Successful NECSL stars emerge to make their mark

They were a long way from home but the young footballers from the NECSL Emerging Talent Program showed the skill and class that was needed to win not one but two trophies in recent weeks.

The team that took part in the famed Kennedy Cup tournament claimed silverware as did the side that took part in SFAI Interleague competition. They were sweet triumphs for the players, their parents and the management teams of the respective squads. In both cases strategy, determination and skill combined to telling effect.

The Kennedy Cup tournament is the pinnacle of SFAI soccer at u-14 level and the tournament is run in Limerick every year, with games played over a group stage and knock-out basis, with 32 teams representing their respective leagues from both north and south of the border.

"The NECSL 2008 Emerging Talent boys team had a staggering six matches in six days over the course of the tournament and more than held their own with the best representative teams in Ireland at their age group," explained Mark Jacob, manager of the NECSL Kennedy Cup team.

"All 20 squad players were heavily used in the tournament and played their part in a memorable week for themselves, their families and the county. Scoring 16 goals and conceding seven over the six-match tournament was no mean feat."

Not that the the NECSL side made the best of starts. They lost 2-3 in their first outing against Sligo/Leitrim and were defeated 0-1 by Limerick District in their second outing. Then they drew 3-3 with Limerick County in a thrilling contest.

"The squad found themselves in the Trophy section of the knockout tournament and they went from strength-to-strength, firstly knocking out Wicklow in the quarter finals 5-0, followed by a convincing 2-0 victory over West Waterford/East Cork in the semi-final to setup a final against Northern Irish side, Lisburn Castlereagh," outlined Jacob.

"The NECSL lads turned in their best display of the tournament in their biggest match defeating Lisburn Castlereagh 3-1 to bring home the trophy to Meath. There were great scenes of delight in front of the huge crowd who attended this match as the players celebrated their fantastic achievement wildly taking their knee slides to the live camera which was streaming the match.

"To top off a great week the NECSL had the top goalscorer in the tournament in Kells man Dara Brennan who managed to score six goals in six games, which was an incredible achievement."

NECSL 2008 Emerging Talent squad - Liam Farrell, Shane McGuire, Charlie Twomey, Favor Oefe, Donnacha Farnan, Zak McQuillan, Conor Oakes, Jeff Foley, Adam Boland, Jack McCormack, Dara Brennan, Oisin Smyth, Isaac Ikede, Mark Cronin, Jake Wade O'Callaghan, Jay Gavigan, Matthew Frazer, Evan Moyles, Eoghan Moore, Daniel Joseph.

INTERLEAGUE

The NECSL 2009 Emerging Talent squad also showed they had the right stuff to be champions winning the SFAI Interleague.

"The SFAI Interleague tournaments are run over the course of the season starting as a group stage and then on into a knock out phase," explained Jacob.

"The NECSL 2009 boys worked their way out of the group and through the knock out stages and onto the final finding themselves facing Clare in Charleville Cork. This was a cracking game with Clare taking the lead early on and holding on for the entire match as the NECSL piled on the pressure looking for an equaliser.

"The travelling NECSL fans as well as coaches and players really thought that it was going to be one of those days as the ball would not seem to want to go into the net having hit the woodwork four times. However with two minutes remaining Harry McGuirk found the equaliser with a great finish on the half volley to the net.

"The match went into extra time and from that moment on there was only going to be one winner as the NECSL pushed forward and found a second and finally a third to seal the deal. The score finished 3-1 to a well deserved NECSL where all 20 squad members played their part on the pitch. There were great celebrations pitch side and on the bus all the way home to the Royal County."

NECSL 2009 Boys ETP squad - Daniel Maguire, Thomas Rybak, Kayden Hill (goalkeepers), Alex Keane, Bartosz Kolasinski, Ben O'Toole, Blake Daly, Conn Brennan, Daragh McGuigan, Rhys Callan, Dillon Glynn, Dylan Reilly, Eoin O'Connell, Evan Flanagan, Harry McGuirk, Henry McCormack, James O'Neill, Lee Kearney, Luke Byrne, Matthew Martin, Reece Beasley, Tomas Proudfoot.