In this edition we celebrate just some of the many successes from the season gone. These achievements are the culmination of our ambitious investments over the last number of years. However, to maintain this momentum our club needs the ongoing support of our members.
MiniLeagues 2024 was a spectacular success
It was really fantastic seeing all the kids, coaches and parents back in the clubhouse over last weekend celebrating what was another brilliant MiniLeagues! There was a real friendly family atmosphere and buzz about the place. Here's to many more days like that in the future.
There was much to celebrate, too, with yet another hugely successful MiniLeagues wrapping up for another year. As always, the 9-day tournament offered exciting, good-natured, competitive football - all in a supportive and safe environment for the kids.
We extend heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who contributed to this year's success, especially Aidan O'Looney and Paul McAtee for their extensive planning and execution. Special thanks also to Shay, Paul, Luke, and Jamie for being great referees, as well as Declan, Paul, Gillian, Tara, and Harry for the delicious barbecue at the clubhouse afterwords.
Ok, ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves. This year's MiniLeagues was BIG! Here’s the story by the numbers:
👧 611 kids competed, which, coincidentally, is also the number of phone calls between Aido and Paul in the lead-up.
📅 Over 9 days, parents perfected the art of mobile snack distribution.
🏟️ Just 4 pitches were needed to contain the energy, excitement, and occasional sibling toddler pitch-invader.
⚽️ There were 112 teams competing—yes, that's right, one hundred and twelve!
🧢 And let’s not forget the 112 managers (not to mention all the co-managers and last-minute replacements!!)
🗺️ 268 games were played in total, including 56 finals, all of which required at least as much coordination as you can fit into 611 phone calls.
🏅 630 medals and trophies for all the amazing players.
🎧 4 full-time referees who have a newfound appreciation for noise-canceling headphones.
📵 1,288 missed calls on Aido’s phone, because, you know... there's only so much one chairman can handle!
📱 Over 11 trillion WhatsApp messages between parents and coaches regarding lost and found, kick-off times, and everything in-between.
🗂️ 1 very, very large Excel spreadsheet to manage all the kick-off times, group tables, score-lines, transfers, suspensions and FFP.
🍔 500 burgers and 🐖 350 sausages for all the hungry players and parents on Sunday.
🖥️ We also had 1 highly controversial VAR call 😬 — the club can neither confirm nor deny that we will be investing in goal-line technology for next year!
And that's that. I suppose Duffer was right after all. It's safe to say that this year's MiniLeagues was not just any old tournament... it was an epic effort from all involved, and a resounding success at that. Thank you to the organisers, the parents, the kids, the referees, the managers, the grannies, the grandads, and everyone else that came down to the astro to support the kids over the weekend! Here’s to next year being even bigger and better!
A message from our Chairman, Aidan O'Looney
I sometimes forget how far we've come....
In just the last 10 years, our club has expanded massively to over 50 teams and 900 players; a testament to the commitment of our club members. This season has been particularly remarkable, with big progress across many of our age groups.
Along with this exciting growth comes a problem, however; our infrastructure is now really straining to keep up.
We are dedicated to providing the best environment we can for all our club members. And so to maintain our positive trajectory, we're embarking on an ambitious project; to renovate our Clubhouse. This initiative, partly funded by a Sports Capital Grant, will greatly enhance our facilities to better serve our players and families, especially our youth.
However, rising building costs have created a funding gap. You might have heard that to bridge this, we launched the 'Buy a Brick' campaign last year.
This summer, we are moving into the next phase of the campaign and inviting every single club member family to get involved.
When you buy a brick, your name will be forever engraved in our clubhouse lobby, as shown in the artist’s impression below. Whether you choose a Memorial, Individual, Family, or Corporate brick, your contribution will go directly to the clubhouse renovation. A very special thanks to everyone who’s bought a brick so far:
Our club motto is "Your Club, Your Community—Get Involved!" and it highlights our belief in community spirit. I encourage everyone to join us in creating a brighter future for Raheny United Football Club.
Warm regards,
Aiden O'Looney, Chairman
PS: If you’d like to get more involved with fundraising, we could use your help now more than ever. Whether it’s reaching out and connecting the club with local businesses, running fundraisers, or simply brainstorming ideas, your contributions are vital. Join the fundraising committee by contacting Declan on +353 86 822 8366.
Bohemian F.C. star returns to Raheny United
We were very proud to welcome one of our own back to the clubhouse recently. Paddy Kirk, who began his football career at Raheny, spent a decade developing into a talented player with us, before later signing for Bohemians. The league of Ireland star popped in to present our kids their medals at the mini-league trophy ceremony. He also gifted us with a signed Bohemian FC jersey. Thank you, Paddy!
Paddy's story is a powerful inspiration for our young players, proving that with determination and hard work, anything is possible.
Raheny are Cup Champions 🏆
May 12th, 2024, Whelan park, Kimmage - Our U19 LFL boys etched their names in history by triumphing in the Macron Sports Cup with a resounding 4-1 victory over local rivals Howth Celtic.
Raheny's drive and determination were evident from the outset. Our lads delivered a brilliant performance. Calum McCullagh and Evan White led the charge, each netting a crucial goal in the first half, putting us ahead with a solid 2-0 lead. As the second half unfolded, the tension heightened, but our boys held their nerve.
Devon Moore and Sean Kavanagh later capitalised on breakaway opportunities, each adding another goal to our tally, extending our lead to 4-0. Howth managed an consolation, but our boys saw out the game in control. The final whistle marked not just a cup win on the day, but a celebration of hard work and teamwork across the whole season.
The celebrations continued back at the club, where we marked cup victory and our club's 30th anniversary. The clubhouse was packed to the rafters and the craic was ninety!
Raheny are League Champions 🏆
What an achievement for our U15 Major team! After losing a couple of players and rebuilding, they ended up winning the league. They lost only 3 games out of 26! Congrats to the coaches Aido, Declan, and Eric, and to all the lads led by their wonderful captain, Harry Duffet. Onwards now to the Premier League, where we have no doubt they will be ultra-competitive as always!
Thrilling U18 Girls Cup Final
Our U18 girls delivered a stellar performance in the Cup Final against Stepaside, the League winners, at the AUL grounds. The match kicked off at 2 PM under the sun, with temperatures hitting 22°C! Despite early pressure from Stepaside and a miraculous goal-line clearance by Lily Nolan, our girls gradually took control. Libby McKay scored a spectacular 25-yard strike into the top corner just before halftime, igniting cheers from a strong contingent of Raheny supporters on the sidelines.
Our defence, anchored by keeper Ella Maguire, showed incredible resilience to preserve the lead. At the hour mark, a brilliantly executed corner by Libby and Georgie O’Connor set up Laura Murphy for a stunning 14-yard header, again into the top corner. Raheny continued to press, with Rachel Sealy, Rebecca Walsh, and Emma Corr creating more opportunities, only to be thwarted by Stepaside’s talented keeper who kept them in the game.
Stepaside pulled one back in the 70th minute with a well-crafted goal. The match took a dramatic turn when Raheny's standout player Rachel Sealy suffered a severe ankle injury after a foul just outside the box. The heat and loss of Rachel affected the team, and Stepaside managed to equalise three minutes from time.
In extra time, despite the valiant efforts of captain Emma Hughes and a tireless squad, Stepaside clinched a fortunate victory with a final score of 5-2.
Team on the Day: Emma Hughes (capt), Ella Maguire, Lily Nolan, Sophie Masterson, Molly Field, Rachel Sealy, Kellieann Byrne, Emma Corr, Taylor Cleary, Amelia Le Vert, Ava Swan, Yasmin King, Ciara Gilsenan, Rachel Hayes, Katie Dawson, Rebecca Walsh, Georgie O’Connor, Laura Murphy, Libby McKay (vice-capt).
Jerseys Sponsored by: Abbey Office Supplies
Under-18s: League Runners-Up and Future Stars
For the second season in a row, our Under-18s showed relentless season-long drive to claim the league runners-up spot. This achievement adds to their impressive collection of cups won over the past two years, underscoring their potential.
The excitement doesn't stop there! Rising stars Conor Maher and Rory Hynes have not only made waves in the Under-18s but have also broken into the men's first team, making their senior debuts last month.
With such promising talent making strides on the pitch and continued hard work, the future of our club looks incredibly bright.
U12.12s Triumph as League Runners-Up
Huge congratulations to our incredible U12.12 boys, who soared to an impressive 2nd place in their league in an outstanding first competitive season! These young men shown tremendous growth, both as individual players and as a cohesive team. Their coaches, Claire Byrne, Andrew Lambe, and Darren Jeal, couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and determination. The boys recently celebrated their thrilling victory over the league champions, Kilnamanagh, with a well-deserved treat at McDonald's.
Then our U12 heroes were awarded their runners-up medals in a presentation at the clubhouse.
11.1 Celebrate a Phenomenal Season!
Our 11.1 team concluded an incredible season with an exciting end-of-season awards celebration! These lads had a fantastic run, showcasing outstanding skills and teamwork throughout the year. They were each thrilled to be recognised for their hard work and dedication. Here's to next season in division 1!
Senior mens wrap-up
The season for our Major Sunday side finally concluded last week, marking a journey filled with valuable lessons for this dynamic young team.
We're optimistic that this season's experiences will further develop our players and prepare them for another campaign in LSL Major Sunday.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our dedicated Management team—James, Gary, Greg, and Joe. Special recognition is due to Joe Feeney as he steps away for the upcoming season—a true Raheny stalwart. Thank you, Joe, for your immense contribution!
Meanwhile, our Saturday side showed real grit and resilience, finishing strong in the competitive Major 1C league under the guidance of Sean Kelly and Darragh Farrell.
We extend our gratitude to all the players for their commitment and effort throughout the season. Well done, lads!
A big shout-out goes to our team sponsors Castlerock, Jennings, and the Wild Duck—your support is invaluable to our club's success.
Thank you to our sponsors
We couldn't do it all without the amazing support we get from our sponsors. Thank you in particular to Regency Glass for their continued support and their generous donation to the buy a brick campaign this month.
This month we're also giving a special shout out and thanks to:
Thank you!
Your town, your club. Get involved!
If you want to support or volunteer with Raheny United in any capacity, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch
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