StKilian’s Community School

U17 BOYS SOCCER

St Kilian’s under-17 soccer team travelled to Arklow’s Bridgewater Centre Park for the second time in the space of two days on Friday, January 27. Against the odds, the team had reached the FAI Schools Cup final for the Wexford/Wicklow region. Just 48 hours earlier the team, from Bray, seemed all but out of the competition.

With five minutes to go in their semi-final, St Kilian’s trailed a physical and combatative side from CBS, New Ross, by a 3-2 score-line. During the final minutes of the game St Kilian’s applied constant pressure to the CBS defence, with captain Jake O’Brien urging his team-mates on, pushing forward from his centre back position to an attacking role, and coming close with a spectacular effort from a free kick, almost 30 yards from goal.

Dogged running from wingers Shane Devlin and Gary Purcell and clever movement from the St Kilian’s forwards finally paid off, when prolific striker, Andrew Knight, equalised in the dying seconds of the game. After a tiring period of extra time, winger turned goalkeeper; James Ryan, took his turn to play the hero. The stand in keeper twice denied New Ross’ penalty takers, prompting wild celebration from his team-mates and cementing his team’s place in the final. (St Kilian’s-3 New Ross, CBS-3, 3-2 on pens)

With just a one-day break between semi-final and final, it was inevitable that the early Friday morning kick off would be physically testing for the Bray boys. Just before kick off, manager Mr Jenkins was hit with a selection headache. Jason King, who had played a major part in getting his team to the final, with hard-working and consistently industrious performances from right-back, was ruled out of the game. Luckily Seán Leggett, one of the team’s standout, utility performers throughout the tournament, stepped in as replacement.

St Kilian’s number one, Jordan Conroy, was also struggling with injury but was forced into starting after semi-final stopper, James Ryan, was injured in the warm up. Jordan might have wished he stayed on the bench when adverse weather forced an uncharacteristic error, and put St Kilian’s opponents Coláiste An Átha 1-0 ahead, in the opening minutes of the game. Where lesser keepers might lose confidence, Conroy only appeared to get stronger from this stroke of bad luck. He became vocal and commanding, keeping his new-look back four organised and, most vitally, making a string of top-class saves to keep his team in the match.

After a poor start, St Kilian’s gradually grew in confidence. Jordan Smith, was instrumental in the teams renaissance; his ferocious tackling and surges forward from his left back position began to ignite St Kilian’s. As the Kilmuckridge team’s early dominace began to wane, St Kilian’s passing and movement became sharper. After winning a string of corners and enjoying good spells of possesion in the Kilmuckridge half, St Kilian’s breakthrough came via a clinical finish from leading scorer, Michael McMahon, levelling the match 1-1 before half-time.

After showing their mental fortitude during the fiirst half, St Kilian’s kicked in to fifth gear after the break. After harrassing the Kilmuckrige defence for much of the game, Andy Knight got his rewards when a defensive mix-up allowed him to put his side 2-1 in front. Incredibly, this put St Kilian’s front two on a combined tally of 10 goals for the tournament. Not to be undone, Michael McMahon, put the Bray side 3-1 up, soon after, with a goal worthy of winning any cup; a scintilating strike from 20 yards.

One would think that with three goals between them, McMahon and Knight would be obvious choices for man of the match. The engine room of the St Kiilian’s team, midfield duo Dylan Bermingham and Jack Ronan, had other ideas. The combination of Ronan’s strength, fierce determination and ball winning ability and Bermingham’s skill, composure and intelligence on the ball were what ultimately proved the undoing of Kilmuckridge’s spirited perseverance. Bermingham, who had been St Kilian’s creative spark during the tournament, delivered a final blow (via a Graham Kane assist) making the final scoreline St Kilian’s four – Coláiste An Átha 1.

Beside his hard grafting center back partner, CJ Buckley, it was Jake O’Brien that embodied the perservering spirit of the St Kilian’s team and, fittingly, it was he who lifted the trophy, in front of school principal and team supporter, John Murphy. Having been seconds away from heading back to Bray as beaten semi-finalists on Wednesday, the squad (inc. subs Aaron Bradshaw and Jamie Gunning) proudly boarded their bus and returned to school in Ballywaltrim on Friday afternoon with FAI winner’s medals around their necks.

