Name: St. Josephs AFC

Address: Address: Pearse Park, Thomastown, Dublin

Founded: 1953

Colours: Black and White

Crest:

Facilities

Pitches
One of our prize assets has to be our seven grass pitches;

three small sided games
four 11 a-side.

They are maintained full time by our facility staff who do a wonderful job all year round to provide one of the best playing surfaces not only in the DDSL but in the whole country.

Clubhouse

In 2002 our new club house was built which changed the face of the club. This facility housed 10 dressing rooms an indoor hall, shower areas, a new lounge area with a balcony view over our two main pitches an indoor warm up area, meeting rooms and class rooms.

Since then the club has kicked on dramatically and in 2011 our new away dressing rooms where built which brought our tally to 24

It also provides office space for administration team and our Director of Football.

All-weather Training Areas

Then in 2010 the installation of our three training astro pitches finished. It marked a new chapter within the club with the ability to train in all-weather conditions and practice our fundamental skills and playing methods on the best surface available.

When not used by Joey’s these pitches  serve as an excellent social outlet for local kids who can come and play on the pitches at most times during the day.

Cafe 53

In 2012, Café 53 was built and has continued to attract people from the local area and from within the club on a daily basis.

Cafe 53 is open every evening during the season – and its a great place for parents to have a coffee and chat about things while waiting to pick-up their children.

Club Shop

Opening Times

Our shop is open evenings till 8.30pm.

All sports gear with Joes crest is available for purchase.

Club History

St Joseph’s AFC is a schoolboy/girl football club based in Sallynoggin on the south side of Dublin. The club was founded as St Joseph's Boys in 1953 by Fr. Frank McCabe and Brendon Harmon to provide youth services through football for children in the greater Dun Laoghaire area. The club’s first match was played in the Phoenix Park in September 1953. St Joseph’s has always been a progressive club and it opened its clubhouse, dressing rooms and showers in 1964. This football facility was further enhanced in 1975.

1950’s:

Fr. McCabe who was affectionately known as “The Revo” with his right hand man Brendon Harmon set out to recruit the best leaders from local youth clubs as they strived towards his vision of making St. Joseph’s one of the best clubs in the country. People like Terry & Joe Dunne, Reggie Johnston, Jem Kelly, Des Kerr, Kevin Morris, Tommy Tallant, Mick Lambkin, Eamon Dignam, John King, Austin Mullen and many more were brought to manage teams as the club grew in size and stature. Tony Chuckie Corrigan was the first Senior of the year in 1955.

1960’s:

Joes continued to grow in both reputation and size as the club won leagues and cups at all ages. Richard Cummins became our first schoolboy international and was quickly followed by Willie Fogarty, Ger Sayers and Jackie Vance.  In 1964 our first clubhouse was built using voluntary labour as members and locals gave their services in the evenings and weekends to finish the project. 1966 was a landmark year for the club as the 15’s won our first FAI Cup and our teams embarked on their first trip abroad to London. Sean Sheehy won his first youth cap against England and later signed for Preston North End.

1970’s:  

The 70’s will be remembered for winning every trophy in schoolboy football. Pat Devlin and Eugene Davis won Youths International caps. Under the guidance of Jimmy Whelan and Shay Farrelly, Joes produced the most successful team in the history of schoolboy football in Ireland. Collecting leagues and cups in all ages from 10 to 18. A string of schoolboy (Lar Mahony, Anto Whelan, Chippy Devlin, and Alan Campbell) and youth internationals (Anto Whelan, Des Kavanagh, John Murray, Dave Kane, Chippy Devlin, Alan Campbell) followed and our first full international Alan Campbell also came from this team. In one of the club’s most successful years on the pitch St Joseph’s Boys won the FAI youth cup and the Leinster Junior Cup in 1978. The club was awarded the title of Team of the Year by the Leinster Senior League. Our first partnership was born out of this success when John Giles the manager of Shamrock Rovers with Eamon Dunphy and Ray Tracy approached the club to become a nursery for Rovers. Three players signed for Rovers  (Alan Campbell, Aidan McCluskey and Des Kavanagh). Anto Whelan and Dave Kane signed for Bohs and Chippy Devlin and Tony Clack signed for Shelbourne.

1980’s:

The club continued to grow through the 80’s as we broadened our horizons by representing Dun Laoghaire in a tournament in Brest, France as part of the towns “Twinning Programme”. Honours in international tournaments followed and two players Keith Long and James Mulligan were snapped up by Stoke City after Willie Byrne guided the team to victory in the Keele International. Investment in facilities continued as we levelled and installed drainage on the so called new pitch. The 80’s also proved a very successful period for the Senior team who won at least one trophy in every year of the decade. Also at this time Anto Whelan signed for Manchester United while Alan Campbell signed for Racing Santander in La Liga.

