Rice College bid for more glory

FINALISTS The Rice College, Westport team pictured before the National Cup Under-19 Cup semi-final. Back, from left: Gareth Jordan, John Keane, Peter Corcoran, Brian O’Malley, Emmet Rowley, Paddy O’Malley, Pat Lambert, Cian Dunne, Cian Kennedy, Darragh Fabby-Lavelle. Front, from left: Rory Brickenden, Jack Murphy, Eoin Conway, Mikey O’Brien (captain), Cian McAllister, Paul Doyle, Luke Tunney, Jack Carney, Daniel McGovern.

Preview
Daniel Carey

AFTER Rice College, Westport beat Summerhill to win the FAI Schools Connacht Senior (Under-19) Cup final, joint manager Brendan Clarke congratulated them on an ‘unbelievable’ achievement. But he wasn’t content to just be the best in the west.
“I might as well share with ye now,” he told the group, “it was always my aim to try and get back to an All-Ireland.”
The word ‘back’ is a reference to 2012, when the nucleus of the team reached a national first year final, before losing to ColΡiste PhΡdraig, Lucan after extra-time.
Tomorrow (Wednesday), in the Home Farm ground in Whitehall, Dublin, they aim to go one better, and win the showpiece event of schools soccer.
“I felt there was potential there, and I’ve been proved right,” Clarke told The Mayo News last Thursday. “And hopefully now, we’ll get a bit of luck, play well, and bring home the cup.”
A large crowd is expected to make the journey from Westport ... and from Rochestown, Co Cork, home of their opponents, St Francis College.
There is general relief locally that the Munster champions saw off St Aidan’s CBS, Whitehall in the other semi-final, as the Dubliners would surely have had huge support on home turf. The venue was picked well in advance (‘like the Champions League final,’ Clarke wryly observes) and was unlikely to change regardless of which schools made the last two.
The Cork side came through thanks to an 88th-minute winner from David O’Sullivan, and there was drama aplenty in Rice College’s semi-final too. Patrick O’Malley saved two penalties as they beat defending champions Carndonagh Community School after a shoot-out following a 1-1 draw.
The Mayo side have a couple of injury worries. Killian Kilkelly missed the semi-final after picking up a knock playing for Westport United against Manor Rangers. Emmet Rowley went off in the semi-final after going over on his ankle.
The team will stay overnight in Dublin this evening (Tuesday) with busloads following from the school tomorrow. Asked what he’s been most pleased about in the campaign so far, Clarke highlights the fact that ‘different players’ have put in ‘wonderful performances’ on each occasion.
Jack Murphy was outstanding in the group game against Summerhill. Emmet Rowley made his mark in the Connacht semi-final against St Aloysius. Killian Kilkelly and goalscorer Cian McAllister were excellent in the Connacht final, and there were no shortage of heroes the last day either. Cian Dunne had a big second half.
Paul Doyle put in a huge shift, and Brian O’Malley was immense in a defence that has conceded only twice (once from the penalty spot).
A Bohola native, Clarke played some underage soccer with Straide and Foxford United, but his playing days centred mainly on Gaelic football.
The Moy Davitts clubman represented Mayo at under-16 and minor level, and found himself reminiscing with Mayo manager Stephen Rochford last week, recalling titanic battles between their respective clubs at under-21 level in the 1990s.
Clarke’s partner in crime on the sideline is Colin McConway – a ‘great talker’ who’s ‘been a rock’ for the players – and the pair welcome the ‘opinions and feedback’ the players offer.
“I suppose you’re always looking for a bit of improvement, no matter how well you play,” Clarke concludes. “If there was one thing I was disappointed with the last day, it was our energy levels at the start: [in] the first half an hour, I felt we struggled to impose ourselves on the game, and we gave them [Carndonagh] too much respect ... [Conceding] the goal rocked us, but it stirred something in us, and [after that] we put it up to them.
“So hopefully we’ll be straight out of the starting blocks.”

Fixture
FAI Schools National
Senior Cup final
Rice College, Westport v
St Francis College, Rochestown

Wednesday, March 22 at 1pm
Home Farm FC, Whitehall, Dublin