Carrigtwohill CC had a season to remember

CARRIGTWOHILL CC soccer players had a season to remember, including an All-Ireland title.

It might be the summer, but for Carrigtwohill Community College, it is half-time as they look to add another trophy for soccer to their trophy cabinet after an all-conquering 2022-23 academic year.

They will play the All-Ireland semi-final in September after they won the 1st Year Girls Smalls Schools Munster title, and that piece of silverware joined provincial and national success at minor level.

COMMITMENT

The teacher behind this is Dáithí Purcell and he is assisted by Shauna Horgan, Clodagh McNamara, and Margret Deane.

Purcell can almost list out every result from the season, and the exact reasons for his team’s success.

"We started back in November. We had a game in Skibereen with the U15s and we had a game with the first years against Coláiste Éamann Rís and that kind of set us going for both,” he explained.

"The U15s then played a team from Clare, we beat them six or seven nil. We then went down to Waterford to play Waterpark College in the Munster semi-final and we beat them 5-0. In the Munster final, we beat Midleton College 1-0.

"We actually beat them in the final of the Cork league on penalties. They are a good side.

"We train once a week. We train every Monday after school. A lot of the girls can’t make it. A lot of the girls are playing soccer outside of the school.

"For schools, particularly girls, it’s important to have people playing. 

I have 16 that play outside of school. A lot of times they would play teams that would have two or three playing outside of school. They know their positions and it makes a huge difference. 

"We’ve a few playing with Midleton, most are playing with Carrigtwohill United and there’s a couple of girls with Leeside AFC.

“They were just enjoying it. After losing the two Munster finals last year, it was pretty much the same group this year just add in two or three first years.

"We know we’re good enough and that was it. After we won the Munster final at U15s we went up to play a team from Roscommon and we beat them 1-0. That was probably our hardest game of the year.

"As a school that was our first All-Ireland. It was our first time getting to that and winning it. It was huge." 

One big advantage that the school has is that the majority of their players line out for Carrigtwohill United, and Purcell knows this.

"Of the first years, all of the girls play with Carrigtwohill United. It’s great. They will train away all summer. Their season will come to an end and we’ll be back in September to go again."