1990’s:

This decade will be remembered for the amount of Joes players who signed for UK clubs. Ronald O’Brien signed for Middlesboro and Juventus and Gary Smith signed for Sunderland. Two more players signed for Stoke City (James O’Connor and Clive Clarke, who both went on to play in the Premiership) followed by four players (Ciaran Ryan, Peter Murphy, Paul Forsyth and Michael Lawless) signing for Blackburn Rovers. We also set up a partnership with local National League club Bray Wanderers which included the introduction of a “School of Excellence Programme” in which Bray coaches delivered on a weekly basis. This programme led to a partnership with Newcastle United which was set up by Pat Devlin and Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish. During this partnership four Joes players Stephen Brennan, Joe Kendrick, Thomas Hawkins and Neil Finn signed for Newcastle.

2000’s:

This decade provided the club 6 more senior internationals with Peter Murphy, Alan O’Brien, Clive Clarke, Andy Keogh, Paul McShane and Eamon Zayed. Our purpose built facility was opened in 2003 to mark our fiftieth anniversary. The building was designed by local architect Deirdre Hartigan and was opened by “An Taoiseach” Bertie Ahern. A further partner was added when Gerry Egan thanked the city of Izumo, Japan for their hospitality shown to the Irish team during World Cup 2002. This led to the establishment of the Hibernia Trophy and two visits to Izumo by Joes as well as return visits by The City of Izumo selections to compete in the Hibernia Trophy. The new century marked the introduction of Girls teams into the club. Led by Ann Dodd & Francis Watts they brought a new dimension and vibrancy to the club as they played their way  to successive FAI Cup finals.  Amy Keating became our first ladies international and she also gained a football scholarship to the US as did Katherine Meaney and Shauna Pearle. During this decade we had short partnerships with Charlton Athletic, Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.

2010’s:

The Hibernia Trophy continued to grow in stature as Celtic, Manchester United, Liverpool, Villarreal, F.C. Utrecht, Linfield and many more clubs graced our pitches in Sallynoggin. Further facility development led to extra dressing rooms being built and the opening of a new gear shop and Café 53. A new and exciting partnership was formed with Celtic F.C. following the signing of Gareth McDonagh. The 10’s produced two teams that rivelled the 1970’s team by winning three All Ireland’s each. Managed by Jay Costello with Mick Brown, Gavin Teehan, Aidan Abbott  and Paul O’Reilly. They also won Leagues and League Cups. With Bernard Byrne, Jay Mulally and Keith Kenna at the helm they also won Leagues and League Cups. A record number of Schoolboy Internationals with Captain Joe Redmond, Joe Murphy, Ryan Burke, Aaron Bolger,  Glen McCauley, Dan Byrne, Promise Omechere. Jonathon Olafeme, Andy Lyons, Brandon Kavanagh and Domnic Peppard all receiving International honours. Also Enda Minoge, Leigh Kavanagh, Presious  Omochere, Feste Ebosele, Billy Vance, Matt Murphy, Callum Thomson and Mipu

The end of this decade saw the creation of The National League at 13’s, 15’s, 17’s and 19’s with Joes playing as Bray St. Joseph’s. A number of players were promoted to the Bray Wanderers first team including Jake Ellis, Jamie Crilly and Andy Moran who became the youngest  player to play in the Bray first team. During the 2010’s two further Senior Internationals emerged for Alan Judge and Sean Maguire.

Club Honours

Goalkeepers International Caps.

George Howard, Jackie Vance, Peter O’Toole, Noel Hughes, Ger Lynch, Pat (Lob) O’Connor, Chippy Devlin, Josh Moran, Pat Kelly, Alan Young, Jim Finnerty, Dan Connor, Stephen Redmond, Darren Quigley, Tom Murphy, Enda Minouge, Harry Halwax, Jack Ross, Reece Byrne

International Honours Senior:

Alan Campbell, Alan O’Brien, Peter Murphy, Clive Clarke, Paul McShane, Andy Keogh, Eamon Zayed (Libian), Alan Judge and Sean Maguire. Amy Keating, Stephanie Roach, Aimee Cahill, 

Under 23’s 21’s Amature and Junior.

