The Xtra/vision FAI Schools 5-a-side Leitrim Finals took place in the splendid surrounds of the Leitrim Village Community Pitch and Abbey Rovers, Ballinamore on Friday, 23 and Wednesday, 28 April reports Damon Kearney
A total of 25 teams took part in this year’s event:
The ‘A’ Cup Section was played out in the wonderful grounds of Leitrim Community Pitch, Leitrim Village on the 28 April: 8 teams came together to fight for the chance to progress onto the Connaught Finals: Two Groups of 4 was the order of the day with the top two in each group progressing on to the semi/finals:
On what turned out to be a fantastic day, the football side of things more than matched the occasion with all teams matching their skill with great spirits:
In Group One St: Mary’s NS domination the proceedings and they would prove hard to stop as they run out groups winners undefeated scoring plenty of goals along the way: The runners up spot was taken by Diffreen NS after the last group game:
Group Two Winners the Hunt NS again provided great entertainment as they seen off the challenges before them, with plenty of goals: Aughawillan NS was to follow them on to the semi/finals in second place:
The semi/finals saw both group winners face off against the runners up in the opposite group: So St: Mary’s showed their class again with a 3/0 win over Augawillan whose spirited display couldn’t stop the Aughnasheelin side going through: The Hunt and Diffreen provided a very close contest with very little between the two sides throughtout the game:
The Hunt managed to pull out the win 2/1 in the end as it really could have gone either way:
The final left two teams who provided plenty of goals along the way face up against each as St: Mary’s NS met The Hunt NS: In an entertaining final, with some lovely football being played it was St: Mary’s who ran out 3/0 winners in the end after The Hunt found it tough after a difficult semi/final: St: Mary’s, Aughnasheelin were worthy winners as they played good football throughout the competition:
The ‘B’ Cup Section was held on the Friday 23 where all roads led to Ballinamore for the schools taking part: 7 teams took to the field in hope of progressing further in the competition:
Both groups were keenly contested with a lot of skill being displayed on the pitch, but it was Leitrim Village NS ‘A’ who emerged as winners with St: Claire’s NS, Manorhamilton who finished runners up in Group One:
With Leitrim Village ‘B’ finished first in Group Two with St: Patrick BNS, Ballinamore following them through to the semi/finals in second place:
The semi/finals saw both group winners face off against the runners up in the opposite group: Leitrim Village ‘A’ were as their clinical best to see off the challenge of St: Patrick’s 5/0 in a highly entertaining encounter:
In the other semi/final, it was Leitrim Village ‘B’ against the boys from Manor, St: Claire’s: This looked like a close contest before the game started and proved to be the case in which both teams competing well: Great display from both teams with some well taken goals but it was Leitrim who saw it out to meet their counterparts in the final by winning 3/2:
The final was going to be a close affair with some talented players on both side as Leitrim ’A’ and ’B’ teams battled it out to represent Leitrim in the Connaught Finals: Some excellent football was displayed from both sides as the play went from one end to the other and indeed it was Leitrim Village ‘B’ who came out 2/0 winners with two brilliant finishes on the counter attack:
In the Girls ‘A’ Cup Competition provided some great games and showcased some very talented teams and footballers: The event was held on the same day as the A Cup in Leitrim Community Pitch, Leitrim Village on the 28 April:
4 teams came together to fight for the chance to progress on the Connaught Finals with Letrim Village NS having qualified as winners from Ballinamore to take their place in the group:
A Group of 4 it was with the top two in group progressing on to the final: In a closely fought group with all teams seemly taking points off one another if was The Hunt NS and Newtowngore NS narrowly by a point from the nearest challengers from Leitrim Village who progressed on to the final:
The final itself turned out to be an epic: Two talented teams in the Hunt and Newtowngore provided great entertainment to the watching crowd as they played some fantastic football:
It was close game, with the play going from one end to the other as each team tried to gain the upper hand: 1/1 it finished in the end of normal time as the woodwork, loose misses, brave defending and some fantastic goalkeeping meant neither side could be separated:
So to extra/time it went as the game continued in the same vain with both teams looking as likely to score as the other: But with 2 minutes left in the second period of extra/time it was The Hunt who struck the winner to progress on to the Connaught Finals: A cruel blow to Newtowngore who performed so well all day but well done to both teams for putting on such an entertaining display:
In the Girls “B” competition The Marist NS, Carrick/on/Shannon entered two teams so automatically went through to the Connaught finals:
FAI/Leitrim County Council Community Development Officer Damon Kearney would like to thank all the schools who took part and compliment all the teachers and mentors for the great sporting behaviour displayed by all the children on and off the field:
A big thank you to Leitrim Community Pitch Committee and St: Felim’s School/Abbey Rovers FC, Ballinamore for the use of the facilities and to all the referees who done a fantastic job throughout: