Mid Leinster Finals
The Mid Leinster Finals of the EA Sports FAI Schools 5 A Side competition were held in Portlaoise AFC on Wednesday the 29th of April. Teams from Laois, Offaly, Kildare and Kilkenny took part in 5 different competitions to find winners to represent the region in the Leinster Final in Navan Co. Meath on the 20th of May.
Boys A Cup
Teams
St. Broghans N.S (Offaly)
Convent of Mercy (Laois)
Timahoe N.S (Kildare)
St. Leonards N.S (Kilkenny)
This group was made up of the All Ireland finalists St.Broghans of Offaly which proved in both the Offaly and Mid Leinster finals to be a very strong team for 2009. The Offaly school reached the final against Convent of Mercy Laois and won the game 1-0 after a very tight game. Dale Sheridan was on fire with 9 goals during the finals helping his team to the Leinster Finals.
Boys B Cup
Teams
St. Brendan’s Birr (Offaly)
Ballylynan N.S (Laois)
Goersbridge N.S (Kilkenny)
Rathmore N.S (Kildare)
The Boys B Cup proved to be a very tight group with a maximum of one goal per game during the group games which lead to St.Brendans of Birr meeting their neighbouring rivals Ballylynan of Laois in the final of the competition. After a long day of games St.Brendans of Birr got the better of a skilful and strong Ballylynan with a winning margin of 2-0.
Boys C Cup
Teams
Scoil Mhuire Newbridge (Kildare)
St. Patrick’s (Kilenny)
St. Patrick’s Portarlington (Offaly)
St. Paul’s N.S Portlaoise (Laois)
A high level of football was played between the schools taking part in the Boys C Cup with the top two teams drawing level on points and going to goal difference to decide who came first in the group. The 1st place team was St. Patrick’s NS Portarlington and they took on Scoil Mhuire Newbridge in the final. The final went down to a penalty shootout after extra time could not separate the sides. St Patrick’s Portarlington won the game after a superb game from goalkeeper Patrick O’Sullivan.
Girls A Cup
Teams
North Kildare Educate Together (Kildare)
Goresbridge (Kilkenny)
Geashill N.S (Offaly)
Gaelscoil Phórtlaoise (Laois)
The girls A competition was a very exciting competition with four skilful teams taking part in the competition. Gaelscoil Phortlaoise and Geashill N.S in Offaly were the two teams to play out for the winners of the Mid Leinster and to go on and represent the region in the Leinster final. Gaelscoil Phórtlaoise won the game after scoring the only goal of the game and booked their place in the final on the 20th of May.
Girls B Cup
Teams
Gaelscoil an Eiscir Riada (Offaly)
St.Mary’s N.S (Kilkenny)
Scoil Mhicil Naofa Athy (Kildare)
Three teams took part in the Girls B Cup after the late withdrawal of the Laois representatives however this did not affect the standard of the football played in the competition. Each team played each other twice to see who would meet in the Girls B Cup final. After all group games were decided Scoil Mhicil Athy came out on top and played Gaelscoil an Eiscir Riada in the final. Scoil Mhicil proved to be too strong for the girls from Offaly as they ran out 4-0 winners of the competition after a great performance from Niamh Mulhall from Scoil Mhicil Naofa Athy.
