Soccer Wrap with Mike Rafferty

There were celebrations in Barcelona, and on Nuns Island, this week after the St Joseph’s College (Bish) side captured the U-17 Barcelona Cup, defeating teams from England, Northern Ireland and Sweden to lift the title.

The only school side at the tournament, the 25-man squad began their B08 (boys born on or after January 1 2008) campaign on Saturday morning against Champions Sports Private Academy from England in Group A.

The Bish settled well in the sunshine and opened the scoring after six minutes following a direct move with Dara McGauran scoring following an Aaron Hestor assist.

A second stunning goal soon followed from eventual Player of the Tournament, Daviti Tsikarishrili who curled one in from the left-hand side; and the Bish kept up the pressure, with McGauran securing a 3-1 win with a fabulous third goal.

The squad was to be well tested with four games on Saturday the first of which was against St Mary’s FC from Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland, with James Morahan scoring the only goal of the game for a 1-0 win for the Bish.

They then played out a scoreless draw against Carlisle Centurions from England, which left them knowing a win in their final group game, against IFK Lidingo from Sweden, would book a semi-final spot.

A feeder club for major clubs across the continent such as AC Milan, the highly technical Swedes needed a win of their won to finish in the top two and advance to the semi-finals, but a Shaane Rather strike from just outside the box sealed not only a win, but also top spot in the group.

That set-up an all-Ireland semi-final against the Clare Schoolboys Soccer League, which finished second in group B, and the city centre side reeled off a third 1-0 win in five games, Joe Colleran scoring the all-important goal to book their place in the final.

That would be a repeat of their pool game with Champion Sports, who defeated Sussex Schools of England in the other semi-final, and McGauran fired the Bish into an early advantage, only for the English side to score twice before half-time to lead 2-1 at the break.

Noah Ward equalised early in the second-half, but it looked to be heartbreak when the English side regained the lead 10 minutes from time, only for the Bish to dig deep, with Tsikarishrili finding a late equaliser.

That meant the final went straight to penalties, where Bish goalkeeper Patrick O’Connell saved the first English effort. They scored their next four penalties, but with Padraig Heinz Ward, Gacquin, Morahan, and Tsikarishrili all scoring for the Bish, it fell to Ishan Jhurry to secure the cup and he made no mistake for a 5-4 shootout win.

Pictured: The Bish side which won the U-17 Barcelona Cup, back row, from left: Noah Ward, Patrick O’Connell, Aaron Hestor, Eoghan Hoban, Dara McGauran, Conor Lynskey, Finn Plotner McCarthy, Adam Hyatt, Tadhg Murphy, Joey Pyne, James Morahan (captain), Dillon Gacquin, Joe Colleran, and Jamie Corcoran. Front: Max Trill, Shane Fahy, Shaane Rather, Padraig Heinz-Ward, Ishan Jhurry, Arron Hayat, Miguel Ruiz-Tully, Daviti Tsikarishrili, Jack Watson, Daniel Cormican, and Eoin Gacquin.