Our under 17 Premier team showed great character, resilience and resolve today as they sought  to atone for two narrow cup final defeats over the past two weekends in both the Leinster Under 17 Youth Cup and the DDSL PFAI Cup finals.

Finding themselves 2-0 down early in the second half against St. Josephs AFC – who defeated them 2-1 in the DDSL PFAI Cup last weekend they attacked non stop in the last 25 minuted and were rewarded with two goals from number 10 Mazin Alraqi in the 63rd and 91st minute to bring the game to extra time and indeed had they take half of their second half chances there would not have been a need for the extra 20 minutes.

No goals in extra time as the intense heat sapped the energy from both teams and both teams should be credited with providing an excellent final for the large attendance at the excellent facilities of Tolka Rovers FC.

Again Baileigh Rock produced an excellent save in the shoot out and also scored his own one as the teams were level 4-4 after 5 penalties each, Baileigh again saved in the sudden death to leave Danny Reay to score the winner and ensure a 6-5 win for the cup to make the short journey from Griffith Avenue to Collins Avenue. 

Danny Reay, Baileigh Rock, Adam Dequina, Derin Jonmark, Cian Smith and Mazin Alraqi were the penalty scorers and centre back Aaron Popescu picked up the man of the match award.

Well done to all the players;

Baileigh Rock, Timur Ryaguzov, Aaron Murray, Adam Dequina, Jakub Zalnierczuk, Aaron Popescu, Blake Daly, Exauce Gabie Nzazi, Nathan Connolly, Danny Reay, Jimmy Cassidy, Miracle Godspower, Michael Manning, Cian Smith, Mazin Alraqi, Kesther Efe, Derin Jonmark, Lewis Oladipo, Miracle Igweze and Marcel Ruda.

And the management team of;

Mark Tierney, Josh Dawson, Andy McKenna, Jeff Dequina, Stephen Costello and Andy McKenna (Junior).

A great season by any standards to reach the finals of the three cups that they competed for and to be within a few points of clinching the league title over the next few weeks.

WELL DONE!!!

There was no joy for either our 15 Major 1 team (0-3) or our under 15 girls (2-3) in their DDSL Cup finals this morning but both will have consolation knowing that they are league champions of their respective divisions. 

No joy either for our under 13.1 Sunday team who lost on penalties to Portmarnock AFC in the Gerry Donnelly Cup Final after a 2-2 draw and so were denied the chance of a League and Cup double but they can be very happy with the season that they enjoyed under Stephen Comerford. 

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The FAI Under 17 Cup Final is the top game this coming weekend when our under 17 Premier team seek to atone for two narrow cup final defeats over the past two weekends in both the Leinster Under 17 Youth Cup and the DDSL PFAI Cup finals.

St. Josephs AFC are again the opponents having gone down to them last weekend in the DDSL PFAI Cup 2-1.

The kick off is on Saturday at 1pm in Frank Cooke Park (Tolka Rovers FC) Griffith Avenue Extension, D11 AY76

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Also the club are also involved in 3 more DDSL cup finals over the weekend in the AUL Complex.

On Saturday our under 15 Major 1 are hoping to record a league cup double when they face Cherry Orchard in the DDSL Conway Cup Final at 10.15

Also on Saturday our  under 15 girls are also hoping to record a league cup double when they face Donacarney Celtic in the DDSL Lynch Cup Final also at 10.15.

Finally the last of the 12 finals in which the club qualified for takes place On Sunday with our under 13 Sunday 1 hoping to record their league cup double when they face Portmarnock AFC in the DDSL Gerry Donnelly Cup Final at 10.15.

Good luck to all!!

Congratulations are extended to ex St Kevin’s Football Club player Tayo Adaramola who today will receive his first full international cap in the Republic of Ireland team who play Grenada in a friendly in Spain.

Tayo played schoolboy football for SKFC where Mark Keenan was his manager,but he never played at premier level for the club, before his family moved to London for work reasons.

He was signed by Crystal Palace soon after his arrival and he worked his way up through their Academy – where he is still a registered player – but spent last season with Championship side Sheffield Wednesday making 39 league appearances on loan with them.

Well done to him and his family. A reward for all his hard work and fighting spirit and hopefully this is a boost to his club career and the first of many more international caps.

Another plaque on the wall!!

Four attempts to bring cup success to the club this weekend ended in disappointing fashion with all four teams involved losing games that were there to be won and all will have regrets at the circumstances of how the games were let slip away.

Hopefully some lessons were learned for further cup finals and important league games ahead in the next fortnight for some of those teams and that the narrow margins that went against us this weekend can be reversed.

Thanks to all of our supporters who attended the games yesterday, especially those who attended both in Jackson Park and Crumlin, it was a long day with no reward but it was great to see so many there and also those who made the trip to Kilkenny today.

 Under 17 Premier LFA Youth Cup final v Cherry Orchard on May 9th at 7pm in Crumlin United FC, Pearse Park, Windmill Road.

3-3 AET LOST ON PENS.

Under 13 Premier SFAI Cup Final v Cherry Orchard Saturday on May 9th Jackson Park, Kilternan at 1.00pm

3-3 AET LOST 3-4

Under 16 Premier SFAI Cup Final v St. Josephs AFC Saturday on May 9th Jackson Park, Kilternan at 4.00pm

LOST 0-1

Under 15 Premier SFAI Cup Final v  Fairview Rangers Sunday May 10th Evergreen FC, Kells Road, Kilkenny at 1.00pm.

LOST 1-2 AET

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Under 17 Premier FAI Cup Final v St. Josephs AFC  Frank Cooke Park  1.00pm Saturday May 23rd

Later in May we will have several teams in DDSL Cup finals in the AUL Complex (Dates/Times TBC)

 SKFC teams already qualified for DDSL finals are:

Under 11.7 Sunday v Blessington FC, DDSL EES Cup Final AUL Complex 10.30am Sunday May 17th

Under 13 Premier v Cherry Orchard, DDSL Liam Brady Cup Final AUL Complex 10.15 Saturday May 16th

Under 13 Sunday 1 v Portmarnock AFC, DDSL Gerry Donnelly Cup Final AUL Complex 

Under 15 Major v Cherry Orchard, DDSL Conway Cup Final AUL Complex

Under 16 Major v Mount Merrion Youths, DDSL Major Cup Final AUL Complex 10.30 Sunday May 17th

Under 17 Premier v St Josephs Boys, DDSL PFAI Cup Final AUL Complex 2.30pm Sunday May 17th

Under 15 Girls v Donacarney Celtic, DDSL Lynch Cup Final AUL Complex

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A great few days for the club were capped off this afternoon when our under 16 DDSL Premier side were the fourth team from the club to reach a major cup final this season when they came from behind to beat Crumlin United 4-1 in the semi-final of the SFAI under 16 cup.

Alex O’Reilly hit a superb hat trick and Evan Meagher got the other as they move on to meet St. Josephs AFC in next months final.

That leaves one more National Cup semi-final involving SKFC teams awaiting decision which is the Under 17 FAI  Cup semi-final home to Douglas Hall (Cork) in St. Aidan’s on May 3rd at 2pm.

Congratulations to both our under 13 and under 15 premier squads on reaching their respective SFAI Cup finals yesterday with excellent away wins at Shamrock Rovers and Ennis Town respectively.

There is never much between our 13’s and Shamrock Rovers but yesterday saw us score a decisive win away at Roadstone with two goals from Ollie Szall and one each from Max Glogowski and Ryan Hollingsworth easing them into the All Ireland final where another arch rival – Cherry Orchard – await whom they also clash with in the DDSL Liam Brady cup final next month. 

On a hard bumpy pitch Ennis Town provided formidable opposition for our under 15 squad in their semi-final yesterday going a goal ahead midway through the first half. 

A change of formation resulted in a much improved showing in the second half saw Dave Dunne’s team gain control of the game and goals from Ryan Donovan, Adam Scully and Sam McKenna gave them a comfortable cushion as the game entered a lengthty injury time phase (9 minutes) but a defensive wobble gifted Ennis Town a second goal and nearly a third before the full time whistle eventually sounded.

Fairview Rangers from Limerick and Leicester Celtic contest the other semi-final.

On Friday night our under 17 DDSL premier side played St. Josephs AFC in the semi-final of the Leinster Youth Cup in St. Aidan’s and came away with a 3-1 win that puts them into the LFA Youth Cup final against Cherry Orchard on May 7th at 8pm in Crumlin United FC ground Windmill Road.

Two first half goals from Lewis Oladipo and another from Cian Smith gave them a comfortable lead at half time and indeed the lead could have been bigger with a couple of good goal scoring chances not taken.

The second half was an altogether different story with Joeys pushing forward and Kevin’s dropping further and further back. Two excellent saves from Bayleigh Rock and a goal disallowed for a prior infringement kept the lead intact. A consolation goal at the start of injury time gave Joeys some reward in a game that was a lot closer than the score line suggests.

Away from National and Provincial cup ties some of our other teams were making progress in DDSL Cup competitions this weekend;

16 Major won away at Newbridge Town 2-1 in the DDSL Sunday Major Cup.

11.7 Sunday won 3-1 against Ballymun United in Shanowen Road in the DDSL Lees Cup.

15 Major Saturday won 2-1 away at Home Farm in the DDSL Conway Cup.

Thanks to everyone who supported our teams over the past few days, especially our group of young underage players who made their voices heard on Saturday afternoon in Roadstone.

PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR TEAMS WHEN AND WHERE YOU CAN.

The Club have reached an agreement with Staydia Sports TV for the installation of a camera at Shanowen Road to broadcast games live.

If you want to see these games go to the following link and subscribe:  https://staydiasports.com/register-club