St Declans N.S.

Archives News and Match Reports ’07 – ‘08

1. Athletics 2. Gaelic Football 3. Swimming 4. Hurling 5. Soccer 6. Tennis 7. Rugby

1. Athletics News 2007 - 2008

Cross Country Success

[Sept 20^th ‘07] Today in the Clover Field in Ferrybank our School Athletics Team competed in the Primary Schools Cross Country Meeting. Fortunately the showery conditions didn’t spoil the day and all races were run on a dry surface. We had runners involved at all distances and once again every boy did his best for his school. We had a number of individual winners and at the end of a very sporting day we were awarded “Best Boys School”. Thanks to Mr O Mahony, Mrs A Brennan and Mr Morgan who helped out today.

Athletics Team Come Out on Top

[Apr 17^th ‘08]Tonight in the RSC in bitterly cold conditions our athletics team competed in the Waterford Primary Schools Track Competition. A huge crowd turned up for the races but when the sun went down an easterly chill made everyone feel very uncomfortable. There were sprints, distance races and relays and we competed in all events. Competition was keen and there were many exciting finishes throughout the night. At the end of it all we won the trophy for “Best Boys School”. Well done to everyone on a very difficult night. Special thanks to Mrs A Brennan and Mr O Mahony for organizing all the teams for tonight.

2. Gaelic Football News 2007 - 2008

U13 Gaelic Football Campaign match by match ’07 – ‘08

Footballers Make Bright Start

[Sept 20^th ‘07] Today in the College field our U13 Gaelic Footballers began their new season with a home match against Scoil Lorcáin. The early stages were very competitive as you would expect however aided by an increasingly strengthening wind and a heavy shower of rain we managed to get the vital scores in the first half which boosted our confidence and from there on we dominated the game. All players got a chance to show their skills today but it was Craig Browne in particular who displayed some very deft touches and clever distribution of the ball. It’s always good to make a winning start… our aim now of course must be to keep it going!

Final Score: St Declans 2 – 10 Scoil Lorcáin 0 – 3

Todays panel: David Hobbs, Gary Walshe, Jack McCarthy, Tom Moran, Stephen Dalton, James Grogan. Ethan Hurley, Luke Kelly, Craig Browne, Eoghan O’Dwyer, Ross FitzPatrick, Darragh FitzPatrick, Jack Maher, Shane Hannon, Aaron O’Connor, Keelan Tyrell, Aidan Lawless, Craig Dowling

Group Winners

[Sept 27^th ‘07] We played our second group match today in the U13 Football League away to St Pauls on a cool but bright day in Roanmore. This was a one sided game throughout as we were on top from the start against a brave but much younger and physically smaller team than ours. The result means that we have now topped our group and next play the runners up of the other group in the semi final.

Final Score: St Declans 3 – 14 Saint Pauls 0 – 1

Solid Performance by U13’s

[Oct 12^th ‘07] This afternoon in beautiful Autumn sunshine we played in the college field against Ballygunner in the semi final of the U13 Gaelic Football League. Despite the finishing scoreline this was a good competitive match and full credit must be given to Ballygunner for playing with such great spirit right to the end in what was their second match of the week. Early in the first half we kicked over some nice points under pressure but it was the goal by Eoghan just before half time that made the scoreboard look attractive at 1-4 to 0-0. Our lads were urged on to keep up the high work rate and it was this intensity that led to more scores coming our way. When Ross got our second goal the match was safely ours then. Ethan, Stephen and Gary all led by example in what was a solid team display.

Final Score: St Declans 2 – 10 Ballygunner 0 – 4

5^th Consecutive Eastern Final Win

[Oct 25^th ‘07] The U. 13 Primary Schools Football Final took place at Walsh Park on today. This was an excellent game of football between two well drilled and committed teams. The opening exchanges were frantic with Declan's scoring 3 points and Stephen's scoring a goal and a point all inside the first six minutes. By the tenth minute Stephen's led by 1-2 to 3 points, however Declan's finished the half strongly adding a goal and three points… the goal coming from Eoghan O 'Dwyer. Half time score St. Declan's 1 - 6 St. Stephen's 1 – 2. A goal from James Grogan in the fifth minute of the second half put Declan's in a strong position. A pointed free from Stephen's was cancelled out by an Eoghan O 'Dwyer point. St Stephen's piled on the pressure but the goal they needed never came and St. Declan's ran out winners on a scoreline that read 2 - 9 to 1 - 6.

Up front Aaron O'Connor, Jack Maher and Eoghan O'Dwyer were impressive. Ethan Hurley and James Grogan worked hard at mid-field. In defence Luke Kelly, Stephen Dalton, Tom Moran and Craig Dowling caught the eye. Ciarán O hEithir Chairman of Cumann na mBunscol presented the trophy to Ethan Hurley team captain.

Final Score: St. Declan's 2 – 9 St. Stephen's 1 - 6

Today’s Panel: David Hobbs, Gary Walshe, Jack McCarthy, Tom Moran, Stephen Dalton, James Grogan 1 - 3. Ethan Hurley Capt., Luke Kelly, Craig Browne, Eoghan O'Dwyer 1 - 1, Ross FitzPatrick 0 - 1, Darragh FitzPatrick, Jack Maher 0 -2, Shane Hannon, Aaron O'Connor 0 - 2, Keelan Tyrell, Aidan Lawless, Craig Dowling

Extra time pain for St Declans

[Nov 24^th ‘07] The rollercoaster of success over recent years at this level unfortunately came to an end in Dungarvan today as our U13 footballers lost by 3 points against our rivals of recent years … Lismore in the U13 County Football Final. We didn’t however surrender our title easy as it was only in extra time that Lismore got the scores they needed to secure a victory. As in any close game you always look back at the narrow misses and the collection of unconverted golden chances that fell our way. There was certainly no lack of effort but we simply didn’t put away the chances we created. The wet, damp and slippery conditions didn’t suit either team … mistake were made… and both teams had their share of luck too. And so after the first 20 minutes the score read Lismore 2-0 st Declans 1-1. At half time we were confident that we all could do better.

In the second half every ball was fought for as the lead switched in favour of one then the other. With a minute to go the true spirit of St Declans - determination, conviction and drive could be seen as Luke made an incredible burst from midfield and scored an equalizing point which brought the game into extra time. In the early stages of this period, to their credit, Lismore popped over 2 points and despite our best efforts we couldn’t score the goal we so desperately needed. With seconds to go our fate was sealed when we conceded another point. At the final whistle heads hung low in disappointment as our chance of a historic 5 in a row county championships had disappeared. We congratulate Lismore on their victory.

After the presentation Mr Doran, Mr Fitzgerald and Mr O Mahony all thanked the players for their commitment and pride in playing for their school. Victorious St Declans teams have been great champions in recent years and this team were no different and continued this tradition as they played right to the very end. Today was just a bridge too far.

Congratulations to Luke Kelly who was probably our man of the match along with Ethan, Gary, Stephen, Tom, Craig, Eoghan and Shane all of whom put in great performances today. David was assured in goal while Jack stood strong in defense. James worked tirelessly in the centre and Ross and Aaron were unlucky at times with the break of the ball up front. Our subs Darragh and Keelan received an appreciative “bualadh bos” from all the players in the dressing room after the game. Finally ….thanks to all parents who supported this team throughout the year. It’s much appreciated.

Today certainly marked the end of a successful era……. and we hope the beginning of another!

Final Score: St. Declan's 2 – 4 Lismore 3 – 4

Today’s Panel: David Hobbs, Gary Walshe, Jack McCarthy, Tom Moran, Stephen Dalton, James Grogan. Ethan Hurley Capt., Luke Kelly, Eoghan O'Dwyer, Ross FitzPatrick, Darragh FitzPatrick, Shane Hannon, Aaron O'Connor, Keelan Tyrell, Craig Dowling

U10 Gaelic Football Campaign match by match ’07 - ‘08

U10’s Win with Improved 2^nd Half

[Oct 4^th ‘07] We made a successful start to our U10 Gaelic Football campaign today with a victory over Ballygunner. Aaron and Shane got 2 early goals which helped everyone to settle into the game however a spirited comeback by the boys in red and black left us trailing 2-2 to 3-1 at half time. A few words of encouragement at the break helped us to get the bright start we needed to the second half and soon our midfield and forwards had the advantage. Important scores from Aaron, Shane, Robert and Tadgh followed and thus ensured victory.

Final Score: St Declans 7 – 3 Ballygunner 3 – 1

Todays panel: S Doheny, C Hogan, D Hogan, D O Rourke, A O Connor, S Keating, S Hannon, C Dowling, K Rooney, M Mullally, D Sheehan, R Ryan, J O Donoghue, C McCann, D Breslin, T Brennan, J O Regan, D Phillips and S Breslin.

A Fair Result

[Oct 9^th ‘07] A tough contest between two good U10 Gaelic Football teams took place in Cleaboy this afternoon. For ourselves and St Stephens this was a “must win” game. Fortunately we started the stronger with two early points from Aaron followed by a beauty from Kieran which left the score 0-3 to 0-1 at half time. It was at the start of the second half that the game to life. St Stephens played some great football which put them ahead by a goal. However this is where our lads showed their true colours and as they say took the game by the scruff of the neck. A swift move from our captain, Aaron set up super sub John for a peach of a goal, which was the final score of the day. The scoreline of 1-3 a piece does not show the skill that was on display today by both teams in what turned out to be an excellent uncompromising game of football. Our coaches, Mr Kirby and Mr Morgan were delighted with the teams overall performance.

Final Score: St Declans 1-3 St Stephens 1-3

Todays panel: S Doheny, C Hogan, D Hogan, D O Rourke, A O Connor, S Keating, S Hannon, C Dowling, K Rooney, M Mullally, D Sheehan, R Ryan, J O Donoghue, C McCann, D Breslin, T Brennan, J O Regan, D Phillips and S Breslin.

Great week for U10s

[Oct 16^th and 19^th ‘07] This has been a great week for our U10 Gaelic Football Team as they had two very comprehensive wins, firstly on Tuesday against St Pauls over in the College field and then again on Friday away to Scoil Lorcáin. Good luck now to everyone in the Final.

Impressive Victory for U10’s

[Oct 23^rd ‘07] Today our U. 10 Footballers had a good win in the final played at Walsh Park. The first half was very closely contested with St. Declan's leading at the interval by 0-3 to 0-2. …. Mark Mullally scoring two points and Aaron O'Connor kicking over a free. Early points in the second half a point from Kieran Rooney and a free from Aaron O'Connor stretched our lead. The decisive score came in the 14th. minute of the half when Robert Ryan crashed the ball to the net. Another free from Aaron O'Connor and one from play by Mark Mullally completed the scoring.
Our defence was excellent throughout with Craig Dowling giving a great performance, he was ably assisted by Darragh O'Rourke Conor and David Hogan. Shane Keating and Aaron O'Connor had the upper hand at mid-field. Up front Mark Mullally and Kieran Rooney were impressive.

Today’s Panel: S Doheny, C. Hogan, D Hogan, D. O'Rourke, A. O Connor, S. Keating, S. Hannon, C. Dowling, K. Rooney, M. Mullally, D. Sheehan, R. Ryan, J. O'Donoghue, C. McCann, D. Breslin, T. Brennan, J. O'Regan, D. Phillips and S. Breslin.

Final Score : St Declan's 1 – 7 Ballygunner 0 - 2

Mini 7’s Gaelic Football campaign match by match ‘07 – ‘08

7’s Team Knocked out in First Round

[Nov 6^th ‘07] Even though it was a glorious day for football we didn’t leave the Cleaboy today in good form as we bowed out of the INTO 7 a side Football Competition in the first round. Once again this was played as a blitz between ourselves, Scoil Lorcáin, Ferrybank and St Stephens. After 2 early victories came the crunch match against St Stephens to decide who would progress to the next round. Our form till then had been varied.. a mixture of good passing and support play with a lack of urgency and drive. However all players stepped up their performances in what was a very tight final game. All the lads worked hard to the end and as the game reached its conclusion we were unable to bridge the gap and so lost by a single kick of the ball! It just wasn’t to be! Special thanks to Mr Doran and Mr Fitzgerald who looked after the team today.

Results

St Declans 2 – 7 Scoil Lorcáin 1 – 0

St Declans 2 – 7 Ferrybank 0 – 2

St Declans 2 – 5 St Stephens 3 – 5

Todays Panel: D Hobbs, J McCarthy, A O Connor, C Dowling, J Grogan, J Maher, C Browne, S Hannon, R Fitzpatrick

3. Swimming News 2007 – 2008

Swimmers win Munster Medals

[Nov 2^nd ‘07] Today we had a number of our swimmers competing in the Munster Finals of the Irish School Minor Swimming Championships at the Gus Healy Pool in Douglas Cork. Congratulations and thanks to Darragh, Tadgh and Ben for representing our school so well. The results of the day were…….

U10 50m Freestyle – 1^st Darragh O Rourke

U10 50m Butterfly – 2^nd Darragh O Rourke

U10 50m Breaststroke – 1^st Tadgh Brennan

U10 50m Butterfly – 3^rd Tadgh Brennan

*Ben Jacob got personal best times in both the U12 100m individual medley and the U12 50m Breaststroke

Tadgh and Darragh have now qualified for the All Ireland Schools Swimming Championships to be held in Dublin on the 8^th of Dec.

More Medals won in Dublin

[Dec 8^th ’07] At the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin today we had 2 boys representing our school in the National Schools Swimming Finals. They were Tadgh Brennan and Darragh O Rourke. This was a 32 county competition and the standard was extremely high. Tenths and even hundredths of seconds was often the difference between first and last! Keeping in mind the intense nature of this competition the standard achieved by our boys is remarkable.

The results were ….. Tadgh Brennan - 9^th in U10 50m Butterfly and 8^th in U10 50m Breast-stroke.

……Darragh O Rourke - 2^nd U10 50m Butterfly and 2^nd in U10 50m Freestyle.

This is a fantastic achievement by both swimmers. Well done.

4. Hurling News 2007 – 2008

Indoor Hurling News ’07 – ‘08

Indoor Hurlers Ease into Next Round

[Feb 28^th ‘08] The first round of the Primary Schools' Indoor Hurling Competition was held at the Butler Sports Hall today. There were four teams in our group; St. Paul's, Mount Sion, Ferrybank and St. Declan's. We had a good victory in the first game against Ferrybank. In the second game we faced Mount Sion. This game proved to be a much closer game with Mount Sion pushing us all the way but we finally came out on top with a narrow victory. In the final game St. Paul's were our opponents. We played well in this game and had a good win in the end. We have now qualified for the Eastern Final which will take place at the same venue on Tuesday March 4th. at 1.00p.m.

Panel: Lee Wall, Mark Mullally, Cormac McCann, Jamie O'Regan, Conor Hogan, David Hogan, Conor Giles Doran, Colm Stockdale, Gavin Coppinger, Tom Crotty.

Indoor Hurlers Relinquish Title

[Mar 4^th ‘08] The Eastern Final of the Primary Schools' Indoor Hurling was held on today at the Butler Centre. There were five teams in our group; St Stephen's, Ballygunner, Clonea, Dunhill and St. Declan's. Despite some good performances we were forced to relinquish our title to a very skilful and determined Ballygunner side. In our first game we recorded a very good win against Clonea, next up was Dunhill who pushed us all the way but we managed to come out on top with a narrow victory. Our third game was against Ballygunner, however we never got going in this game and were well beaten on a scoreline of 8 goals to 3. This defeat knocked us out of the running with one game left to play versus St. Stephen's. The Stephen's game was a close affair but we managed to come out on top by 2 goals.

Panel: Lee Wall, Mark Mullally, Cormac McCann, Jamie O'Regan, Conor Hogan, David Hogan, Conor Giles Doran, Colm Stockdale, Gavin Coppinger, Tom Crotty.

U 13 Hurling Campaign ’07 – ‘08

Comfortable Start for U13 Hurlers

[Apr 17^th ‘08]Today in the college field our U13 Hurlers had a comfortable victory against Scoil Lorcán in the Waterford Primary Schools U13 Hurling League. This competition is run this year on a 15 a side basis rather than the traditional 13. We had been training well lately and so were anxious to get the year off to a winning start. It wasn’t long however before we proved to be too strong for a young Scoil Lorcán team. We took our scores well and were strong under every dropping ball. All players got a fair amount of “pitch time” and so everyone got a chance to show what they could do. With the wind in our favour in the second half the result was never in doubt and so we ran out comfortable winners in the end.

Final score : St Declan's 7 – 8 Scoil Lorcán 0 – 0

Todays panel : E O Dwyer, T Moran, E Hurley, G Walshe, S Dalton, L Kelly, D Fitzpatrick, J Maher, C Browne, M O Brien, A Purcell, S Hannon, J McCarthy, A O Connor, C Power, J Grogan, A Lawless, D Fitzgerald, M Mullally, J Regan, D Hogan and Lee Wall.

A Win is a Win!

