St. Kieran’s College win National Cup title
Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Minor Boys National Cup FINAL (U15)
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Douglas Community School 1-1 St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny (AET) St. Kieran’s won 5-4 on pens
Adam O’Reilly (70) Jim Ryan (38)
ST. KIERAN’S COLLEGE, KILKENNY captured the Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Minor Boys National Cup following a penalty shoot-out at Waterford’s RSC on Wednesday last, April 6.
Douglas forced the game into extra-time when midfield skipper Adam O’Reilly scored a fabulous last minute equaliser but this elation turned to despair and disappointment when the Cork boys went down 5-4 in the deciding shoot-out.
Douglas teacher Seán Fahy saw off the challenge of last year’s Champions Calasanctius College, Oranmore 3-1 in Limerick in the run up to this decider while Carl Lynch’s crew overcame the Ulster charge of Scoil Mhuire SS, Buncrana with an impressive 4-1 scoreline in Clones. There was an abundance of talent in both squads as Douglas featured two internationals in striker Adam Idah and central midfielder Adam O’Reilly who captained his side while Kilkenny’s imposing striker Ciaran Brennan was in the frame for the Leinster starlets. He also wore the captains armband on match day. The trio definitely stood out over the 70 minutes of action.
St. Kieran’s had an early chance but Tim Corkery’s volley on the far post from Conor Kelly’s deep cross went wide and after ten minutes Andy Cotter for Douglas had a 40-yard free kick go straight into keeper Stephen Barron’s arms.
The Kilkenny boys played with the breeze behind them in the first half and they had the better of the play to the interval. It was an evenly contested first 35 minutes in a mixture of sunshine, biting wind and rain.
St. Kieran’s went close to a lead goal on 22 minutes when George Murphy’s free was headed on by Jamie Young but Cillian O’Donovan in the Douglas goal was positioned well to make the first of several good saves.
Six minutes later, St. Kieran’s Ciaran Brennan went on a mazy solo run but his chipped finish was held by O’Donovan.
Ben Lucey was denied a Douglas goal inside the opening minutes of the second period by a great covering tackle from Killian Rudkins while Brennan’s snap shot was saved by O’Donovan again.
The breakthrough arrived three minutes into the second half when man of the match Brennan broke free down the right and his cross picked out midfielder Jim Ryan who drove the ball home.
Adam Idah fired a free kick over at the city end minutes later and then met Adam O’Reilly’s cross but Barron dived to his left to push his downward header away from goal.
Brennan’s first touch surprisingly let him down in the 55th minute when in on goal and O’Donovan easily collected the loose ball.
A nice bit of skill and trickery by George Murphy set up Brennan again on the far post but O’Donovan kept his side in the tie with another save before Douglas’ Adam O’Reilly forced extra-time with his last minute 30 yard drive and O’Donovan saved from Ryan in added time in an incredible climax to the game.
Barron made a fine diving save from substitute Chris O’Reilly in extra-time as the tie ended in a shoot-out.
Conor Kelly, Jamie Harkin, skipper Ciaran Brennan, Jamie Young and Jim Ryan all scored from the spot for the newly-crowned champions.
Both finalists will now participate in the Inspiresport Allen McKinstry Cup next month as FAI Schools host the home nations tournament at the AUL Complex, Dublin from May 20 to 22. Last season saw FAI Schools representatives, Calasanctius College, Oranmore capture the title in Belfast. Schools from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will compete in this three day tournament as the six teams will be split into two groups of three.
DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Cillian O’Donovan, Brian O’Neill, Patrick McSweeney, Seán Dunlea, Andrew Cotter, Eamon Kiely, Adam O’Reilly (Captain), Eoin Coughlan, Andrew Greaney, Ben Lucey, Adam Idah
SUBS: Chris O’Reilly for O’Neill (46), Ian Ahern for Lucey (64), Lucey for O’Neill (ET)
SUBS NOT USED: Peter O’Brien (GK), Chris O’Reilly, Ian Ahern, James Adeniran, Luke Healy, Destiny Okonkwo
EXTENDED PANEL: Like O’Keeffe, Diarmaid McCarthy, Eoghan O’Brien, Dean Sonowo, Colin Lane
TEACHERS: Seán Fahy, Kevin Ronayne
ST. KIERAN’S COLLEGE, KILKENNY: Stephen Barron, Conor Kelly, Padraic Moylan, Killian Rudkins, Cian Kenny, Jamie Harkin, Jim Ryan, George Murphy, Jamie Young, Tim Corkery, Ciaran Brennan (Captain)
SUBS NOT USED: Peter Connellan, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Jamie Reid, Eoin Delahunty, Shay McEvoy, Michael Lewis, Oisin Carroll
EXTENDED PANEL: Ross Ellis, Jack McGuirk, Ronan Lavelle, Sebby Ruiann, David Kelleher, Conor Brett
TEACHERS: Carl Lynch, Larry Cotter, Eamon Heffernan
REFEREE: Christopher Maher (Waterford)
