Tangerine dream in Whitehall as the Saints march on to FAI Youth Cup glory...

St. Kevins were crowned FAI Youth Cup winners for 2023/24 as they battled to a 3-0 victory over Pike Rovers in a breathtaking encounter at Home Farm's Whitehall ground.

With both sides looking to have their names engraved on the trophy for the first time in their history, there was no love lost in a clash of the highest quality.

In a rip roaring start to the game both sides looked threatening, man-of-the-match Ilya Bednakovs worked tirelessly, showing excellent touch and pace to keep his St. Kevins side high up the pitch, whilst Pike’s attacking midfielder Kaden Deegan Herlihy stung the palms of Calvin Fennelly with a powerful left footed strike from a tight angle.

Having notched 30 goals between them in their respective runs to the final, goals could have been expected but as is the case in big finals form tends to go out the window.

But on 24 minutes, and having given the opposition plenty of warning with snap shots from around the area, star forward Bednakovs raced through from the left before finishing expertly past the onrushing Mariusz Palen.

The all-action Kevin’s front man turned provider on the half hour mark as he cleverly played through pacey winger Idris Olafimiham who took on all comers and from the tightest of angles, slipped the ball through the keepers legs to double his sides lead. 

Although Shane Franklin tried to turn the tide for the Limerick base side, doing brilliantly to feed off of scraps, was unlucky to see his powerful strike having cut in from the right fly just over.

But as half time approached, it was Kevin's who looked the likelier to notch next when Evan McGee drilled a free kick from the right hand side, finding the head of the vocal Saint’s skipper, Logan O’Connell, who had just gotten ahead of the flight of the ball and was unable to keep his header down.

With nothing to lose, Pike threw the kitchen sink at the Saints. Being roared on by the vociferous travelling support the green and white Hoops were given a glorious opportunity to half the deficit just before the hour mark when stopper Calvin Fennelly was adjudged to have caught the ball just outside his area. Dara McNamara cleverly tried to go under the wall but saw his strike catch the studs of the jumping wall.

Piling on the pressure now, Pike players and fans alike thought they had gotten the goal their second half deserved only to see Jamie Mitchell’s towering header come crashing off the bar and to somehow scrambled to safety.

But with 10-minutes to go St. Kevin’s substitute Karl Hearns broke Pike hearts and killed off any hope of a comeback when he stepped up to show nerves of steel, smashing home his penalty to make it three, sparking wild celebrations for the Dublin side in the stunning sunshine.

St. Kevins FC: Calvin Fennelly, Sean Curran, Luke Bolton, Logan O’Connell, Adetunji Olusaya, Luke O’Connor (Sean O’Keefe, 81’), Idris Olafimihan (Karl Hearns, 70’), Evan McGee, Ilya Bednakovs (Marcus O’Keefe, 87’), Thalagaa Segoapa (Aaron Omoruyi, 89’), Calum Doolan

Subs not used: Alister Anith, Charlie Connolly, Sam Dunne

Pike Rovers FC: Mariusz Palen, Ethan Joyce, Keelan Corbett, Josh Mullaney, Jamie Mitchell, Dara McNamara, Luke Keating (Scott Maguire, 75’), Shane Franklin, Kaden Deegan Herlihy, Cian Punch (Patrick Steed, 61’) Rhys Barry (Aaron Cusack, 79’)

Subs not used: Danny Sheedy, Aaron Shinners, Sean McCallig, Jake Kiely