Tom Morrissey (Trainer), Tom Conway (Head of Sport), Ian Barnes (Ireland U-18), Pat Power (Principal), Christopher Aylward (Ireland U-14), Darius Delahunty (Manager)

Great run for High School ends in provincial final defeat

Back Row: Eoin Ryan, Bryan Keane, Ronan Peters, Billy Hallinan.
Middle Row: Darius Delahunty (Manager), Ian Barnes, Paddy O’Donnell, Michael Collins, Barry O’Neill, Cillian O’Donnell, Johnny O’Mahony, Tom Morrissey (Trainer).
Front Row: Conor Morrissey, Michael McHugh, Barry Gobbons, Keneth Kiely, Danny Madigan, Andrew Ryan, Ian Fraher. 
Absent: Kevin O' Callaghan, John Ryan, Adam McSharry, Jason Kiely, Kevin O' Donnell, Marc Tobin, Niall McCabe, Ian McCollum.

Following on from last years first ever Munster semi-final the senior squad s goal was to at least reach that level again. The season began with a friendly away to Cashel which was extremely beneficial resulting in a 3-0 victory. The first round proper swiftly followed away to Cahir Community School which resulted in an empathic 9-0 victory with Paddy O' Donnell scoring five. Billy Hallinan came on to steal Paddys thunder with what was surely the strike of the season to round off a comprehensive victory.

The second round was a trickier affair away to St. Clements of Limerick. Trailing 1-0 the High School roused from their slumber and fought to retrieve the situation, eventually winning 3-1. Into the quarter-final against a fancied St. Brendan's of Killarney. The game was effectively finished after the High School scored two in the first ten minutes running out eventual 4-0 victors. That result ensured we made the semi-final and were drawn against last year’s winners who had knocked us out at the same stage last season. All the omens seemed to suggest the High School making their first Munster senior final. However, on the day after Cork side ran out with an easy victory of a 2-0 scoreline. Once again, we came up just that little bit short, but credit is due to this team who in their three years together in the school made a Munster Quarter final and two semi-finals.

Hopefully what they have achieved can be built upon an in time we may bring a Munster Cup to the High School.

Back Row: Ross Moroney, Stephen Keane, Brendan Dempsey, Jordan Corbett, Conor O’Hara, Darren Nolan, Darren O’Donnell.
Middle Row: Tom Morrissey (Trainer), Seanie O’Donoghue, David McGrath, Johnny O’Mahony, Marc Tobin, Ian Fraher, Robert Lambe, Paddy O’Donnell (Coach), Darius Delahunty (Manager).
Front Row: Kevin McGrath, Stephen Browne, Gary Tobin, Kevin O’Keeffe, Conor Morrissey, Christopher Aylward, Ian McCormack.
Missing from Photo: Kevin O’Callaghan, Adam McSharry, Robert Bates.

Training for this competition started back in September. Hopes were high for this team and the following account will reveal why. The beginning of this tournament was run off as a group stage. We were set to pit ourselves against one of the tournament favorites - De La Salle College from Waterford, Carrick and Cahir Community School. Our first game was against De La Salle. This was a hard fought game and we were unlucky to come out on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline. We felt afterwards that we could very well reverse that result later on in the season if we happened to cross paths again. The pressure was on and we knew that we would need two victories in our remaining two group games our next game was away to Cahir. We got what we needed here thanks to a 3-0 scoreline. Our final group game was away to Carrick. If we were to qualify for the next round we knew we would have to score about seven goals. We did this and more thanks to an 11-1 scoreline. Our scorers for this game were Darren Nolan with four; a hat trick by Ian Fraher, Seanie O’Donoghue came off the bench to score a hat-trick, and one goal by Conor O’Hara. We were through to the last 16 where we drew another tournament favorite Limerick CBS in a home game for us. We played very well and went on to win 4-2 with two goals from Ian Fraher and one each from Adam McSharry and Seanie O’Donoghue. We were now through to the quarter finals. Again we were fortunate to get a home draw against St. Aidans from Cork. This game went the same as the last with the same scoreline and scorers. Our hard work was paying off and we were through to the semi-finals. We were again drawn at home this time against St. Pauls from Waterford. At this stage Christy Alyward and Conor Morrissey were commanding at central defence ably assisted by Ian McCormact and Stephen Browne on either side. Johnny O' Mahoney behind them in goals was putting in some fine performances. Conor O’Hara, Adam McSharry and Kevin O’Callaghan were getting stronger as each game went by. This gave the likes of Gary Tobin and Seanie O’Donoghue licence to get forward which they did very well.

We were the first to strike in the semi-final. We remained in front until about ten minutes to go. Ian Fraher put us back in front with his second goal only for St. Pauls to again equalize with only minutes remaining. Just when it looked like extra time, Ian Fraher completed his hat-trick with a well taken volley from a corner to put us into the Munster Final. Man of the Match was Adam McSharry who had an excellent match. Adam and Shane’s performances were an inspiration to their team mates.

