St Patrick's U19

Origins of the club

Football in Inchicore dates back to at least 1898. There had been previous local clubs called St Patrick's and St Patrick's Athletic, as well as clubs associated with the Inchicore railway works, the Great Southern Railways (also known as the GSR). The more recent of these, GSR FC, started around 1927. They played in the Athletic Union League at first, with their home ground at Bluebell, although most of their games from then on were played in the Inchicore Works or "Pond Field" with others at Richmond Park and Chapelizod.

GSR fielded two teams in 1929–30; an "A" team in the Leinster League Division Two, and a "B" team in the AUL Division One. GSR's B team seems to have been dropped for the following season, 1930–31.

The club spent 1929 finding its feet by playing friendly fixtures, with the first ever team photo taken in June 1929, before they began playing competitive games in September 1930, at the 15 acres in the nearby Phoenix Park.

Leinster Senior League years

During the late 1940s and 1950s, St Pats played in the Leinster Senior League. During this period they won the league title on six occasions. This included four successive titles between 1947 and 1948 and 1950–51. In 1947–48 St Pats completed a treble after also winning both the FAI Intermediate Cup and Leinster Senior Cup. The 1948–49 season would see St Pats win a Leinster Senior League / FAI Intermediate Cup double. In 1950–51 a young Shay Gibbons helped St Pats win the Leinster Senior League title for the fourth time. After St Pats first team joined the League of Ireland in 1951–52, their reserve team won two further Leinster Senior League titles in 1955–56 and 1956–57.

Entering the League of Ireland

In 1951–52 the club was admitted, along with Cork side Evergreen United, to the League of Ireland. St Pats made an immediate impact, winning the league championship at their first attempt. Two more league championship successes followed in 1954–55 and 1955–56. The club had to wait until 1959 before their first FAI Cup success, repeating the feat in 1961. Despite several appearances in the final since 1961, it took the Saints till 2014 to win their third

1960–1980

St Pats struggled throughout the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Among those players to emerge was Noel Campbell. Campbell spent a number of years with St Pats (gaining the first of his Irish caps) before moving to SC Fortuna Köln where he would play 8 seasons. Perhaps the brightest star to play for St Pats was Paul McGrath. McGrath was signed by Saints manager Charlie Walker from junior side Dalkey United. Within a year he had won the PFAI Player of the Year award and earned himself a move to Manchester United. FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks also played one match for St Pats.

1980–1990

The appointment of Brian Kerr as manager in 1986 was a major turning point in the fortunes of the club. At the end of the 1988–89 season, St Pats left Richmond Park for what the board of directors called "a short time" while redevelopment work was done.

1989 saw a joint St Patrick's Athletic & Bohemians side play a friendly against the Libya national football team in Tripoli, drawing 1–1 in what was a highly controversial friendly during Muammar Gaddafi's reign as leader of Libya. The year 1990 saw the Saints draw 0–0 with the Tunisia national football team in Tunis and another 0–0 draw with the Iran national football team in Tehran, while in April of the following year they beat Finland 2–1 at Dalymount Park, leaving the club with an undefeated record against international sides and without conceding a goal.

1990–1999

Playing in Harold's Cross, Kerr's blend of young players (Paul Osam, Curtis Fleming, Pat Fenlon, John McDonnell) and experienced campaigners disregarded by other clubs (Damian Byrne, Dave Henderson) won the club's first league championship in 34 years on Easter Monday 1990. Most Irish football commentators expected the young Saints to dominate Irish football for some time. A series of takeover attempts saw the club thrust into turmoil and Kerr was forced to break up the team. In the summer of 1992, the club were hours away from extinction before a group of local investors raised £82,000 to save the club.

With the aid of a newly appointed Chief executive, and former player, Pat Dolan and by the club's new chairman, Tim O'Flaherty, the league trophy returned to Richmond Park in 1996.

A new generation of players came in with players such as Eddie Gormley, Paul Osam and Ricky O'Flaherty together with young players such as Colin Hawkins and Trevor Molloy. When Kerr resigned to take up the Director of Coaching job with the FAI, the work was continued by Pat Dolan and then Liam Buckley installed as manager. The good results continued as further league championships were secured in 1998 and 1999 which led to European qualification and a 0–0 draw with the Celtic at Celtic Park, the club lost the return leg in Tolka Park, Dublin. The club, however, suffered a setback in the same competition one year later when they lost 10–0 on aggregate to Zimbru Chișinău.