[Apr 24^th ‘08] This afternoon at the Claeboy our U13 Hurlers were in action once again against Stephens Street in the Waterford Primary Schools Hurling League. The day was pleasant although the match was interrupted a number of times with some light April showers. This was a game we were anxious to win as we would then top our group. The game proved to be very competitive, typical of the many derby matches against our old rivals. We may have edged it slightly in the first half but were guilty of squandering so many good chances. Our second half performance was better but still we were prone to a lot of basic errors and missed opportunities. All credit to Stephen Street who pushed us all the way and had their own chances too near the end. But in the end, despite the performance a win is a win which was our aim for today. Stephen Dalton and Eoghan O Dwyer gave great displays of striking and determination but overall a lot of work needs to be done if we are to reach the final.

Final Score: Dt Declans 1 – 4 Stephen Street 0 - 2

U13 Hurlers Suffer Semi Defeat

[May 1^st ‘08] Unfortunately today in the College Field we bowed out of the U13 Waterford Primary Schools Hurling League at the semi final stage against a highly energetic and determined Mount Sion side. Even though we matched them all the way in the second half, in truth it was our performance in the first 20 mins that made our road to victory all the harder. At the break we were 4 points down which could have been worse as were second to so much ball and contested with only a moderate degree of effort. However it was only in the second half that the real fighting spirit of this team came to the fore. A powerful goal by Luke brought us to within a single score and the momentum seemed to have swung our way. However a stronger finish by Mount Sion helped them to claim victory by 5 points. As the final whistle blew their cheers of delight were mixed with our sighs of disappointment.

Great credit must be given to the whole team who tried their hardest to recover from such a poor start and nearly managed to pull it off. Well done to Luke, Jack McCarthy and Eoghan who were all exceptional on the day. Now that the year is over a special thanks goes to all the lads and their parents for their time, dedication, effort and support during the year and of course to Mr Doran and Mr FitzGerald who looked after all team matters.

Final Score : St Declans 1 – 2 Mount Sion 2 - 4

U 11 Hurling Campaign ’07 – ‘08

Late Winner Seals Victory

[Apr 8^th ‘08] We opened our U. 11 hurling campaign with a hard fought victory away to Mt. Sion in the Waterford Primary Schools Hurling League. This was an excellent game from start to finish and we were lucky to come out on top at the end. We led at half time by a point with Kieran Doheny scoring a goal and Shane Hannan firing over a point. The half time score read St. Declan's 1 - 1 Mt. Sion 1 – 0.
The second half was nip and tuck all the way, Shane Hannan added another point to extend our lead. This was quickly followed by a point for the opposition. However Mt. Sion went ahead with a well taken goal to leave us trailing by two points with five minutes remaining. Then with time quickly running out Cormac McCann struck the match winning goal and we eventually won this exciting encounter by the narrowest of margins.

Final score : St Declan's 2 – 2 Mount Sion 2 - 1

Panel : Lee Wall, Gavin Coppinger, David Hogan, Colm Stockdale, Conor Hogan, Aaron O'Connor, Darragh O'Rourke, Shane Hannan, Cormac McCann, Daniel Sheehan, Mark Mullally, Jamie Regan, Tom Crotty, Kieran Doheny, Tadhg Brennan, Chris Kong, Conor Giles Doran, John O'Donohoe, Tommy O'Loughlin, Gary Smith, David McGlynn.

Another Good Performance

[Apr 15^th ‘08] Today in the College Field our U11 Hurling Team defeated Holy Cross in the U11 Primary Schools Hurling League. This was a very one sided game almost from start to finish as we proved too strong for the spirited Tramore team. Everyone got a fair run today and with so many players playing so well it’s going to be very difficult for the coaches to choose the starting 15 for the next day!

Final score : St Declan's 5 – 8 Holy Cross 1- 0

U11 Hurlers Reach Final

[Apr 29^th ‘08]Today in the College Field our U11 Hurlers were in action in the semi final of the U11 Waterford Primary Schools Hurling League. The opposition was a committed and determined Ballygunner team who worked very hard from start to finish. The final score bears little reflection on a game that was in the balance for a long time. It was a case of “taking your chances” and when they fell our way we managed to get the vital scores at the right time and then with the comfort of a small lead we grew in confidence and finished better at the end. Even though it was certainly a team effort some players had some of their best performances in a St Declan’s jersey. Kieran got the important scores, Jamie made some great blocks, Mark cleared long from the back frequently, Conor Hogan was brave when it was needed and both Shane and Aaron attacked with purpose at every opportunity. It was a well earned victory and so now its time to prepare for the final.

