Super Saints stun Joeys

ST FRANCIS got the festive cheer underway nice and early as they produced an excellent comeback against a strong St Joseph’s side in the final of the DDSL Under-15s Premier 1 in Baldonnel.
Things got off to a bad start for St Francis who went 2-0 down but a Conor Power goal just before half-time got them back into the match.
Conor Carthy then grabbed a brace early in the second half, either side of a Scott Darcy goal, to stun Joeys and score a memorable comeback victory.
St Francis manager Mark Connolly spoke to GazetteSport about his delight at winning the league their switch to summer football from 2017.
“I am delighted for the kids, who have been brilliant all year. They went 2-0 behind in the game but scored late on in the first half to give us a bit of momentum going into the second half. We changed a couple of things around which obviously helped us.
“We were probably unlucky not to score more in the end but overall absolutely delighted because Joeys are a very, very good team.
“They had not been beaten in just under two years so it was a big achievement for our boys to go from mid-table last season to where they are now.”
The league had been split into two groups for a half season as it now switches to summer football from early next year. This will see it fall in line with the country’s top divisions but Connolly doesn’t believe that the switch will impact the ability of his players.
“I don’t think it will make any difference really. They are still going to train the same amount of times and play when pitches are available.
“It’s not as if we live in Spain and we know the sun is going to shine during the summer months.
“We could go two or three months where it is raining all the time and we have been involved in teams where the start of season game has been called off because the weather has been bad.
“It is obviously to help the kids integrate into the League of Ireland much easier. When our season finishes, the LOI starts up and, obviously, all the boys will be hoping to head to whatever clubs they can get positions in.”
Either way, next season should be a cracking one with St Francis, Joeys and St Kevin’s all vying for the title in their age group, and Connolly is looking forward to the challenge.
“The way we explain it to the lads is they are the teams to be knocked off their perch now so it will be another tough season but we have a good group of players there who are getting better all the time.”