On a glorious Friday afternoon, the Year 8 football team travelled to Solitude, North Belfast, home of the champions Cliftonville FC, to take on Edmund Rice in the quarter final of the Belfast Schools Cup. Having previously disposed of Meanscoil Feirste in the last 16, hopes were high going into the game.

Aquinas started the brighter with Donal Cullen and Conor Doherty tormenting the Edmund Rice full backs. With Conn Doherty, Daniel Connor and Conor Mulgrew starting to dominate midfield, it was no surprise that Aquinas took the lead when Owen Cathcart beat 2 defenders and hit a goalbound shot towards the bottom corner which was helped on its way to the net by Conor Doherty. An end to end game continued until the half time whistle.

Five minutes into the second half a lapse in concentration in the Aquinas defence allowed ERC to equalise. However, the boys kept their heads up and were rewarded when, with 5 minutes to go a scuffed clearance by the ERC goalkeeper fell kindly to Daniel Connor, and the Aquinas FC midfielder made no mistake in dispatching his shot to the net from 25 yards out, a goal Liam Boyce would be proud of! Aquinas withheld a barrage of pressure from ERC in the last 5 minutes, and only a great stop from keeper Conor McKeever kept them in the game. Joyous scenes at the final whistle meant that Aquinas had secured a semi final meeting with Our Lady and St. Patricks College, Knock.

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