- St. Stephen's De La Salle BNS

Willie Moran was Principal of Holy Cross NS, Tramore. Prior to that he taught in CBS Primary School, Tramore. He was secretary of the Waterford City Branch of the I.N.T.O. for many years. Willie was also seriously involved in sport all his life. He set up the Waterford Primary Schools’ Football League. He was secretary of the Waterford Schoolboys’ Football League (WPSFL) for many years before serving as Chairman of the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland. He was also instrumental in the formation of the schoolboys’ section of Tramore AFC. Willie passed away on 28th April 2013.

Tramore AFC and WPSFL joined forces to honour Willie’s name with a 7 a side soccer tournament for Primary Schools. It is a one-day tournament, the 2017 edition of which took place in the stunning WIT Arena on Thursday, 8th June. In St. Stephen's, we were delighted to enter 2 teams in this extra special tournament. Mr. Coghlan and Mr. Russell took a team each to the tournament.

The B team had a tough group stage and entered the Willie Moran Trophy Quarter Finals, where they beat a very good Ferrybank team. The semi final saw the boys face Educate Together, and they fought to a 1-0. Into the final they went, where they recorded a 4-0 win over a battling Piltown side. The boys were delighted to win the Willie Moran Trophy!

The A team had a very good group stage, winning 2 and losing 1 to a bit of a freak goal. The team then entered the Willie Moran Plate Quarter Finals, overcoming a good Mount Sion side, before playing very well to beat a determined Holy Cross team. The final arrived against a tough opponent in Gaelscoil Philib Barúin, but the boys fought for each other and won out 4-0 in the end. The team were thrilled to win the Willie Moran Plate!

A massive thanks to Mr. Duggan, Gary Power of the FAI, the referees on the day, and Tramore AFC for a wonderful day's football in honour of Willie Moran. See some photos below from a brilliant day for our boys at a special football tournament: