Kane ( S Gourlay ), Viktor Ivanov ( N Carruthers ), Eoin Kavanagh ( N Sandys ), Greg Van Cutsem, Shane Hudson, Kristian Leonard, Moritz Welz
TEACHERS: Albert Sugg and Alistair Harvey
REFEREE: Brian Lawless (Dublin)