Anto Whelan, James O’Connor, Robbie Ryan, Christy Dunne, Pat Whelan, Richie McIntyre, Dave Mason, Danny Heffernan, Peter Neary, James Mason, Daniel Loughran, Tony Brunton, Freddy Mulvanny, Darren Forsyth, Mick Kelly, Frank McParland, Christy Farrelly, Dylan Watts, Don Tierney, Brendan Bell, Neil Farrugia, Paddy Allen, Ronnie Allen, Ross Zambra

Youths, 15’s, 16’s, 17’s,18’s and Schools.

Richard Cummins, Willie Fogerty, Gerry Sayers, Jackie Vance, Richard Sheridan, Fintan Deegan, Sean Sheehy, Dave Mason, Tony McGuirke, Eugene Davis, Pat Devlin, Eamon Gilroy, Niall Shelley, Tommy Leonard, Mickey Mahon, David Doran, Anto Whelan, Alan Campbell, Lar Mahony, Des Kavanagh, John Murray, David Kane, Barry Dignam, Ronald O’Brien, Derek Jackson, Eddie Gormley,  Rory Vance, Simon Brady, David Gormley, Keith Dignam, Peter White, Andy Rice, Ross Zambra, Graham Ward, Gavin Gunning, Shane Howard, John Flood, Stephen Brennan, Joe Kendrick’s, Ian Morris, James Lee Matthews, Alan O’Brien, Padge Flynn, Will Murphy, Ian McGrane, Michael Roach, Aidan Lyons, Alan Judge, Jay O’Shea, Paul O’Reilly (Tallaght) Mickey Lawless, Kieran Ryan, Clive Clarke, Peter Byrne, Richard Merrigan, Peter Murphy, Paul Forsyth, Glen Fitzpatrick, Paul O’Reilly (Dun Laoghaire), Dylan Hayes, Carl Forsyth, Jake Kelly, Ger Pender, Danny Earls, Neil Farruga, Simon Power, Joe Breen, Dan Casey, Sean Byrne, Gareth McDonagh, Amy Keating, Malike Benrouguibi, Joe Redmond, Joe Murphy, Ryan Burke, Aaron Bolger, Glen McCauley, Dan Byrne, Promise  Omochere. Jonathan Afolabi, Andy Lyons, Brandon Kavanagh and Domnic Peppard, Enda Minouge, James Furlong, Cian Kelly,  Presious Omochere, Festy Ebosele, Mipo Billy Vance, Matt Murphy, Callum Thompson, Mipu Odubeko, Jake Ellis, Jamie Crilly,  Andy Moran, Leigh Kavanagh, Mark Tansey, Luke O’Brien, Roland Idowu, Toby Owens, Mickey Quigley, Owen McCormack, Mark Tansey, Luke O’Brien

SFAI National Cup winners (managers and number of cups)

Under 15’s  Challenge Cup Brendon Harmon x 1, Niall O’Driscoll x 3, Niall Shelley x 3, Ger Egan x 2, Gerry Clemance x 5, Jimmy Whelan x 5, Liam Forsyth x 1, Kiernan Forsyth x 1 Jay Costello x 3, Bernard Byrne x 3.

International Tournament’s and tours:

Istra cup winners and runners up (Niall Driscoll and Christy Dodd). Keele University Cup winners (Willie Byrne), Nike Tournaments (Liam Forsyth Paris), (Michael Lawless Huddersfield), (Niall O’Driscoll Bilbao), (Niall O’Driscoll Paris World Finals), (Gerry Clements), (Niall Shelley), (Ger Egan Izumo International Tournament), (Niall Shelley Izumo International). (Keith Kenna Madrid Cup), (George Forsyth Madrid Cup), (Rob Shelley London Cup), (Rob Shelley Madrid Cup), (Jay Costello Danone Cup Poland), (Gerry Clements Brest Twining Tournament), (George and Liam Forsyth Brest Twining Tournament), (Clinton Nelson Madrid Cup), (Alan Heffernan Barcelona Cup), (John Tracy Kiernan Forsyth Villarreal), (Holland Cup Donal Forsyth), (Rimini Cup Christy Dodd), (Rimini Cup Ann Dodd). Various tours to Lisbon George Forsyth.

Managers and Coaches:

Pat Devlin Bray Wanderers, Shamrock Rovers, UCD, Cabinteely, Irish Senior and Under 23 Team. Anto Whelan Drogheda, Keith Long Bohemians, Ian Morris Shelbourne, Graham Kelly Bray Wanderers, Peter Murphy Annon United, James O’Connor Tampa Florida, Ogie Kennedy Stanford University, Aidan McCluskey New Jersey Football Academy, Igor Romeriz Futsal Academy New Jersey.