U19 Update: Highs And Lows
April 30th, 2012
The curtain came down on our U19 season last weekend in the Bellfield Bowl of UCD.In a game in which we at least deserved a share of the spoils we came away empty-handed. Jamie Cross managed to score, but UCD also scored with the very last kick of the game to win, 3-1. The night before, our U19 players Aidan McGrath & Seanie Maguire had helped our first team to a great win in Limerick, with Conor Coad also making the bench, so we would have loved to close out the U19 Elite League with a win, but it was not to be.
The game itself against UCD was highly entertaining, with both squads trying to keep the ball on the deck. UCD started the brighter, scoring after 20 minutes, but from the 25th minute onwards we began to get a foothold in the game. We equalised on 40 minutes, but gave away a really soft goal right on the stroke of half time. We dominated the second half but could not find a way past the Students. Jack, Seanie, and Aidan did not travel with us as they have had such a heavy work load over the past week, and we were also without Robbie Bourke who had chipped in with a few goals the last few games, and in fairness I think we just missed them for that little bit of craft that might have opened up UCD.
So what now for our U19s that have represented the club so well all season? Well many will take a well-earned break and concentrate on their upcoming exams. Some will most certainly continue to help out our first team squad for some time yet as they struggle with injuries to David Breen, Adam McSherry, and now Willie John Kiely. I would expect Thomas Whitty, Jamie Cross, Conor Coad, Craig & Jason Keane plus Seanie, Aidan & Jack to all feature with the first team squad over the coming months.
Lots of other lads have the potential to play with our first team and have signed up to be available if required, but we need to manage this properly, as they have all come off the back of a long season. We finished 3rd in the Elite League behind Shamrock Rovers & Cork, but ahead of some big clubs like St Pat’s, Shelbourne, Bohemians, UCD & Drogs to mention just a few. We also managed to reach the Cup semi-final, and we have had 9 players introduced into the first team which for us, the U19 management team, is just as rewarding as winning games. To have had Seanie and Jack represent our club at International level was also a major high.
We will have a full review of the season and plans for next season in our next home programme, but for now we just want to thank all our U19 players for all the highs & lows they have given us this season. We will thank all others in the next home match programme, but for now we want this page to be about our U19 players only.
For us, the management team, it was a pleasure working with each and every one of them: Sean Whitty, Sean Barron, Adam Potter (captain), Thomas Whitty, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Lee Delaney, Conor Acheson, Jamie Cross, Ethan Butler, Jason Keane, Craig Keane, Conor Coad, David Cooley, Rían Clancy, Nathan West, Russell Quirke, Seanie Maguire, Robbie Bourke, Alan Rhodes, Aidan McGrath, and Jack Doherty.
We wish you all well in all you do, thanks so much for a lovely season!
Mia San Mia,
Tommy, Deckie, Johnny & Seamus