In the final we would play St. Brendans from Killarney in Killarney. The occasion may have gotten to a lot of our players who we have to remember are all very young. We were a goal down at half time and still very much in the game, unfortunately, it was individual errors that proved to be our undoing as we went down 4-0 to a good St. Brendans side.
This should not take from the wonderful campaign we had where we knocked out some highly fancied teams. We had a very good squad and players such as Kevin O’Keeffe, Jordan Corbett, Brendan Dempsey, Robert Bates and Kevin McGrath did very well when they were called upon. This was a very successful campaign and leaves soccer in the High School in a very healthy state indeed. Hopefully this experience will stand to us in the future.

Squad: Johnny O' Mahoney , Seanie O' Donoghue, Mark Tobin, Stephen Browne, Gary Tobin, Brendan Dempsey, Ian McCormack, Ian Fraher, David McGrath, Christy Aylward, Darren Nolan, Ross Moroney, Conor Morrissey, Kevin O' Keeffe, Stephen Keane, Conor O' Hara, Jordan Corbett, Robert Lambe, Kevin O’Callaghan, Robert Bates, Darren, O' Donnell, Adam McSharry, Kevin McGrath.

Cahir Park soccer Blitz Winners (2nd Year)

Back Row: Tom Morrissey (Trainer), Niall McGrath, Shane Gleeson, Johnny Cagney, Michael Feeney, Barry Molloy, Darren Dennehy, Darius Delahunty (Manager). 
Front Row: Ross Moroney, Stephen Browne, David McGrath, Christopher Aylward, Ricky Egan, Kevin McGrath.

FIRST YEARS

The draw saw us placed in the same group as CTI Clonmel and Rockwell College. We started off against CTI and after a slow start were 3-0 up at half-time. We held off a strong challenge from CTI in the second half and finished the game 3-1 winners. Our second group game against Rockwell was played on the astro turf. We led 1-0 at half time and followed up with a strong 2nd half to run out 3-1 winners. This say us top of our group with maximum points and advance to the winners group. We played Cashel in our first game in this group. A goal either side of half time gave us the start we needed in this tough group. We than took on Cahir on their home patch knowing that a win would see us as tournament winners. We started well in this game and were 2-0 up at half time. We matched this performance in the second half to register a 4-0 victory and with it outright victory in the tournament.
A great day was had by all and the lads did both themselves and their school proud with the way that they conducted themselves both on and off the pitch.

The future looks bright for High School Soccer.
Keith Landers, Paul Denn, Brendan Dempsey, Luke Moore, Jason Barnes, Paul Farrell, Glen Nugent, Simon Scully, Rory Kiely, Darren Guiry, Martin Kennedy, Alan Ward

SECOND YEARS

Eight teams had entered this competition and the High School were drawn against the Abbey, St. Ailbe’s and Cahir C.C., in a very tough group.

The first game was against the Abbey and a 5-0 victory put us in a very strong position as group leaders. A win in the next game would put us through to the semi-final and this duly arrived when we beat St. Ailbes 3-0. The final group game was a massive psychological boost when we beat one of the favourites, Cahir on a 2- score line.
As fates conspired, CTI needed to win their final game in their group to set up a Clonmel Derby which they duly did. And it turned out to be a hum-dinger of a game with High School winning 2-1.

The final was played against Cahir and on a 2-1 scoreline the High School emerged victorious.
David McGrath, Stephen Browne (1), Kevin McGrath, Christy Aylward (Captain) (3), Ricky Egan (1), Darren Dennedy (5), Ross Moroney (1), Shane Gleeson (3), Johnny Cagney, Michael Feeney.

FIFTH YEARS

Ten teams entered this competition. It was split up into two groups of five. We were drawn in the same group as Rockwell College, Carrick Vocational School, Thurles Vocational B and Cahir Community School, the Hosts. We started by playing Rockwell and went in at half time a goal up. We finished the job in the 2nd half and won 4-0. Then we played Carrick in what proved to be a tight game and eventually emerged as 1-0 winners. Next it was onto the astroturf to play Thurles. We found the lower goals to be a problem initially before going on to win 3-1. Our final group game was against Cahir and we knew that three points would see us top of our group going into the semi-finals. We did just that on a 2-0 scoreline.

In the semi-final we played the Abbey CBS. In a close first half we led 2-1 at half time. By getting the only goal in the second half we found ourselves safely through to the final.
The final was played on the astroturf against Cahir who we had already beaten. Unfortunately it was their turn to win on this occasion and they did so by a 3-1 scoreline.

The lads played very well all day and were unlucky to be beaten in the final. They were a credit to the school and to themselves. Hopefully the majority of this team will represent the school next year in the Muster Senior Cup.
Mark Tobin, Andrew Ryan, Naill McCabe, Conor O' Hara, Kevin O' Callaghan, Ian Fraher, Barry Kiely, Gary Tobin, David Askins, Kyle Ryan

Thanks are extended to all the players, parents, staff and management for their continued help and support. Special thanks to Evergreen and Clonmel Town, for the use of their facilities, without which support, soccer in the school could not be a success.

To conclude, this has been the most successful season to date, with a Munster Semi-Final, Munster Final and two blitz victories and a runners-up spot in the Cahir Park Tournament. With all the continued help, hopefully that so far elusive Munster title is not too far away.

Darius Delahunty
Tom Morrissey