Final Score : St Declans 4 – 4 Ballygunner 0 – 2

Panel : Lee Wall, Gavin Coppinger, David Hogan, Colm Stockdale, Conor Hogan, Aaron O'Connor, Darragh O'Rourke, Shane Hannan, Cormac McCann, Daniel Sheehan, Mark Mullally, Jamie Regan, Tom Crotty, Kieran Doheny, Tadhg Brennan, Chris Kong, Conor Giles Doran, John O'Donohoe, Tommy O'Loughlin, Gary Smith, David McGlynn.

Historic Win for U11 Hurlers

[May 27^th ‘08] The symmetry of today’s victory against St Stephens in the U11 Primary Schools Hurling League Final in Walsh Park is amazing. Having just concluded our week long 75^th Anniversary Celebrations it was only fitting that we finally got our hands on the one trophy which has eluded us for so long. This first time historic victory brought Mr Fitzgerald to his knees in joy as the whole stand erupted with excitement when the final whistle blew. It had been a tremendous game of hurling worthy of any final where both teams gave their all in what turned out to be a titanic battle. In many respects St Stephens will feel very disappointed as they peppered our goal especially in the second half but just couldn’t get that vital score. Brave defending and a few lucky bounces kept St Stephens at bay during a half in which we failed to score! Shane, Aaron and Conor Hogan all finished very strong and hurled their hearts out when leaders were needed. But it was Mark Mullally at centre back who was our star of the show. He had an amazing performance, full of determination and commitment while displaying all the skills of the game. His influence in the first half was huge as he cleared ball after ball as well as calmly popping over 2 65’s. 2 goals from Aaron and Stephen left the half time score 2-2 to 0-3 but the prospect of playing into an unseasonal stiff breeze readied us for the challenge ahead. During the second half Lee made important saves, Tom, David and Colm all marked tightly, Cormac got more involved, Gavin and Darragh contested every ball and even the forwards- Tadgh Jamie and Conor GD, who got very little good ball, played their part by constantly putting defenders under pressure as they tried to clear the ball.

And so it was with pride and delight that Shane Hannon became the first St Declan’s captain to ever lift this U11 trophy to the wild cheers of our supporters.

Commiserations to St Street who played so well. Congratulations to Mr Fitzgerald and Mr Kirby for all their dedicated coaching sessions and finally thanks to all the parents for supporting the team throughout the year.

Final Score: St Declans 2 – 2 St Stephens 1 – 4

INTO Hurling Mini 7s ’07 – ‘08

Early Exit for Mini 7’s Team

[Mar 11^th ‘08] The first round of the INTO Mini 7’s Hurling Competition was played today in very blustery and cool conditions in Ballygunner. Despite our best efforts over recent years we have found it difficult to achieve regular success in this competition and this year unfortunately this trend has once again continued. The competition was run as a blitz involving ourselves, Ballygunner and Gaelscoil Phortláirge and all teams should be commended for their efforts considering the very unpleasant weather. In our first match against the Gaelscoil it took us a while to settle into the game but with both Jacks playing so well in defence, Aaron busy in the middle of the field and Craig always dangerous in attack we took the lead and then never looked back. As Ballygunner had earlier defeated the Gaelscoil that now meant that our final game against them would decide who would progress to the next round. As it turned out .. it was a game “of two halves”. We played well in the first half … James’ goal being the highlight and at half time the score read 3-1 in our favour. Ballygunner thundered back into the game after the break with some early scores and we found it hard to contain all their attacks. Jamie was a little unlucky in goal at times while Mark, our most consistent player of the day, hurled right to the end. Two quick goals put Ballygunner in a clear lead and as a late free went wide we knew it wasn’t going to be our day. Well done to our subs Colm and Aidan who also played their part today. Thanks to Mr Fitzgerald and Mr Doran who looked after the team today.

Results: St Declans 3 – 3 Gaelscoil Phortláirge 0 – 0

St Declans 3 – 0 Ballygunner 5 – 2

Panel: J Grogan, J McCarthy, J Maher, M Mullally, A O Connor, C Browne, J Regan, Colm Power, A Lawless.

5. Soccer News 2007 - 2008

Jack Kennedy Cup ’07 – ‘08

Tús Maith … Leath na hOibre!