What an exciting commentary from their coach Mr Jenkins. Congratulations to the team and to Mr Jenkins for bringing this much coveted prize to St Kilian’s. The team received a hero’s welcome and staff and students are very very proud of them. Very well done to all.

PAST PUPIL’S SUCCESS

Congratulations to past pupil Colin Keogh, who has been named on the highly prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Europe (2017).

Currently an engineering PhD candidate, Keogh has been recognised for his work in using low-cost disruptive technologies to help improve the world. He co-founded the Rapid Foundation to put technology such as 3D printers and low-cost electronics in the hands of people who need it most in developing countries.

St Kilian’s CS is very proud of its association with Colin, who has maintained strong links with the school since he graduated in 2007. He is a regular and welcome visitor, giving talks and sharing his experience and expertise in the area of engineering with our students.

We wish Colin every success for the future, both in his studies and in his work with the Rapid Foundation.

JUNK KOUTURE

Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture aims to inspire and ignite a passion for creation in teenagers, while at the same time subtly educating them about the importance of recycling and reusing waste.

Junk Kouture is a National Competition, which encourages young designers in second level education to create striking fashion designs and impressive works of wearable art from everyday junk stuff that would normally find its way into the bin.

Here at St Kilian’s Ms. Murray and her students have been participating in Junk Kouture for the last three years and each year the number of participants and designs created has grown this is largely due to the very hard and committed work of Ms. Murray, and also to the success of her students in recent years.

Ms. Murray has successfully made it through to the Leinster Regional Finals in the Helix with one of her student designs for the last two years running, and we are hopeful that this year one of our entries will again receive a coveted place.

This year we have a total of seven designs to enter, all incorporating different types of waste materials, reused to make a wearable piece of fashion. We hope you saw all the wonderful photographs of our students and their entries, taken by Barbara Flynn and shown in the Bray People of Wednesday, February 8.

The competition is currently being judged, and the top 160 designs from Leinster will perform in the regional final in the Helix on March 2 and 3. Everyone at St Kilian’s is very excited and we wish all the designs the very best of luck.

All the students worked extremely hard and were imaginative in their choice of waste materials and in the very wearable designs that they produced.

A huge thanks to Ms. Murray for all her hard work, and for her vision in bringing this very exciting and prestigious competition to our school.

U15 BOYS FOOTBALL

St Kilian’s boys under-15s football team played Kilmuckridge in the Wicklow final last Wednesday. In an extremely exciting game St Kilian’s lost out after penalties. The match finished three all after full time and four all after extra time. St Kilian’s got off to a great start and quickly scored three unanswered goals. Mathew Tyndall got two and Davey Berry the third. Kilmuckridge fought back and scored two before half time. Kilian’s could have been a few more ahead but they hit the post and crossbar and the Kilmuckridge goalkeeper made some great saves. Daniel Keogh, Adam Byrne and Ryan Stafford put in great first half performances.

The second half was hard fought but Kilmuckridge managed to score the equaliser to take it to extra time. Sergiu Lupez and Dylan O’Hagan worked very hard in defence against a growing wind. Kilian’s went ahead again in extra time with a great goal from Kyle O’Connor but Kilmuckridge scored the equaliser with almost the last kick of the game.

The game went to penalties and Kilian’s went ahead when Tomas O’Connor made a great save. Unfortunately for Kilian’s the Kilmuckridge keeper made two good saves in a row to seal the game. The Kilian’s team put in a huge effort, and were extremely unlucky to lose in this way.

Very hard luck to the lads and their dedicated trainer Mr Forde. They put in a series of great games and hopefully this will pay off for them in the future.

The team and panel are as follows: Tomas O’Connor, Ciaran Mangan, Alan Coster, Davey Berry, Matthew Tyndall, Mark Byrne, Daniel Keogh, Sergiu Lupez, Jake McMahon, Dylan O’Hagan (second year) Adam Weslowsky, Adam Byrne, Dylan Hughes, Alex Horan, Eoin Joyce, Albert McEvoy, Ryan Stafford, Aaron Grey, Adam Melia, Adam Byrne (third Yr) Kyle O’Connor, Jamie Carney, Oisin Treacy Coster.