Soccer 2016 It was a good year for the red and black albeit one that fell short at and near the final hurdle on more than one occasion. The star performers were our senior team under the stewardship of Paul Concannon and David O’Boyle. Following early success in the Walter Burke Cup, where they overcame their Bish rivals 3 : 2 in a pulsating final, they continued their early season promise with a successful run through the Connacht senior cup to reach the final. Along the way they overcame Ballyhaunis, Aloysius and Summerhill, before eventually facing first timers Presentation Athenry in the Connacht Final. The weather had played havoc with fixtures all winter, and it proved no different come final time when the original match, fixed for Terryland was once more postponed at the last minute. This was very unsettling, and the resultant re-fixing of the match for the astro-turf in Mervue on a weekday during the mid-term was even more so, depriving many of the chance to go to the match. On the day it was probably the worse possible conditions in which to have to play, with driving wind and freezing rain meaning that it was a bit of a lottery who would emerge victorious. We went behind early on, but before half-time, facing in to the wind a Nathan Ward equaliser meant that parity was restored with the elements now in our favour. Soon after half-time Gabriel Dossen put us into the lead, but almost immediately our keeper, Cian Walsh was deceived by the swirling wind and Athenry drew level. It remained like that until full-time, and, with both teams visibly wilting in the conditions, extra time ensued. Athenry pushed hard and once they scored they had the wind in their sails and try as we might we couldn’t get the goal back. So, out journey this year ended in disappointment, but it was definitely a great one with every player doing himself and the College proud.
Connacht Senior Finalists 2016 Back. Mr. David O’Boyle (Coach), Hakeem Ryan, Aaron Hrehorow, Daniel Healy, Dion Walshe, Nathan Ward, Cian Walsh, Patrick Doyle, Landu Ndombasi, Ruari O’Connor, Kamil Szymaszek, Mr. Paul Concannon (Coach) Front: Gavin Hegarty, Jordan Lavin-Powell, Francely Lomboto, Gabriel Dossen, Tommy Molloy, Jonas El-Ehmer, Nathan Ward, Vinny Cussen, Seán Croke
Looking cold wet and miserable at the Connacht Final
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