Soccer in DCS

“More than a club”

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At Douglas Community School we are immensely proud of our long and illustrious tradition of soccer teams. Over the years we have enjoyed enormous success winning All-Ireland titles, Munster titles and County titles. We have created a club-like culture within the school’s soccer teams and the students who wear the school colours know what it means to represent their school and wider community. Training is every week after school and we compete in every competition from first year to senior level. Playing for the school team brings certain responsibilities and expectations, we require our players to be fully committed to the team, be courageous, brave, a good teammate, and to develop as a player and as a young man. It isn’t enough just to win, our players must stay true to our values as a school and play the game in the right way and right spirit.

We have an amazing track record in terms of success on the pitch. In the last decade we have been crowned champions of Munster an incredible eight times. in 2023, our Senior team were crowned Munster Senior Cup Champions again. Captained by the incredible Harvey Skieters, DCS had a glorious cup run that saw the team never give up despite falling behind in all but one of their encounters. Similarly in 2020, DSC defeated Rochestown College 2-1 in a thrilling final. Chris O Reilly of Cobh Ramblers and David Bosnjak now of Cork City with the goals in a truly superb team performance. This team went onto win their All-Ireland semi-final 3-0 and only for the COVID-19 pandemic we would have undoubtedly lifted the All-Ireland Senior title.

Having a great captain is something that every coach, every team craves, someone who instantly understands what’s required and is able to make it happen on the pitch, someone who doesn’t require to be told what decision to make or how to behave. This school has been blessed with such captains throughout the years, names like Stephen Mahon, Graham Cullinane, Adam O’Reilly, Cathal Heffernan and Oran Crowe spring to mind. The 2023 Senior Player of the Year Harvey Skieters most certainly belongs in such esteemed company.

2021 was another wonderful year for our school teams with every single team unbeaten before the first lockdown, our First Years had reached the Munster Quarter-Final, our U15s captained by Irish U15 and Cork City U15 captain Cathal Heffernan had reached the Munster Semi-Final, while our U17s had reached the Munster Final. Likewise, in May of 2022 our U 15 soccer team won the Munster Final culminating an incredible season. Then our U 16’s, U 17’s and senior soccer team reached the final of Cork Cup with many outstanding team performances along the way.

We have a fantastic relationship with local businesses who get involved in sponsoring our kits and are hugely supportive of our brilliant teams. Our school kits are the envy of every other school and we feel it is crucial to have our students looking the sharpest on their way to success.

We have an excellent relationship with the many outstanding local clubs who are a constant source of support and encouragement to all our teams.

Our coaching staff are vastly experienced and dedicated to their roles, while our school management offer nothing but encouragement and positive reinforcement to all those who wear our famous jerseys. Senior students are heavily involved in helping out with and coaching the younger teams, thereby ensuring that the ethos, spirit, tradition and values of what it means to play for the school teams is passed on to the next generation.

Many of our past pupils have gone on to find soccer fame.

Dreams came true in 2021 for Republic of Ireland star Cathal Heffernan as he jetted off to Italy to join soccer giants AC Milan. At just 14 years of age, Cathal was an integral part of our incredible Munster Senior Cup and all Ireland Senior Cup double. He is making super progress with AC Milan but doesn’t forget his roots, as on a recent visit home he was there to support his old DCS team mates.

David Harrington was one of the finest goalkeepers to represent our school. His form quickly caught the attention of Cork City where he progressed to the first choice keeper for the 2022 season which saw City capture the first division title. David’s impeccable form wasthen recognised at international level as was capped at U21 level for Ireland.

Gabriel Otegbayo, signed for Burnley in 2021 and after overcoming a bad injury is now enjoying his time with the club immensely as he continues to shine and improve. All these former DCS pupils are a constant inspiration for all those who play sport in DCS.

It’s is not an exaggeration to state that our school soccer “club” is unrivalled throughout the country and will no doubt continue to excel both on and off the pitch.