St. Mochta's F.C.

St. Mochta's F.C.
Full nameSt. Mochta's Football Club
Nickname(s)Saints
Founded1949
GroundPorterstown Road
ManagerBrian McCarthy
LeagueLeinster Senior League
Websitehttp://www.stmochtasfc.com

St. Mochta's F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Clonsilla, Dublin. Their senior team play in the Leinster Senior League Senior Division. They also regularly compete in the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup, the FAI Junior Cup and the Leinster Senior Cup.

History

St. Mochta's were founded in September 1949 when founder Barth O'Brien put a motion to the AGM of the St. Mochta's Branch of the Catholic Young Men's Society (CYMS) that a football section be formed within the branch. At the time, it was unsure exactly what type of football the club would play, considering that it could mean association football, rugby football, or gaelic football. After a vote from aspiring members, association football or soccer was chosen.[1]

In its early years, the club played its football at Somerton on the same grounds where Castleknock GAA club now play and briefly in Coolmine Lane, close to Coolmine railway station before permanently establishing themselves at Porterstown. In the early 1960s the CYMS became defunct but the club continued as St. Mochta's.[2]

Later years

In 2017 the club won the Leinster Senior League Senior Division for the first time. In October 2018, the Football Association of Ireland announced that St. Mochta's would be receiving €20,000 in funds to help fund a full-sized astroturf pitch at the club's Porterstown Road facility.[3] In July 2019, the club celebrated its 70th anniversary with a glamour friendly tie against English League One side Bristol Rovers. Hailed as 'the biggest club the .... side have ever played',[4] the match ended in a 7–0 loss for St. Mochta's.[5] The club were runners up in the 2023–24 Leinster Senior Cup, losing 3–1 to St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park on 8 October 2024.[6]

Notable former players

Republic of Ireland internationals

Republic of Ireland u21 internationals

Others

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Club History - The Beginning". St. Mochta's FC. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Club History - The Early Days". St. Mochta's FC. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  3. ^ "St. Mochta's granted €20,000 by FAI". FAI. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Who are Bristol Rovers' pre-season opponents St Mochta's: The Dublin club celebrating a landmark year". Bristol Post. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Gas record comfortable win over spirited hosts". Bristol Post. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  6. ^ https://www.extratime.com/articles/34854/st-patricks-athletic-crowned-leinster-senior-cup-winners/

53°22′40.8″N 6°24′17.9″W / 53.378000°N 6.404972°W / 53.378000; -6.404972