Schools Interprovincial kicks off on Friday

FAI Schools Boys’ Interprovincial squad announcement

Monday, November 4, 2019

This Friday (November 8) 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 2019/20 campaign will kick off with an exciting International friendly when Australia visit Dublin on January 20. This will be excellent preparation for William O’Connor’s International select. Their Centenary Shield campaign will see the squad host Scotland in their opening fixture on March 19 in the Captial. Following this, the scholars will travel across the water to entertain England on April 3. The next outing is away to Wales on April 16 before hosting Northern Ireland on April 23 in their final outing in Maginn Park.

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. Joseph’s College tutor Alan Murphy guided his Connacht crew to Interprovincial success last season as they came from a goal behind to defeat Ulster 2-1 in the final game of the tournament. The province hadn’t won the series since 2013 so it was a welcome development for all their hard work.

Connacht will now look to the experienced quartet of goalkeeper Patrick Martyn (Presentation College, Athenry), Bryan Lynch (Summerhill College, Sligo), Charlie Concannon (Yeats College, Galway) and Liam Corcoran (Calasanctius College, Oranmore) as they all star again this season and attempt to defend their title.

Ulster narrowly missed out on silverware in 2018 and 2017, so they will look to avenge these periods with going one better in 2019. Paul Browne’s charges are strengthened by the return of five players namely, Jamie Doherty, Patrick Ferry (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair), Stephen and Conor Black (Loreto Community School, Milford) and Schools International Seán McEvoy (Virginia College, Cavan). These players will all look to feature heavily over the weekend’s action.

Munster are without the services of Douglas Community School student Oran Crowe as he’s on International duty with Colin O’Brien’s Under 17s. However, Derek O’Brien will have trio Killian O’Brien (Schull Community College), Robert Geaney O’Brien (Presentation Brothers College, Cork) and Brian Ahern (Hazelwood College) at his disposal again.

Leinster have a phenomenal record in this tournament but are missing out on four key players due to their involvement with Colin O’Brien’s squad at the weekend. These include Oisin Hand (Naas CBS), Sinclair Armstrong (Moyle Park College, Clondalkin), Josh Keely and Ben McCormack. The new look Leinster side will feature all debutants at this level but they’re not to be underestimated given the calibre of the sixteen selected.

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

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.

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 23 in Abbotstown. The final squad will be announced after Christmas for the first test against Australia.

INTERPROVINCIAL PANELS

ULSTER | Patrick McGarvey (Rosses Community School), Dylan Woods, Adrian McLaughlin (Royal & Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe), Charlie White, Oran Brogan (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Eoin McLaughlin, Luke Rudden, Nathan Logue Cunningham (Carndonagh Community School), Stephen Black, Conor Black (Loreto Community School, Milford), Seán McEvoy (Virginia College, Cavan), Carlos O’Reilly (PCC Falcarragh), Shaun McDermott (Moville Community College), Jamie Doherty, Patrick Ferry (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair), Anton Murtagh (Deele College, Raphoe).

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

MUNSTER | Darragh Burke (Coláiste Mhuire, Cobh), Jack Anthony, David Bosnjak, Destiny Okonkwo, Gavin Ryan (Douglas Community School), Rob Walsh (Glanmire Community College) Dylan Casey, Seán Daly (Edmund Rice Secondary School, Carrick on Suir), Tom Doyle (St. Brendan’s College, Killarney), Killian O’Brien (Schull Community College), Evison Rramani (The Green CBS, Tralee),  Robert Geaney O’Brien (Presentation Brothers College, Cork), Brian Ahern (Hazelwood College), Cian Browne (St. Declan’s Community College), Alan Dunwoody (St. Augustine’s College, Dungarvan), Fionn Duggan (Midleton CBS).

Management | Derek O’Brien (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore), Cathal Lordan (St. Francis College, Rochestown), Billy Woods (Glanmire Community College), Seamus McWalter (Physio)

LEINSTER | Eoghan O’Sullivan (Coláiste Cois Life, Lucan), Thomas Considine (Rockbrook Park School, Rathfarnham), Jarlath Jones (Dundalk Grammar School), Andrew Quinn (Dunshaughlin Community College), Cian Kelly (Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght), Adam Verdon (Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, Donaghmede), Kian Corbally (Palmerstown Community School), Gabriel Adebambo (Leixlip Community School), Kyle Robinson (Coláiste Phadraig, Lucan CBS), Eoin Farrell (Ardscoil na Tríonóide, Athy), Mark Hanratty (Lusk Community College), Jack Reynolds (Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa, Clara), Joe Power (Presentation College, Bray), Adam Lennon (Athlone Community College), Precious Omochere (St. Mark’s Community School, Tallaght), Enda Minogue (St. Colmcille’s Community School, Knocklyon)

Management | Ian Ryan (St. Mac Dara’s Community College, Templeogue), Fintan Sheridan (St. Kevin’s Community College, Clondalkin), Davey Cullen (Woodbrook College, Bray), Stephen O’Reilly (GK Coach), Ferdia McKeon (Physio)

CONNACHT | Patrick Martyn (Presentation College, Athenry), Seán Kerrigan (St. Attracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry), Ben Molloy (Coláiste Bhaile Chlair, Galway), Conal Harkin, Liam Corcoran (Calasanctius College, Oranmore), Bryan Lynch (Summerhill College, Sligo), Rossa McAllister, Cillian Heaney (Rice College, Westport), Darragh Forde (Ballinrobe Community School), Caoimhin O’Toole (Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh), Charlie Concannon, Jack McCarthy (Yeats College, Galway), Daniel Cox, Conal Gallagher, Liam Melody, James Egan (St. Joseph’s College, Galway)

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

UNDER 18 BOYS’ INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT | AUL COMPLEX, CLONSHAUGH

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

Friday, November 8

4.00pm Ulster v Connacht

5.30pm Leinster v Munster

Saturday, November 9

3.00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening

4.30pm Draw will be made on Friday evening

Sunday, November 10

10.30am Fixtures TBC

10.30am Fixtures TBC

Roll of Honour: Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament Winners

IMAGES | No squad image available for Leinster

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 Mark Scanlon will be hosting a Third Level Options Exhibition for players and parents on Saturday morning (November 9) 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. 

Three current SSE Airtricity League players (Gary O’Neill, Liam Scales and Rob Slevin) who have had differing paths through football and education will be on hand to speak of their own experiences in Schools, Third Level and club football as well as balancing their academic and football commitments. There will also be a presentation on ‘Balancing Sport and Education’ by former underage international and former teacher Ian Byrne.

Rory White, a Guidance Counsellor in Finn Valley College, Stranorlar will also be on hand to give advice and assist students with their career guidance questions.

Similar to last year, the FAI will produce a 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 via email at mark.scanlon@fai.ie or alternatively telephone him at 086 795 4353. 

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