IT’S on to Tullamore and next week’s All-Ireland Finals 2009 for the winners of Wednesday’s EA Sports FAI Schools 5 A side Leinster Finals at the MDL Grounds in Navan.
Students from 20 schools spread throughout the province competed for the chance to represent their county in next week’s national finals at the home of Tullamore FC on a day of high skill and competition.
Nine counties were represented, with the best of the best from over 10,000 original participants having come through their own county finals and their respective regional finals to reach this stage.
It was a massive day for the county hosting the finals, with four teams from Meath competing across the five sections after the MDL Grounds saw no locals schools in the Leinster finals last time around.
Meath and North Leinster champions Scoil Mhuire from Moynalty were the first team to claim victory on the day, pipping St Broghans of Offaly to top the Section A Boys table at the end of play.
Moynalty had miraculously only come through their regional finals after delivering the 12 goal winning margin required in their final group game and they needed more goals to see off the challenge of St Kevins Sallynoggin and Ballythomas from Wexford, before seeing off St Broghan’s in a crucial 5-4 victory.
Patrick Farrelly, Patrick Byrne and Anthony Nevin shared the responsibility of the team’s huge goal haul on the day and they will be hoping to repeat the success of their first year in the Leinster finals when they make their national debut next Wednesday.
In the Section A for girls it was another Leinster debutant in the form of Longford’s Drumlish who narrowly overcame joint runners up St Josephs of East Wall and Glynn from Wexford to top their own table.
In a group where each of the top three teams recorded two wins and one loss, the Longford school topped the pile on goal difference thanks to the contributions of Leanna Kane and Laura Burke in their emphatic final-game 5-1 demolition of Gaelsoil Phortlaoise.
Gaelschoil Inbhear Mor from Wicklow had never even taken part in the competition before 2009 and capped an incredible debut by taking the Section B Boys Leinster crown under Coach Pat Lynch.
Daire O’Connor and Darren Furlong, with six goals each, topped the team’s goal-scoring charts as they saw off the threat of St Laurence O’Toole’s, local school Athboy and St Brendan’s of Birr.
In Section B Girls, Carlow’s Bennekerry were another first-time team in this year’s competition and they equalled the achievement of their male counterparts from Wicklow with a narrow victory over runners up Dunboyne in their final group game.
Captain Laura Dwyer was the hero of the hour, grabbing both goals in that game, but Aoibhin Webb and Aideen Strong also contributed their fair share of goals for coach Eddie Corcoran’s side, who could also call on the assistance of Dwyer’s parents John and Mary on the coaching side.
Kildare’s Scoil Mhicil Naofa from Athy in Kildare and Malahide’s St Oliver Plunketts were the other teams in the group and were worthy representatives of their counties.
The final section was the Section C Boys and it was Gorey’s St Josephs who took the Leinster crown for their second time in their history after three tough encounters.
St Patrick’s Portarlington from Offaly actually beat Josephs by 4-3 in the opening game, however two Daniel Brennan goals and efforts from Paul Murphy and Mark Kinsella in a 4-2 victory over runners up St Mary’s Rowlagh proved crucial in the end as it separated the side at the top of the table on the head to head rule.
Local side Dunboyne, who also had their girl’s side competing in the Leinster finals on the day represented their county with pride with runners up place in the Girls Section B. It was a great day all round for everyone involved and local organiser Paul Holland was thrilled with another successful year in Meath.
LEINSTER PROVINCIAL FINALISTS:
A Section
TEAMS
Scoil Mhuire, Moynalty, Meath
St. Broghan’s Offaly
Ballythomas
St. Kevin’s Sallynoggin
RESULTS:
Moynalty 2-1 St Kevins
St Broghans 2-1 Ballythomas
Moynalty 5-4 St Broghans
St Kevins 1-4 Ballythomas
Moynalty 4-0 Ballythomas
St Kevins 2-2 St. Broghans
Winners: Scoil Mhuire, Moynalty, Meath
Runners Up: St. Broghans NS, Offaly
Girls A Section
TEAMS
Drumlish, Longford
Glynn, Wexford
St. Joseph’s East Wall
Gaelscoil Phortlaoise
RESULTS:
St Josephs 0-2 Drumlish
Gaelscoil 1-2 Glynn
St Josephs 2-1 Gaelscoil
Drumlish 0-2 Glynn
St Josephs 1-0 Glynn
Drumlsh 5-1 Gaelscoil
Winners: Drumlish, Longford
Runners Up: St. Joseph’s, East Wall, Dublin
B Section
TEAMS
Gaelscoil Inbhear Mor, Wicklow
Athboy, Meath
St. Laurence O’Toole’s, Dublin
St. Brendan’s NS, Birr
RESULTS:
St Laurence 3-3 Athboy
St Brendan’s 2-5 Gaelscoil Inbhear Mor
St Laurence 2-0 St Brendan’s
Athboy 2-3 Gaelscoil Inbhear Mor
St Laurence 0-6 Gaelscoil Inbhear Mor
Athboy 4-0 St Brendan’s
Winners: Gaelscoil Inbhear Mor, Wicklow
Runners Up: Athboy NS, Meath
Girls B Section
TEAMS
Bennekerry, Carlow
Dunboyne, Meath
Scoil Mhicil Naofa, Athy
St. Oliver Plunkett’s, Dublin
RESULTS:
Scoil Mhicil 1-2 Bennekerry
Dunboyne 3-0 St Oliver’s
Scoil Mhicil 0-2 Dunboyne
Bennekerry 7-1 St Oliver’s
Scoil Mhicil 2-2 St Oliver’s
Bennekerry 2-1 Dunboyne
Winners: Bennekerry NS, Carlow
Runner Up: Dunboyne NS, Meath
C Section
TEAMS
St. Joseph’s Gorey
St. Mary’s NS, Rowlagh
Dunboyne, Meath
St. Patrick’s NS, Portarlington
RESULTS:
St Joseph’s 3-4 St. Patrick’s
St Mary’s 2-1 Dunboyne
St Joseph’s 4-2 St. Mary’s
St. Patrick’s 1-2 Dunboyne
St Joseph’s 4-1 Dunboyne
St. Patrick’s 2-8 St. Mary’s
Winners: St. Joseph’s NS, Gorey, Wexford
Runners Up: St. Mary’s NS, Rowlagh, Dublin
