Soccer Review 2024-25
A huge thanks to Mr. Tuite, Ms Doran, Ms O’Shea, Ms. Cahill, Mr Lavelle, Mr. Smithers, Ms Kavanagh and Mr Hosey for their effort at training and on matchdays. They were all so invested in the teams this year and it really showed in the success we had.
It was some year for soccer in the school. I could write for ages about the wins and loses, the drama and the elation that all 7 teams were involved in. But I’ll try to keep it brief. There were some epic matches on our school pitch against the likes of St Kieran’s, Pres Kilkenny, Tullow, Newbridge and Athlone. And every one of those teams left with bruises and bad memories. All our teams play with an identity of toughness, athleticism, teamwork and skill. They are fantastic traits to have and we will expect them from every Borris College team.
Those traits allowed us to make history this year. We had never won a division 1 title in this school, but we claimed 2 division 1 titles with the 1st yr and u15 boys. Mr Tuite and Mr Lavelle put a huge amount of effort into the u15 boys this year and it showed as the season progressed. Since Christmas the U15 boys played 7 matches. They won 5, drew one and lost one. That loss was a narrow 2-1 defeat to Clonsilla CS in Dublin in the quarter final of the Leinster Shield. Our final game of the year was the Leinster Div 1 Champions League semi-final in Peamount Utd against Temple Carrig of Greystones. It was a classic match from start to finish with Greystone’s League of Ireland players dictating possession and Borris threatening on the break. As the match wore on, Borris’ superior fitness started to show and we created numerous clear-cut chances. It finished 0-0 at full time - and Borris were totally dominant in extra time as well. They just couldn’t get the goal they deserved. Onto penalties it went with Borris eventually losing 4-3. It was devastation for the boys as they knew they left this game behind them. Greystones went on to lose the final on penalties the following week. It was still a hugely successful season for the boys with a first every Div. 1 trophy after beating the likes of St. Kierans, Kilkenny CBS, Tullow CS, Pres Carlow and Tyndall College.
The 1st year boys had a magnificent season as well. Facing all the same teams as the u15’s, it was a tough ask to come out on top. They did just that however as they claimed victories over St. Kierans, Kilkenny CBS and Tullow CS along the way. The final against Tullow will be remembered particularly fondly as the lads came back from a goal down to win 2-1 with a last minute penalty. Another Div. 1 trophy won, unprecedented in our school.
We made further history by reaching a girls senior Leinster final where we were narrowly beaten by Pres Wexford with their team full of League of Ireland players. These girls were on a mission from early September to win something big. They started the season on fire, beating St Leo’s 3-1. [St. Leo’s went on to win the Div. 1 Leinster League]. Ms. O’Shea, Ms. Doran and Mr. Tuite were thrilled with the team and they followed that win up with several more big wins all over Leinster, scoring 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 goals in some matches. They picked up another regional title along the way too with a 9-2 win in the final. They narrowly lost 1-0 to Pres Kilkenny in the cup after an epic match on our home pitch. Pres went on to easily win the All-Ireland after beating us, winning all their matches comfortably. The girls got over that defeat and went on to reach the Leinster League final, smashing every team in their way. They put in a serious performance in the final and maybe if we didn’t suffer so many injuries we could have got the win. There was no shame losing 2-0 to Pres Wexford, a school with 900 girls to pick from and 9 league of Ireland players in their team. It is particularly exciting to know that we are only losing four 6th years from that team next year. There were also a number of 1st and 2nd year girls on the panel that will be even better next year.
Our school is now firmly on the map among the elite and as one to be feared for boys and girls soccer. That’s a remarkable achievement for a mixed school our size and it proves that we have some fantastically talented players. We will be sad to say goodbye to some of the superstars from 6th year but we are excited to see that for every 1 we lose, we’ve gained 2 or more in first year! With all 7 teams this year competing and winning in Div. 1, we look forward to next year with such excitement. There is no limit to what the girls and boys teams can achieve and the proof is there that we will be a force in all age groups again next year.