The St Kevins Boys Premier U13 team, sponsored by RISSC (London), followed up their national U12 Norton Cup success of last year with victory over a spirited Shelbourne side in the national U13 Troy Cup at the weekend.

The heavy rain which had fallen on Dublin during the preceding week and resulted in the tie being switched from its original Coolock venue to Home Farm’s Whitehall ground was consigned to history on Saturday morning. The teams took the field to dimpled rays of sunshine and proceeded to serve up some excellent fare for those in attendance.

St Kevins have struggled somewhat in recent weeks, the consequence of a very heavy programme including a tournament venture to Holland and a visit to the Blackburn Rovers Academy. The travails of those games were brushed aside in a sparkling performance on a Whitehall surface conducive to the passing style of St Kevins. Credit must also go to Shelbourne who played their part in making the contest an engaging one.

Shelbourne started brightly and put the St Kevins defence under pressure in the opening minutes. Led by captain Jeff Hendricks, the boys defended with confidence and quickly began to gain control of the game. Anthony Bolger and livewire winger Robert Brady both went close during first half proceedings.

St Kevins started the second half in emphatic fashion and made the breakthrough some twelve minutes in, when midfielder Conor Carberry tried his luck from range and was rewarded when his shot squeezed past the goalkeeper. St Kevins continued to dominate and went two goals up when Gary Smith met a teasing cross to head a classic goal.

Shelbourne made a concerted effort to get back into the game and came close on one occasion to reducing the deficit. This however was St Kevins day and with Conor Murphy and the marauding Brady controlling matters they cruised to victory.

St Kevins Boys
Ryan Kinsella;
Paul O’Brien, Jeffrey Hopkins, Jeff Hendricks, Eamon Fakim;
Eoin Wearon, Conor Carberry, Gary Smith, Robert Brady;
Anthony Bolger, Conor Murphy

Substitutes
Kevin Lynch for Eamon Fakim
Stephen O’Leary for Conor Carberry
Paul Graydon for Anthony Bolger
Stephen O’Rourke for Paul O’Brien