RUFC Club Newsletter - December 2025
- Newsletter
- Dec 3, 2025
- 10 min read
It’s been another busy month around our club, with plenty of news from on and off the pitch. From Premier League appearances, to 10-goal thrillers, and legends old and new making their mark. And this month we've a new feature called "RUFC Legends" where we profile some of the biggest characters at the club. Let’s get stuck in.
A dream day for Lilly at Villa Park
Lily Cotter, age 7 from Raheny United U8s, had an unforgettable experience last month, when she had the opportunity to walk out as mascot alongside Aston Villa vice captain Ezri Konsa at Villa Park! The day was made even more special as Villa secured a 1–0 win in the west-midlands derby vs Wolves with Kamara scoring the winning goal.
Well done, Lily. What a brilliant achievement!
From the next Katie McCabes to the next Katie Taylors
Huge congratulations to Kayla Myles McGeehan (or “Champ” as she’s known to her Raheny u16s teammates) who recently swapped the football pitch for the boxing ring and came home with gold. Representing Darndale Boxing Club, Kayla dominated in the Dublin Leagues, winning her 60kg final at the National Boxing Stadium in Ringsend on September 23rd. After three tough 2-minute rounds, the judges had no doubts; a unanimous decision and a brand-new belt! Next up, Kayla is back in training with an eye on the Dublins thus coming February, all while pushing for a league title with the U16 girls. A serious athlete and an inspiration to every young player in the club. Well done Champ, we’re all proud of you! 🥊⚽💚
Tallaght & Raheny in 10-goal thriller
Our 16.4 boys travelled to Tallaght Town AFC on Sunday aiming for back-to-back wins. After a stop-start season, the lads were simply delighted to be playing again. What followed was a true rollercoaster.
Tallaght struck early to make it 1-0, but Nathan O’Regan levelled 10 minutes later. Another Tallaght goal made it 2-1 before Maurice Murphy equalised, and although we fell behind again, Maurice responded brilliantly with his second. Right before the break, Artem Khomych fired into the top corner, his first goal for Raheny, to give us a 4-3 lead going into the break.
The second half was tighter, but Daniel Richardson scored from a tight angle (also his first for the club) to make it 5-3. Tallaght came back once more with two late goals, levelling the tie at 5-5. Raheny piled on the pressure in the final 10 minutes, but the winner just wouldn’t come.
The lads were disappointed not to take all three points, but an away draw is not to be sniffed at. Another performance full of character to build on for the rest of the season.
O'Connor hat-trick seals victory
Raheny u17s needed extra time to overcome a determined St Francis side in a thrilling 4-2 win on Sunday afternoon at St Anne’s Park. Defender Tyler O’Connor was the hero, scoring a remarkable hat-trick, all three from corners.
Raheny started strong, with O’Connor heading home twice to take a 2–0 lead before St Francis pulled one back just before the break. The second half was tight, and St Francis levelled from the penalty spot, sending the match to extra time.
O’Connor completed his hat-trick with another towering header early in extra time, before Rian Allsop sealed the win with a thunderous strike from outside the box. A brilliant performance and a fully deserved place in the last 32!
A huge thank you to Members First Credit Union and Nostra for their continued support of our u17 team.
RUFC Legends: Paddy Martin
You won't have to look far to find Paddy Martin in Raheny.
Most weekends he’s either pacing the side of a Raheny pitch managing his under-16s, watching his youngest race around in an Arsenal tracksuit impatient to get to training, or popping down to pitch 5 to catch the seniors.
But Paddy's Raheny story doesn’t start on the pristine astro surface that’s there today. It began on a bobbly pitch 11, in July 1992. He’s 10 years old, and he’s just cracked a long-range shot off a crooked timber goalpost, delicately ordained with an old orange net.
“The mini-leagues were the big thing back then. Thick wooden goalposts, old nets… you look back now and laugh at the setup we had… but we thought it was brilliant at the time!” he laughs.
“The first time I came down it was just with a few of the lads I hung around with. James O’Neill invited me down I think. I was football mad, and hooked instantly.”
