Interprovincial series kicks off this weekend for the Under 18 Boys'

FAI Schools Boys’ Interprovincial squad announcement

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

This Friday (November 9) will see sixty four of the top players in Irish schools line out for the FAI Schools Under 18 Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament which will take place in the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh.

The Interprovincial series will be the first step in the process of selecting the FAI Schools International 18 man squad which will compete in the Centenary Shield competition. The Republic of Ireland’s 2018/19 campaign will kick off with an exciting International friendly when Australia visit Dublin in mid-January. This will be excellent preparation for William O’Connor’s International select. Their Centenary Shield defense will see the squad travel to Scotland in their opening fixture on March 28. Following this, the scholars will be in action for three consecutive weeks as the team are at home to England on April 12, away to Northern Ireland on April 18 and their season concludes with a home game against Wales on April 25.

With this in mind, all eyes will be on the Interprovincial series to scout for the best talent on display within our network of post primary schools. The three day event will see a series of six matches played with Provinces awarded two points for a win and one point for a draw. The format leaves for an exciting finale in the Sunday morning outings.

St. Kevin’s Community College tutor Ian Ryan guided his Leinster crew to Interprovincial success last season as they drew 2-2 with Ulster in a dramatic conclusion to the competition.  A solitary point was enough to dash Ulster’s dream of retaining the title as a penalty from St. Kevin’s talisman Jake Walker fifteen minutes from time was converted at the second time of asking ensuring a tremendous thirteenth title in seventeen years for the province.

Most of the provinces have a completely new look squad on display for this weekend’s action. Connacht will look to the experienced duo of Dónal Higgins (Yeats College) and Colin Kelly (St. Joseph’s College, Galway) as they are the only players to make a welcome return from last season.

We look forward to a competitive outing on Friday evening with the four teams in action as Munster line out against Ulster at 4pm while Leinster will entertain Connacht at 5.30pm.

Balbriggan Community College mastermind William O’Connor had a wonderful debut season at the helm for the Republic of Ireland Schools. He captured the elusive Centenary Shield with an unbeaten record in the series so he will be looking to add to this record in 2019.

Following the tournament on Sunday evening, a training squad will be selected by the Irish Schools’ management team with their first session scheduled for Saturday, November 24 in Abbotstown. The final squad will be announced after Christmas for the first test against Australia in mid-January.

In keeping with the long-standing tradition of maintaining the interest in the competition until the final matches on Sunday, the draw for Saturday’s and Sunday’s matches will be made following the games on Friday evening.

INTERPROVINCIAL PANELS:

ULSTER | Kyle Burns (Mulroy College, Milford), Jack Parke (Royal & Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe), Darragh Ellison (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Lee McLaughlin, Jack Doherty, Corey McBride, Mikey Friel (Carndonagh Community School), Stephen Black, Conor Black, Ronan Gallagher, Ronan Boyce (Loreto Community School, Milford), Seán McEvoy, Aaron McCabe (Virginia College, Cavan), Oisin Cannon (PCC Falcarragh), Jamie Doherty, Patrick Ferry (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair)

Management | Paul Browne (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Martin Cavanagh (Carndonagh Community School)

MUNSTER | Ben Kirwan (St. Declan’s Community College), Chris O’Reilly (Douglas Community School), Sam Dwyer (CBS High School, Clonmel), Jake O’Brien (Pobailscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal), Niall O’Keefe, Cameron Power (De La Salle College, Waterford), Oran Daly (Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh), John Hayes (Scoil Mhuire agus Idé, Newcastle West), Conor Butler (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore), Robert Geaney O’Brien (Presentation Brothers College, Cork), Brian Ahern (Hazelwood College), Mikey Foley (Coláiste Mhuire, Cobh), Matty O’Reilly (Midleton CBS), Killian O’Brien (Schull Community College), Luke Desmond (Kinsale Community School), Callan Scully (St. Joseph’s CBS, Nenagh)

Management | Derek O’Brien (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore), Cathal Lordan (St. Francis College, Rochestown), Conor Coad (Coach), Seamus McWalter (Physio)

