Mervue United's U18 Squad will take on College Corinthians this Sunday at Eamonn Deacy Park with both teams looking to put their name on the FAI Youth Cup for the 2024/25 season.

It is set to be a classic of a final on Sunday as both sides have shown incredible form to reach the final stage with a big crowd expected for the occasion, with kick-off at 2pm. 

It is the 90th year of the competition, first played in 1934/35 season, with Mervue United looking to win it for a second time, having won the competition in 2018/19 defeating Stella Maris 4-0 at Deacy Park, whilst College Corinthians are looking to win the tournament for the first time in their club history, but will be buoyed by their Senior club team having recently claimed the FAI Intermediate Cup title.

These two teams have previous history as Mervue defeated College Corinthians back in 2020 in the SFAI U13 Troy Cup Final played at Turners Cross, current Newcastle Utd player Kyle Fitzgerald and Irish International players Billy Regan and McDara Scanlon were key players in that historic win for Mervue played in October 2020 due to the dreaded Covid. Mervue also captured the FAI U17 Cup title that same season in what was a great year for the club on the National stage as they claimed their first ever Irish Cup double in one season.

Mervue United youths are one step towards a potential triple in just nine days. They defeated Moyne Villa 3-2 away on Thursday (1st May) to be crowned 2025 Bernard Concar Premier Division under-18 champions in the Galway League and after Sunday's big National Cup final they have no rest as they must prepare for a provincial Connacht Youth Cup final against Castlebar Celtic in Milebush next Saturday. The are also on for a quadruple as they also have a Jimmy O’Sullivan Premier Cup final to look forward to on 27^th May against Knocknacarra FC in a very busy month of May for Keith McHugh, Stephen Larkin and Ger McGrath’s young squad

Their opponents on Sunday, College Corinthians, are likewise chasing honours on all fronts and have already two trophies on the table as they were crowned Premier Division league and cup champions in the Cork Youth U18 League. They are in contention to claim an amazing five cups this season with Sunday’s National Cup final and also a Munster Youth Cup final to look forward to after Sunday's game and are still in the Murphy Cup competition in Cork. They are managed by Barry McGrath (no relation to our Ger McGrath!!) and he believes his team have the talent to win all five cups and it would be a phenomenal feat if they were able to capture all five but he is confident they can.

“We challenged the players at the start of the season that we could win all five competitions and hopefully go undefeated and they are relishing that challenge, to be fair to them they also beat the FAI Intermediate champions in an in-house friendly, so that’s another feather in their cap"

Match Details

Competition: FAI Youth Cup Final 2024/25
Fixture: Mervue United v College Corinthians
Location: Eamonn Deacy Park
Kick-off: 2pm
Date: Sunday, May 4th
Tickets: Available on the gate

Match Officials

Referee: Ruben Collins
Assistant Referee 1: Ryan Flood
Assistant Referee 2: Sahin Yasar
Fourth Official: Umre Akkilic

Mervue United - Route to the Final

Preliminary Round: BYE
Round 1: Mervue United AFC 3-0 Cregmore/Claregalway FC
Round 2: Ballinasloe Town AFC 2-4 Mervue United AFC
Round 3: Mervue United AFC 4-1 Murroe FC
Round 4: Mervue United AFC 3-0 Peamount United FC
Quarter Final: Mervue United AFC 1-0 Pike Rovers FC
Semi Final: Mervue United AFC 4-0 Killarney Athletic AFC

College Corinthians - Route to the Final

Preliminary Round: Midleton FC 0-4 College Corinthians AFC
Round 1: College Corinthians AFC 3-0 Grenagh United
Round 2: College Corinthians AFC 3-0 Leeds AFC
Round 3: College Corinthians AFC 5-0 Tramore AFC
Round 4: College Corinthians AFC 3-0 Lourdes Celtic FC
Quarter Final: College Corinthians AFC 4-2 AET Douglas Hall AFC
Semi Final: Portmarnock AFC 0-2 College Corinthians AFC

Manager Interview - Mervue United's Ger McGrath

"We've been making all of the preparations in a busy week because we actually had a game last night (Thursday) where we won our local league, a very tough game last night leading into the final on Sunday but hopefully that stands to the lads. 

"It's huge for the club, it is built on provincial and national success and has always performed well in these competitions so hugely important for Mervue to be in the final and it is a credit to the hard work of the players, but also the parents, guardians, volunteers who've all really brought into the team. It's great to see so many players progress through the club who've been with us since they're little kids and some of these lads won an SFAI Cup a few years ago. 

"It has been a tough run to the final. We were away to Ballinasloe who are always strong and it was in that October time where conditions were tough so it was good to come out of that. Cregmore as well in the first round, they've progressed really well over the years so they were difficult ties to come through to make the national stage and we've got stronger as the competition has gone on. 

"Our major focus is on ourselves, finals take their own life, you can't determine too much on how they're going to play, we know a little bit but that's the focus, ourselves and our capabilities and we can be confident we can put on a good show. There is real support around this group of players and College Corinthians will bring a few up as well so should be a great buzz at Eamonn Deacy Park."

Manager Interview - College Corinthians' Barry McGrath

"I think we've had the tougher side of the draw with the likes of Lourdes Celtic and Portmarnock, we've had to do it the hard way and that stands to the group of players. We're absolutely buzzing to get going Sunday. It was a big win against Portmarnock in the semi-finals, I went up there a few weeks before and I knew that if we performed to our standard, we could get over the line. 

"The players really had to battle it out in the end but had that bit more quality in the final third and delighted to see them come through it. Lourdes Celtic coming down was always going to be a tough game because they're probably the two strongest teams in Dublin, but having said that, our hardest game was against Douglas Hall, a local rivalry but we got over it. 

"To see our senior team win the Intermediate Cup, it provides a real boost to the whole club and you can see that filtering down to the other teams. They won it with nine men as well, a fantastic achievement for them and really inspiring for the lads going up on Sunday. 

"I watched Mervue play against Pike Rovers, was a brilliant match and Mervue maybe had the luck on the day. They are a really impressive side and the No.10 is a real dangerman, they go through him a lot so these are things we need to be aware of on Sunday but it should be a great final. It's all on the day."

Mervue United - Squad

Goalkeepers: Jason Daly, Kian Kirrane
Defenders: Atson De Siakam, Cillian Faherty, Jake Cunningham, Mark Economopoulos, Lee Traynor-Curley, Christian Ryan.
Midfielders: David Kilraine, Jack Kelly, Kian Dooley, Dawit Dems Woldermariam, Darragh King, Fergal Takaza.
Forwards: Joey Cunningham, Mark Leahy, Sean Nnadi, Houssein, Kassem Tlaiss, Tom Clancy, Jason Daly. 
Staff: Keith McHugh - Manager, Stephen Larkin - Coach, Ger McGrath - Coach

College Corinthians - Squad

Goalkeepers: Stephen Foley Kiss, Sean Murphy
Defenders: Billy Higgins, Daniel Mellerick, Andrew O'Reilly, Connor Gardinar, Jayden Adair Bell, Thomas Kelly, Kai O'Neill. 
Midfielders: Kealan Crowe, Samuel Dow, Joseph Mouret, Jamie Dullea, Shane Fielding, Harry Jeffers.
Forwards: Ty Corcoran, Thomas Kelly, Vladiskav Lysenko, Padraig McGrath, James O'Sullivan, Dylan O'Sullivan, Conor Redmond.