Leinster Primary School Futsal Finals

The Leinster Primary Schools Futsal competition will reach a conclusion on Tuesday, 10^th February when the Finals will be staged in the impressive National Basketball Arena in Tallaght:

The event will run from 10:30am until 3pm as thirty two schools compete for the ultimate prize of Leinster Champions:

This is the first year of the Leinster programme after a success pilot of South Leinster last season and it is hoped that the programme will be rolled out nationwide in 2010:

The competition caters for boys and girls in third and fourth class which delivers a quality fast paced action packed game focusing on skill, speed and technique:

Futsal is an indoor version of association football: It is played between two teams of five players, one of whom is the goalkeeper, and up to seven substitutes per team: Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the game is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines; walls or boards are not used:

Futsal is also played with a smaller ball with less bounce than a regulation football: The rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces:

The thirty two winners, 16 girls and 16 boys have received futsal resources and coaching sessions from their local FAI Regional Development Officer in preparation for the finals:

The final will be the biggest event in the FAI Schools Primary Schools Futsal calendar for 2009 as 384 kids will participate in this fun filled competition:

The boys grouping will consist of Bishop Foley NS (Carlow), Pope John Paul NS (Malahide), Scoil Mhuire (Tallaght), Our Lady of Wayside (Bluebell), Maynooth BNS (Kildare), Slieverue NS (Kilkenny), Our Lady’s Meadow (Laois), Ballinalee Ns (Longford), St Malachy’s NS (Dundalk), O’Growney’s NS (Athboy), Edenderry BNS (Offaly), St: Coleman’s NS A & B (Mullingar), St: Joseph’s NS (Gorey) and Aravon NS (Enniskerry):

The girls schools that will showcase their skills on the big stage will be namely Rathvilly NS (Carlow), Rush NS (Dublin), Inchicore NS (Inchicore), Our Lady of Wayside (Bluebell), Scoil Mohbi (Glasnevin), SN Chiaran Naofa (Kilkenny), Our Lady’s Meadow (Durrow), Ballinalee NS (Longford), St Joseph’s NS (Dundalk), St Mary’s NS (Trim), Mucklagh NS (Offaly), St: Coleman’s NS (Mullingar), Castlepollard NS (Mullingar), Craanford NS (Wexford) and Newtownmountkennedy NS (Wicklow):

For further information on the Leinster Primary School Futsal Finals please contact Mark Scanlon on 086 795 4353:

The first of the semi finals will be scheduled for 14:10 while the other semi final will be played at 14:20

The final will kick off at 14:45:

The best of luck to all the schools involved:

Boys Fixtures:

Girls Fixtures: