Schoolboy Football


Schoolboy Football began in Ratoath in 1972 when Len Tiernan, Lee Valley, started an under 13 team under the name of Ratoath Hibernians. The team played in the Dublin and District schoolboy league. At that time Ratoath was looked upon as being very far out in the country, so all our home games were played in the Phoenix Park.. The first league game was away to Lucan Celtic where we were taught a footballing lesson and beaten 7-1. However, one week later, we recorded full points against Kilbarrack, 3-2 with goals from Paddy Monaghan, Brian Conway and a late winner from Anthony Gaughan.

Unfortunately, Len had to move to England at the beginning of our second season, due to work commitments. The team had gained great experience in the two years, but, with no guidance, the team fell apart. Dessie Brady and Brian Dolan, although young at the time, at 15 years old, gave great help and assistance to Len Tiernan in running the team. There was no schoolboy team in Ratoath again until 1983 when Anthony Gaughan took up the task. With help from Paddy Monahan and John Flanagan, the team was again entered in the Dublin and District league under the name of Ratoath Harps, with some success. With the help of Frank Dwyer, Bob Duff and Brian Conway, teams were entered in different leagues including the Drogheda schoolboys summer league the Meath schoolboys League for the following few seasons. In 1989, for the first time, parents and non-players started to become involved.

In 1989 a group of Ratoath parents got together and formed a schoolboys section to cater for the youth of the area. A Committee was established consisting of Mick Tallant (Chairman), Pat Geoghegan (Secretary), Tommy Sheridan, John Hendrick and Nick Killian. Two teams were entered in the Drogheda Independent Summer League at under nine and under eleven level. Within two years nine Ratoath Harps players were included on the Meath representative panel for the Kennedy Cup, one of Irelands top schoolboy competitions. This squad was managed by the late Jim Cashin and acquitted themselves well at U.C.D. that year.

Jim Cashin took over as Chairman in 1990 and maintained that position until his death in 1998. Jim was and still is a big loss to the club. Tommy Sheridan took over as Chairman until 2000, when the schoolboy and adult clubs amalgamated. It is with the help of the above, their committees and the parents who were willing to help, that the schoolboys section has progressed from strength to strength since 1989 when it consisted of just two teams to the present day where we can boast 29 schoolboy teams.

Mick Tallant and Liam Creagh with the Under 12 Cup finalist in 1992-93

Back L-R: Mick Tallant (Manager) Oisin O Donovan, Colm Rooney, Conor Killian, Gavin Donnelly, Richard Donnelly, Gareth Lynch, Bobby Lake,Liam Creagh, (Assistant Manager)

Front: Row L-R Sean Killian, Barry O Shea, Jonathon Drake, Dave Tallant, Noel O Malley, Willy Creagh.

Jim Cashin and Martin Meaney with the Under 14 team that won the Cup in 1992-93

Back L-R Jim Cashin (Manager) Conor O Donovan, Leonard Brown, Preston Sheridan,

Conor O Donoghue, Shane McCann, Martin Meaney (Assistant Manager)

Front Row L-R John Moore, David Sullivan, Cormac Meaney, Diarmuid Byrne, Ian Cashin, Alan Rafferty,

Brian Duffy, Tony Farrelly and Jonathan O Brien.

Drogheda Independent Summer League

Year Grade Achievement Manager
1989-90 Under 9 Cup Finalists Tommy Sheridan
1990-91 Under 10 Cup Winners Tommy Sheridan
1991-92 Under 11 Cup Finalists Tommy Sheridan
Meath and District Schoolboy League
1990-91 Under 10 League Runners Up Tommy Sheridan
Under 10 Cup Finalists Tommy Sheridan
Under 12 League Runners Up Jim Cashin RIP
Under 12 Cup Winners Jim Cashin RIP
Under 10 Shield Winners John Hendrick
Under 11 Shield Finalists Mick Tallant
1992-93 Under 10 League Champions John Hendrick
Under 12 Cup Finalists Mick Tallant
Under 14 League Champions Jim Cashin RIP
Under 14 Cup Winners Jim Cashin RIP
Under 14 Senior Cup Winners Jim Cashin RIP
North Eastern Counties
1995-96 Under 12 Senior Cup Winners Tommy Sheridan
1995-96 Under 18 League Cup Finalists Noel Farrelly
1997-98 Under 18 League Cup Winners Mick Tallant
Under 18 Shield Finalists Mick Tallant
North Dublin Schoolboy League
1995-96 Under 13 League Champions John Hendrick
1997-98 Under 8 League Champions Mark Flood
Under 14 League Champions Jim Flinter
1998-99 Under 8 League Runners Up Pat Naughton

Senior Club

Year Achievement Manager
1976 North Dublin Co. Shield Winners Willie Reilly
1981-82 Leinster Junior League Runners Up Shay Murphy
1982 Meath Chronicle Cup Winners Shay Murphy
1983 Meath Chronicle Cup Winners Robbie Cooke amp Jim Colfer
Meath amp District League Senior (Division 1 from 1990)
1985-86 MDL Division Two Champions (Only League Title) Declan Brennan / Jimmy Colfer
1987-88 MDL Cup Winners Tommy Reilly / Brian Mc Cann
1989-90 Reilly Cup Runners Up John Flannagan and Bobby Walls
1991-92 Fiachra OrsquoNeill Shield Winners John Flannagan and Bobby Walls
1997-98 MDL Premier Reserve Champions Mark Flood and Donal Coyne
1997-98 MDL Premier Reserve Winners Mark Flood and Donal Coyne
1997-98 Fiachra OrsquoNeill Shield Winners Mark Flood and Donal Coyne
1998-99 MDL Excel Print Cup Winners Martin Gillett amp Frank Bohan
1999-2000 MDL Division 1 Runners Up Noel Farrelly
2006-2007 L.S.L. Major 1 Champions Gay Goucher amp Vinny Macken
2006-2007 Polikoff Cup Runners Up Gay Goucher amp Vinny Macken

Note: In 1990 Division 1 became Premier and Division 2 became Division 1