Back then it wasn’t Raheny United. It was Raheny Boys, not long before the merger with Dunseedy United to form Raheny United. Training and matches were all there on pitch 11, and the clubhouse (now apartments) stood on the corner near where Mace is in St Anne’s.
“Pulling on the jersey for the first time… I remember that. I loved being in a team. I lived for it.”
Time away and back to senior football
After a few seasons playing junior, Paddy left the club in his mid-teens to enjoy spells with Trinity and Aylesbury. He returned aged 18, and went straight into playing senior for the newly formed Raheny United.
“Danny Crowley was managing a really strong first team then. I probably wasn’t good enough to get into his side, so I played with the seconds under Terry Lennon and Marty McKenna. Terry was a good friend of my dad’s. I got on really well with him.”
That began nearly two decades in Raheny’s senior setup, including two big promotions, climbing Premier C to Premier B, and later on to Premier A.
Silverware at last with the over-35s
After years of near-misses with the seniors, Paddy finally lifted silverware with the Over-35s, and he still talks about that team with huge affection.
“We won AFL Division One.. my first trophy with Raheny. And we deserved it.”
Promotion put them into AFL Premier, where they agonisingly missed out again.
“I remember we lost the playoff to Sheriff on penalties on pitch 5. I’ll never forget it. Horrendous!”
“And we should have won the league the week before over in Bluebell, but we drew 2-2 when we needed the win. But sure look, that’s football. We’d a great side and we did really well”.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that would be the natural conclusion to a very respectful Raheny United career.
No chance.
Football, somehow, always finds a way to bring you back. Paddy returned once again to the senior side, when he was well into what you might describe as his "twilight years".
“My dad thought it was hilarious, me going back to play senior at nearly 40. There’s me trying to chase 20-year-olds around a pitch. I managed to last a couple more seasons all the same, before the legs finally went on me!”
A family pursuit
We’re conducting this interview over Zoom. And Paddy joins me from the front seat of his car, parked-up at his daughter's training session on a wet Tuesday evening.
It's not just Paddy's daughter - all three of his kids play for the club; under-16s, under-14s, under-10s.
“When I was still playing senior, they’d come down and watch a bit. I think that had a big influence on them."
Coaching then arrived naturally, he says. Paddy began coaching his eldest's team when they were 11, and four years later he’s still on the same touchline, now managing a group in the thick of a title challenge.
“You hear them talking on the pitch now, working hard, trying to do the right things. That’s the reward for enduring a tough relegation season that followed a promotion. But the boys learned so much during that couple of years - it was good for them in the end”
“When Dylan joined the academy, people like Barry Carroll, Tony Duffy, Lar Flood and Ken Branagan made a huge impression. They were brilliant with the kids, full of enthusiasm,” he says. Saturday mornings were suddenly the highlight of the week. “Those sessions probably planted the seed for me to start coaching, too”.
The man who started it all
A black-and-white Dunseedy United team photo hangs on the wall in the Raheny United clubhouse.
“There’s no name on it, but that's definitely him there” Paddy jokes.
To understand where it all started for Paddy, you have to understand Paddy’s dad; Mick Martin.
“He’s probably the biggest Raheny United fan there is. He spends his weekends watching Raheny. He even goes over to watch them train! That’s how addicted he is to it.”
Mick played for Dunseedy, whose clubhouse once stood exactly where Raheny United’s clubhouse stands now. “It used to just be just a single storey, two dressing rooms, a tea room, and a hall. That's all it was.”
“I grew up being dragged to dad’s training sessions, his matches and club Christmas parties, and that’s where football got into me, long before I played.”
What Mick began decades ago hasn’t faded, it’s only grown.
“My dad is the reason we’re all in football. Simple as that.”
A club going from strength to strength
The club has changed dramatically since Paddy first played. There’s no more timber makeshift goal posts. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Anytime you go down now the astro is packed with teams of kids training or playing a match. It’s going in the right direction that’s for sure.”