[Feb 12^th ‘08] The first game of the year in the Jack Kennedy Cup is always difficult with players finding their feet and getting used to their positions. The first half was a closely fought battle. There were some exciting passages of play. Also there was some excellent passing and skill but it was difficult to punch through the oppositions defence. Minutes before the half time whistle, a well struck shot rebounded off the post and was neatly tucked away by Aaron O’Connor. Once the boys found their comfort zones they started to play some impressive football. A second goal was scored as a result of some clever footwork. St Declans finished the game strongly and now look forward to playing Mount Sion.

Result: St Declans 2 - 0 Glór na Mara

Panel: James Grogan, Craig Browne, Eoghan O Dwyer, David Hobbs, Ethan Hurley, Luke Kelly, Jack Maher, Aaron O Connor, Andrew Phelan, Stephen Dalton, Tommy Power, Wayne Fitzgerald, Christopher Doran, Gary Walshe, Ross Fitzpatrick.

A Successful Team Performance

[Feb 19^th ‘08] Memories of meeting Mount Sion in the final two years ago reminded us that it wasn’t going to be easy. All the boys had worked very hard in training during the week for this second round match of the Jack Kennedy Cup. We approached the game positively and focused on enforcing a passing game. From the start it was great to see the boys had listened very well to instruction and played some stunning football. Both halves were a great display of skill, accuracy and teamwork. The whole squad contributed to the win. Well done!

Result: St Declans 9 - 0 Mount Sion

3 Victories in a Row

[Feb 26^th ‘08] Last Year we met Holy Cross in the Semi final of the Jack Kennedy Cup and beat them convincingly with an 8 – 2 score. With two wins under our belt our confidence was high yet again for this third round match. The game started at an incredible pace, both teams showing their intent. Our boys quickly found their feet and starved Holy Cross of possession. With some clever passing and great running openings soon appeared in the oppositions defence. In the tenth minute after huge pressure on the Holy Cross defence St Declans scored their first goal - a great finish from Aaron O’Connor. Our second goal was soon to follow which resulted from a corner. And so at half time the score was 2 nil in our favour.

With St Declans now in control they looked more at ease and really looked like they were enjoying the game. They held possession well and took advantage of any Holy Cross mistake. Jack Maher crossed some fantastic balls into the box which resulted in two goals. St Declans were now playing some extraordinary football. The pressure was mounting on the Holy Cross defence. After defending well the pressure became too much and two more goals were scored in quick succession.

The best was left until last. Our midfielder gazed left and right with no clear passing option on he squared up to the goal and lobbed the goal keeper from distance.

Another fantastic win and certainly well deserved. As I’m sure you know these wins don’t come easily. All the players attend training and listen carefully to their coaches. Well done to the whole squad and we now look forward to the Semi Final.

Sometimes the difference between success and disappointment isn’t a lack of skill or talent but rather a lack of will.

Final Score: St Declans 7 - 0 Holy Cross

Kennedy Cup in our Sights

[Mar 6^th ‘08] Today in Waterpark in the semi final of the Jack Kennedy Cup we had a comfortable 6- 1 victory over St Pauls NS. Ethan, Jack, Aaron, Wayne, Eoin and Ross were the scorers. We now look forward to the final after the Easter break.

Final Score: St Declans 6 - 0 St Pauls

Last minute Heartbreak for St Declans

[June 13^th ‘08] The much delayed and long awaited final of the Jack Kennedy Cup was played today at Bohs against our old rivals St Stephens. It was they who set all the running early on and scored within 5 mins. Ross however did get one back for us 12 minutes later and from then till the 58^th minute the game seemed to swing backwards and forwards with neither side able to make the decisive breakthrough. Then with only minutes to go St Stephens got the all important winner leaving us with no time to fight back. Well done to all the lads and especially our coaches Mr Morgan and to Mr O Mahony who, as he is about to retire, received a special guard of honour for all his time and commitment to soccer here in St Declans.

Final Score: St Declans 1 - 2 St Stephens

Ribena 5 - a - Side National Soccer Competition -

Venue : Ferrybank five a side pitches Date : April ‘08

St Declans entered two teams into the annual 5 a side tournament this year. This again is due to the fantastic interest in the tournament with over 60 boys turning up for trails. The two St Declans teams were put into separate groups. The ‘A’ team played Sciol Lorcáin and Holy Cross (Tramore). In both of these matches St Declans were far superior and their skill and fitness shone through beating both teams comfortably. The ‘B’ team played St Stephens and St Pauls. With pure grit and determination they beat St Pauls by a single goal. St Stephens proved a harder test. At half time St Declans had the lead and looked comfortable, unfortunately St Stephens pushed hard in the second half and scored a crushing winner in the last play of the game.

