ST KEVIN’S BOYS is arguably the best schoolboy club in the country at present and showed as much with a 1-0 win over Barcelona in a prestigious U13s tournament this afternoon.
The North Dublin side are hosting the likes of Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Deportivo La Coruna as well as Celtic, Lyon and West Brom for the Academy Cup at Shanowen Road this weekend.
After drawing 1-1 with Celtic yesterday, St Kevin’s took on a team from Barca’s famous La Masia and earned a well-deserved 1-0 win thanks to Roland Banya’s goal.
The visitors made eight changes from the side which saw off Celtic 3-2 and left highly-rated Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons out.
In the 14th minute, the teams and those present also marked the recent death of club legend Johan Cruyff by halting play for applause.
Kevin’s, which has produced the likes of current senior internationals Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick and U21s midfielder Jack Byrne in recent years, face Deportivo in first semi-final later today while Barcelona also take on Lyon in the last four.
ST KEVIN’S BOYS: Mark Smith, Christopher Kenny, Leigh Kavanagh, Ronan Kilkenny, Len O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Brien, Bosun Lawal, Ryan Thornton, Eoghan Heavey, Dylan Quinn, Roland Banya.
Subs: Eoin Green for Thornton, Korede Odumosu for Dylan Quinn, Cian McCracken for Eoghan Heavey.
BARCELONA: Pizzaro, Font, Rovira, Mhand-Yamna, Font, Aguilera, Martinez, Justo, Ruiz, Lopez, Olive.
Additional reporting by Dave Hooper
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