“We had very few teams at the younger age groups in my day, and no girls teams, I don’t think. But now, there’s this massive academy, full of girls and boys, it’s brilliant to see.”
But the soul of it, he says, hasn’t changed.
“Like every grassroots club, it’s just built on good people giving up their time. That’s what makes the club what it is.”
He’s played, coached, supported, and watched his kids do the same now, and after all this time, Martin is still exactly where he wants to be.
“I’d just like to see the club keep going the way it has been recently. Good people giving up their time, lots of kids loving football. That’s the way it should be. Long may it continue."
Pitch playability
As everyone is aware, this season has brought exceptionally wet weather. In fact, it has been one of the wettest Novembers on record in Ireland. Unfortunately, the constant rainfall has taken a toll on our grass pitches and has meant more cancellations and relocations than any of us would like.
Please know that we are doing everything possible behind the scenes to keep matches and training sessions going throughout the winter. Alongside our access to the RSA astro and DCU for matches, we also have teams training across Kilbarrack Astro, Astropark Coolock, Mercy College, Manor House, St Monicas, St Fintans, Mount Temple, and Parnells. Securing and managing all of these locations has taken enormous work from our team, and we continue to actively pursue further pitch options to provide more consistency for all age groups.
We truly appreciate everyone’s patience and flexibility during what has been an exceptionally challenging few months. And if anyone has potential leads or contacts that might help with additional training or match space, we would love to hear from you.
Thank you again for your continued support and understanding.
When Troy sent us wild
When Troy Parrott scored the decisive goal against Hungary, the clubhouse exploded into wild celebrations. Luckily, the cameras were rolling :)
10.4 team update
As we start another busy month of football, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Malahide Autos for their fantastic generosity in sponsoring our team kits this season. Their support means a great deal to the players, coaches, and families, and the squad has worn the colours with pride.
Our progress on the pitch has been brilliant with brilliant performances in all of our last five league games. Just as encouraging is how well the players have been linking up, supporting one another, and showing great team spirit.
Excitement is now building for our trip to Limerick in March for the Tempo Easter Cup, which promises to be a great experience for the lads.
10.8 Looking the part
The U10.8 squad were thrilled to unveil their brand-new match-day kits this month, generously sponsored by Perkys Coffee Shop. A huge thank-you goes to Camilla and the whole Perkys team for their support. The boys have been a joy to coach all season, showing brilliant commitment and enthusiasm as they adapt to the 7-a-side, capped off recently with their first win of the campaign. With continued hard work and plenty of smiles, the management team are excited to see how the group develops over the months ahead.
Annual Christmas draw 🎄
Don’t miss your chance to enter our annual Christmas draw. Simply scan the QR code on the poster to purchase your tickets online.
Tickets are also available to buy at the bar, or you can contact Dec directly on 086 822 8366.
Congratulations, Mick Kelly
A huge congratulations to Senior Men’s assistant coach Mick Kelly, who has recently completed his UEFA B Licence diploma, an outstanding achievement and a reflection of his hard work and commitment to coaching.
In Mick's words“ I'm very proud to have earned my UEFA B Licence after a demanding process of on-pitch sessions, detailed planning, recorded work, and continuous assessment. Thanks to James O’Neill, Mark Ryan, and the senior players for their support throughout. Excited to push standards and see how far we can go in the second half of the season."
Everyone at RUFC is extremely proud of Mick’s success.
Raheny Rookies
It’s been a brilliant term at the Raheny Rookies Football Academy! The kids have been flying - showing fantastic improvement in their ball skills, teamwork, and confidence on the pitch.
Coaches have been especially impressed with the enthusiasm and energy the players bring each week, no matter the weather!
With the festive season just around the corner, there’s a great buzz among the kids. It’s a lovely time of year at the academy, and the excitement is infectious.
HELP WANTED: Now is a great time to get involved. New coaches are always welcome as our older players get ready to kick off their first matches in early 2026. Contact Paul +353 86 081 0458
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
A massive THANK YOU to these incredible sponsors for their recent support. You truly make all the difference!
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