Well that was close, panic over – for now at least, CY live to fight another day. Actually, in the end, survival in the top flight of the Leinster Senior League was secured with three league games to spare.
On May 11th CY beat Wayside Celtic by three goals to nil, which secured our place in the Senior division, but it was a fantastic run of results, all after a horrible defeat in the Intermediate cup 2nd round replay, which really did the trick! As we go to print, the Y sit proudly in fourth place, a far cry from our position just three weeks earlier when we were perched in a precarious fourth from bottom, just one place above relegation. The players and management deserve tremendous credit for their efforts, in particular since returning to action after the Christmas break. At that stage, with only eleven points to show from the opening half of the league campaign, it was very much in the balance, but victories over Tolka Rovers and Glebe North in January set the club on a path to safety, while we also enjoyed a wonderful adventure in the Intermediate cup, reaching the semi-final for the first time ever, going to UCD AFC after a replay.
Of course there was some collateral damage along the way; a much smaller squad, along with strong cup runs, meant our Saturday side suffered, meaning they will drop back down to the Major1 Saturday division for the 2014/15 season. It was, in the end, a bridge too far to keep both sides at the top with such limited resources. The team run by Ray Doyle and Wayne Byrne battled bravely, losing mostly by slender margins, but from this disappointment we hope to rebuild next season.
So what happens next? Well, our immediate thoughts will turn to the Metropolitan Cup, where we face Dublin Bus in the last eight. The winner from this encounter will enjoy home advantage in the semi-final. Next up, on June 6th,we have the small matter of taking on Irish champions St Patrick’s Athletic in the Ford FAI Senior cup. The match will take place at Richmond Park with a 7:45 KO. We hope to bring a large travelling support from the Ringend/Irishtown area. After this, we will all take a well-earned break, reflect on what was a very tough season for the club, and begin planning for the 2014/15 season. As always, new players are welcome.
Finally, thanks to all our sponsors and supporters: Sally’s Return, Fannigan’s and countless other sponsors. Our job would be next to impossible without their continued support.
Photo supplied by David Nolan
By David Nolan