With the results verified, the Semi – Final was announced and to our astonishment St Declans ‘A’ were due to play St Declans ‘B’. All our players started the game by shaking hands, it was a fantastic match to watch. It was frantic at times with the ball flying from one end of the pitch to the other. The score was tight as half time approached it was 2-2. The second half started with an early goal from the ‘B’ side which actually broke the net. After some patch work from the referee business resumed. The ‘A’ side scored a scrappy goal to make it all square. At this point I thought it could swing any way. The luck fell to the ‘A’ side when late in the game the ball deflected back off the goalkeeper all that was needed was a tap in for the win. The ‘A’ side now had to play St Stephens in the final.

The boys knew exactly what they had to do and were keen to get on with it. St Stephens started strongly and were one up in the first two minutes. St Declans showed true determination to fire back and bring it all square again. St Declans found it hard to find a rhythm as St Stephens charged us down for every ball. After hounding our goal for long periods they scored again. St Declans found some extra strength and scored a well worked goal. We then went on to hit the bar twice and the post. With a minute left St Stephens took advantage of our need for a goal and caught us on the break, they scored the final goal of the game which made them the winners. It had been a close and entertaining game which we were very disappointed to lose.

Thank you to all the boys and teachers {Mr Morgan and Mr O Mahony} who helped on the day.

Report written by Mr Morgan

School 5 - a - side Soccer League Final –

6. Tennis News 2007 – 2008

Waterford reigns supreme in Cork!

[June 6th ‘08] This morning our tennis team left Waterford at 8.00am sharp with their coach/chauffeur, Angela McIlhinney heading for Bishopstown T.C. in Cork where they were scheduled to play in the Boys Munster Primary Schools final at 10:30am. (Following close behind them was a team from our neighbouring school, St. John of God’s N.S., who were also contesting the Girls Munster Primary Schools final).

The boys had been training really hard for this game and this showed as the first two games began and both pairs of doubles, Luke with Rory and Mark with Richard led from the start. Such was St. Declan’s dominance from the beginning that St. Joseph’s, Cobh trailed 8 – 1, and 8 – 2 after the first 20 games. As the boys returned to the courts for the second 2 games, St. Joseph’s were under pressure as they needed to win both matches to stay in the final. They only managed to take one game 8 – 4 and St. Declan’s triumphed taking the 4^thgame 8 – 3. There were jubilant scenes as the boys were presented with their medals and Mark O’Brien, as captain proudly accepted the cup. (This was only after they also cheered the Waterford girls to victory too!). Both teams celebrated in McDonald’s on the way home.

St. Declan’s were the first school ever to win this cup, back in 1997 and it has taken us 11 years to regain our rightful spot as number 1 boys tennis school in Munster. UP THE DEISE!!!!

Tennis Team in Final Decider

[May 29^th ‘08] Our Tennis Team of Mark O Brien, Luke McGuire, Rory McIhinney and Richard Gaul were in action today in the semi final of the Munster Primary Schools Tennis Cup. Having secured a bye into the quarter final they beat Gaelscoil Aonach Urmhumhan from Tipperary before meeting local rivals St Mary’s Ballygunner in todays decider. All the boys played really well and won all four games of doubles to reach the final which will be played on the 6^th of June in Bishopstown T.C. Cork against St Josephs of Cobh. We wish them the best of luck in the final

7. Rugby News 2007 – 2008

Oval Ball Success

[Mar 13^th ‘08] This afternoon at the Waterford City Rugby Club grounds in Kilbarry our rugby team organized and coached by Mr Morgan competed in the Waterford Tag Rugby County Blitz. A huge number of boys turned up for the trials and thus it proved very difficult to select the final panel of 15. We played 4 games in total and points were also awarded for fair play and teamwork. As we were undefeated on the day we were deemed champions, won a trophy and collected a €500 cheque for the purchase of sports equipment. Well done lads.

The results were ….. St Declans 4 – 0 Passage East

St Declans 5 – 1 Holy Cross

St Declans 6 – 0 Rathgormack

St Declans 3 – 0 Ballygunner