LEINSTER | Jamie Cleary (Driminagh Castle CBS, Walkinstown), Harry McEvoy (St. Benulidus College, Stillorgan), Kevin O’Reilly, Conor Behan (Moyle Park College, Clondalkin), Keith Carter (Coláiste Choilm, Swords), Jamin Nwanze (Rockbrook Park School, Rathfarnham), Denis Smith (Belvedere College), James Clarke (Boyne Community School, Trim), Brandon Bermingham (St. Mary’s Diocesan School, Drogheda), Jack Moylan (St. Fintan’s High School, Sutton), Byron O’Gorman (Clonkeen College, Blackrock), Alex Aspil (The High School, Rathgar), Ross Tierney (St. Aidan’s CBS, Whitehall), Jake Ellis (Oatlands College, Mount Merrion), Jack Savage (Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght), David Odumosu (O’Fiaich College, Dundalk)

Management | Ian Ryan & Fintan Sheridan (St. Kevin’s Community College, Clondalkin), Davey Cullen (Woodbrook College, Bray), Stephen O’Reilly (GK Coach), Jordan Keogh (Video Analyst), Ferdia McKeon (Physio)

CONNACHT | Sam O’Gorman, Iarlaith O’Sullivan, Charlie Concannon & Colin Kelly (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Gearoid Mulligan, Bryan Lynch & Adam Lynch (Summerhill College, Sligo), Mark Melody (Coláiste Bhaile Chlair, Galway), Adam Farrell (Colaiste Mhuire, Ballygar), Jack O’Connor (St. Louis Community School, Kitimagh), Oisin Duffy & Jordan Carr (Garbally College, Galway), Dónal Higgins, Aidan Halloran (Yeats College, Galway), Liam Corcoran (Calasanctius College, Oranmore), Patrick Martyn (Presentation College, Athenry)

Management | Alan Murphy & Alex Lee (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Kevin Murphy (Coach), Keith McTigue (Coach)

U18 BOYS’ INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT: AUL COMPLEX, CLONSHAUGH

35 mins per half. No extra time. 10 min h/t interval

Friday, November 9

4.00pm Munster v Ulster

5.30pm Connacht v Leinster

Saturday, November 10

3.00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening

4.30pm Draw will be made on Friday evening

Sunday, November 11

10.00am Fixtures TBC

11.30am Fixtures TBC

Roll of Honour: Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament Winners

EDUCATION IS KEY

As well as the footballing abilities of these scholars, the academics are also crucial to their future successes and adventures on and off the pitch.

FAI Schools have partnered up with the FAI in bringing together these two elements; sport and education.

FAI National Co-ordinator for Schools & Third Level Football, Mr. Mark Scanlon will be hosting a Third Level Options Exhibition for players and parents on Saturday morning (November 10) in the Maldron Hotel, Dublin Airport commencing at 10am.

The 90 minute event will see a variety of Colleges and Universities represented as they offer one to one advice and assistance to the players with regard to scholarship programmes on offer in their institutions as well as information on specific courses of interest. 

A former Schools International player will also be on hand to speak of his own experiences at Schools level having played at the Interprovincial tournament, making the step up to feature in the Republic of Ireland Schools select and participate in the Centenary Shield as well as progressing through the ranks of the Third Level Football system.

Mr. Rory White, a Guidance Counsellor in Finn Valley College, Stranorlar will also be present to speak about the wide range of third level options available to students from the basic CAO or UCAS procedures and timelines to ETB and PLC courses, to apprenticeships and University scholarships. He can also provide advice on the financial supports available to parents in securing College & University places for their children.

Similar to last year, the FAI will produce a glossy publication that highlights the generous and extensive opportunities available to our future scholars as well as highlight the amazing pathway to participate in football at a high level when students attend third level institutions. 

For further information on this event, please contact Mark Scanlon via email at mark.scanlon@fai.ie or alternatively telephone him at 086 795 4353. 

END