GREENHILL BOYS a brief history:
Greenhill boy’s football club was an offshoot of the athletic section of the Greenhill’s benevolent society set up in 1962 to help with the welfare of residents of Greenhill’s estate.
In 1966 some residents of the area started a summer league in football for boys. This proved to be a successful venture and from this the seeds of a local youth club were formed.
In September 1967 the club entered teams in the Dublin and district schoolboy’s leagues with a football pitch at the corner of Whitehall road and Limekiln Lane.
During this time 1967 to 1970 the following sections were set up football, music, swimming, carol singing, 2 youth sections under and over 18 and these ran for a number of years until adult help dried up in all sections except football.
In 1968 and 1969 two outings to Brittas Bay were run by the club, approx. 600 boys and girls took part in the ventures with supervision supplied by 40 local adults, so it can be seen the youth club aspect had taken hold.
In 1970 the club was offered a permanent home on the old quarry at the corner of Whitehall road and Limekiln lane, plus a grant of money but the committee decided to align itself to the Greenhill’s Benevolent society who had its own premises beside Greenhill’s park.
In 1969/70 the club joined the Catholic youth council leagues and both the U13 league and cup competitions were won giving the club its first success on the football field.
In 1974 the club sadly made the decision to change from a youth club to a football club. The same year a summer soccer league was started. This ran until 2009. Hopefully this may be resumed soon.
1974 league success on the football field reached new heights when a Greenhill’s boys less than 13 team beat a Home farm team which had not being beaten for years.
1975 saw the building of a new clubhouse in the compound of the benevolent society, beside Greenhill’s park organised and supervised by our late Chairman Mick Dwyer.
From 1970 to 1980 the club having no playing pitches to call their own played on no fewer than 6 grounds. The Phoenix Park (2 sessions), Cuckoo’s Nest, Traders field, Tallaght, Convent grounds, before finally settling in Greenhill’s park in 1980/81 season.
1973 to 1983 were probably the best years for success on the football field. Possibly because the number of boys in the Greenhill’s area reached its peak.
During this period the club were 6 times league champions in the schoolboy’s leagues and twice cup winners, plus runner’s ups on 9 occasions.
From 1982 when the Bethesda club from Washington U.S.A. included Greenhill boys as part of their itinerary (the other Irish clubs were Corrib rangers (Galway) and Ballynanty rovers (Limerick).
This resulted in the American club inviting Greenhill’s Boys to America in 1984 where friendships were made, which remain to this day.
Trips to England and Wales took place during this time culminating with a final trip to America in 1994.
In 1990 the club expanded to take on a senior section. The reason behind this decision was to provide football for boys past their eighteenth birthday.
At the A.G.M. in the summer of 1990 it was proposed to start an U10 team which would be the beginning of a stream of players for the senior section. Brendan Finn, John Hammond and Noel Kearns were to look after this team. They were entered in the DDSL U10b section.In the season 1992/1993 they were beaten in a play-off for 2nd place by St. John Bosco.
They stayed in the DDSL for the next two seasons and following an unsavoury incident in Rialto with the clubs U16 team, it was agreed unanimously to enter all club teams in the S.D.F.L.
In the summer of 1994 the club travelled to U.S.A where they visited Maryland and Washington.
1995/96 season saw the team play in 15div1 which they won. Brendan and John now looked after the team. At Easter of 1996 a trip to Germany took place where Koblenz was the base.
1996/97 saw the lads play Premier football where they finished 3rd and lost 3-1 away to Nenagh Town in the last 32 of the u16 SFAI Barry cup.
1997/98 all the hard work was rewarded when the u17Pr title was secured but defeat to Ashwood in the Dan Brady Cup Final robbed them of a deserved double.
The following season with no u18 football in the S.D.F.L the club granted the team permission to enter the u18a section where runner-up medals were secured after a 2-1 win over Wolfe Tone from Bray.
From 1996 to 1999 Brendan and John were assisted by Patrick Newman and from 1995/96 were coached by Tony Yeates.
****** A special thanks to John Hammond , Tommy Murray, Paddy Weldon and Brendan Finn for help with the club history up to the year 2000 *******
The side managed by Robbie Kennedy and Martin Finn have had some success since the team formed in 2006. The won the U8 Prem & League Cup in 2008, In 2009 they lost in a Play-off to finish Runners-Up to Ashwood FC. In 2012 they had 5 players represented in the SDFL Cashin Cup squad. The competition was hosted by Greenhills and it was an honour for Sean Duggan , Luke O’Brien , Diamand Hoxha , Jordan Finn and Dylan Carruth to represent the league squad on their home patch. In 2013 season & 2014 season they finished Runners Up in the SDFL premier. In 2014 2 of their players Luke O Brien and Diamand Hoxha represented the SDFL in the Kennedy Cup in Limerick. Luke returned with the SDFL player of the tournament but unfortunately for Diamand he got injured and took no part. In 2015 they went one better and clinched the U15 SDFL Premier and also lost out to Templeogue in the Joels Cup Final in Tallaght stadium. Also in 2015 they travelled to Wales to take part in the Wales Challenge Cup and brought home the fair play award. They went one better in 2016 when they travelled to Wales again but this time they brought home the Winners Trophy by beating Clondalkin Celtic 3-0 in the Final.This team has now gone into the senior section.