7/7/24 In Defence Of The Double
Our season kicked off in Ballyfermot with a 1st round away cup tie against St Pat’s Chapelizod. We opened like defending champions should, with a high tempo and hard pressing. We dominated the ball, creating scores of chances but a good goalkeeper and some bad luck kept us out. Shaun Keating broke the duck with an arrowed strike and we went to half time 1-0 up. Logan Hyland nutted one in from a corner 1st minute into the 2nd half before Mason Maguire smashed in a long ranger. The floodgates opened and we ran out 10-0 winners with Chris Dempsey, Adam Fitzpatrick and Cole Parkes also on the scoresheet for CTK.
12/7/24 The Lions of Ringsend
The SPAR Primary 5s are a real favourite in the football calendar. Over 42,000 boys and girls took part across 26 counties this year. The mighty Kings were defending champions and didn’t disappoint, steamrolling their way to the final with a 2-0 victory over Loreto Crumlin the tightest match. Our 5th class team also gave a great account of themselves, only losing out to scoil Colmcille- the eventua Dublin champions. Our old pals St. Patrick’s Chapelizod awaited us in the final. A cracking early strike saw us trailing 1-0 but CTK upped the tempo and the pressure to run out 5-1 winners in the end, securing consecutive and back-to-back titles. A fantastic achievement.
21/7/24 Leagues Apart
A local derby against Broombridge ETNS was our 1st league match as we sought to maintain our 100%home record at Begsboro. A dominant performance saw us outclass our neighbours from start to finish with a fine spread of scorers. Pick of the bunch was Noah Murphy’s Romario-like dribble, drag-back and slided finish.
15/4/24 Model Pros
After the Easter break, the league campaign resumed against Central Model NS of Marlborough Street. CTK dominated possession and played the other team off the park. Their goalkeeper was exceptional, but couldn’t keep out our strikers including a goal of the season contender from Harry Mander. 9-1 to Christ The King, our home form untouchable as we raced clear at the top of the league table.
23/4/24 Fairview Favourites
2nd round of the cup took us on a short spin round the corner to Fairview Park. Joey’s have a rich sporting tradition and heritage but the past counts for nothing in knockout football. Not our greatest display, but we ran out easy 9-2 winners with Adam Fitzpatrick’s left footed slot and Harry Mander’s thumping drive the pick of the goals.
30/4/24 Clontarf Contest
The Dublin 5-a-side finals took place in driving rain. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb as scoil Colmcille raced into an early 3-0 lead against us. Harrison was out injured also. We dominated the game thereafter, clawing it back to 3-2. We hit the post & the bar but it wasn’t to be for us. We followed up with wins over Dalkey schools project and Knocklyon gaelscoil, finishing 2nd to the overall Dublin winners.
2/5/24 Straight Out Of Crumlin
Bringing it Southside of a hot day on the Sundrive astro, we raced into an early lead with a sharp header from Adam Fitzpatrick in the cup quarter final. This was a ding dong topsy- turvy cup tie with more swings and roundabouts than a Birmingham spaghetti junction. A sweet header form Adam Fitzpatrick put us 1 up. Some quite frankly baffling refereeing decisions saw us fall 2-1 behind before Cole Parkes pulled us level. A terrible red card decision saw us fall 3-2 behind again and left us to play the 2nd half with 10 men. The manager was fuming but trying to feign composure to his players. A heroic battle ensued. Logan Hyland rifled home a captain’s goal to bring it back to 3-3. Our younger players really stepped up to the mark. Adam Rychlik was like a terrier on the wing, snapping at the opposition’s heels. Noah Murphy was a hero with his tackling, running and crossing. Adam Fitzpatrick was everywhere and somehow stayed composed, putting us 4-3 ahead with a cool finish. Harry Mander took off the moon boot to come on and float one into the top corner. 5-3 we looked home and hosed until the referee gave a scandalous penalty to bring it back 5-4. Our fellas battled and dogged the Crumliners through added injury time to hold out for an epic victory.
16/5/24 Ballymun In The Sun
A spin round the corner to DCU Sports Campus saw us take on North Dublin Project School on a sunny day. Another massive pitch, but our boys used it to their advantage, taking away the home team’s advantage. After dominating possession, Shaun Keating finally arrowed us 1-0 in front for half-time. Second half, the floodgates opened as world class goals from Chris Dempsey and Cole Parkes put us out of sight before Lennon Noonan got on the scoresheet. We ran out 5-0 winners in the end. Another final to play now!
29/5/24 A Miracle On Dunsink Lane
We were paired with local rivals St. John Bosco’s SNS for a derby cup semi-final with plenty of spice. Some of our staff members have kids attending the other school so there was plenty of chat beforehand! On a ridiculously big pitch, we only had the bare 11 through injuries and we were missing stalwart centre half Chris Dempsey on holidays. Ever committed, he watched it on Whatsapp in the lobby of an Albufera hotel! A tense, dour scrappy affair between two evenly matched teams saw very few clear cut chances. It was an epic battle and a true derby. 0-0 after the hour brought some tired bodies to extra time. CTK were the dominant team but we needed a miracle no-look save from Mikey Malone to keep it level. We went 1-0 down to a sweet strike a few minutes later. We then received a very unlucky red card from a 2nd yellow. Half time team talk was all out attack now but the manager had accepted defeat in a valiant effort where we gave them a dogfight at least. Not these fellows, however. Mason Maguire latched onto a sweet through ball to slam home an equaliser. Looking like penalties but Bosco’s tried to press home their extra man advantage. Defence held firm before an expert counter attack saw Cole Parkes scramble a 2nd goal over the line to break Bosco’s hearts and spirits. The 3rd goal was befitting of a World Cup final winner: A 1st time Rebona pass from Harry Mander to Cole Parkes feet, before he dribbled inside then outside, feinted outside before turning in again and rolled the ball into the far bottom corner like Ken Doherty slowly potting a black. The manager was like a cross between Séamus Darby and Marco Tardelli! There were tears in some of the mammies eyes. Cue pandemonium in the dressing room at full time. Another epic come from behind victory for the comeback Kings, and another final to look forward to.
13/6/24 Back-to-back championships
AUL, Clonshaugh and weather more like December than June. In the howling wind and driving rain, we took on Francis Street NS who gave us a heck of a game. Chris Dempsey loafed in the opening goal from Harry Mander’s corner to give us a deserved 1-0 lead. Franner came back at with god possession football but men-of-the-match Logan Hyland & Chris Dempsey were different class in the centre of the defence. Some Zidane-like wing wizardry from Mason Maguire cut the ball back to Cole Parkes, who slotted home from close range to give us a 2-0 cushion. Francis Street kept playing but had no answer for our pace and power. Mason Maguire headed home from another Mander corner but it was ruled (incorrectly) offside. 2nd half saw more of the same, a tough battle but never in doubt for the Mighty Kings! Champions Again!
18/6/24 Forever Invincibles!
Back to the AUL four days later for a shot at immortality against St. Matthew’s NS, Irishtown. CTK had the ball on the deck, playing at a rapid tempo and dominating all aspects of the play. Another sweet nut from Chris Dempsey from a Mander corner set us on our way. Harry himself scored direct from a corner to put us in a 2-0 half time lead. More dominance 2nd half, Matthew’s had no answer for our skills and knowhow. Cole Parkes smashed a left-footed drive in off the underside of the crossbar before Mason Maguire fired in a fourth with an emphatic finish. 4-0. Double Invincibles, consecutive cup winners, 100% over two years, nobody even managed a draw with us en route to a Double Double. Man City couldn’t do it, neither could another team in black & red, Leverkusen but Christ The King did it! Phenomenal. Legendary.