Xtra/vision FAI Schools Meath 5-a-side

With a record 168 teams from 80 schools taking part, this year’s Xtra/vision FAI Schools Meath 5-a-side proved to be another resounding success over six full days of competition at the MDL grounds in Navan: After a total of 333 games and no less than 1,597 goals scored, five Meath schools advance to the North Leinster Finals on 28^th April at the MDL:

The 5-a-side tournament has grown to be hugely popular in its eighteen years of competition in Meath: This year’s event saw Yellow Furze NS emerge from an entry of 40 schools in Section “A” Girls (small schools): Boyerstown won out Section “A” Boys (32 small schools entered): Cannistown NS advanced from the massive entry of 54 teams in Section “B” Boys for medium/sized schools while St: Oliver’s Navan emerged victorious in a 20 team Section “B” Girls for large schools: Dunboyne retained their title in Section “C” Boys (22 teams) for large schools:

Adding to the excitement last week was the visit of LMFM Radio’s roadcaster to Gaelscoil na Rithe in Dunshaughlin for live interviews with the boys and girls from the school’s two soccer teams, who had advanced to the County semi finals in both competitions:

LINK TO PODCAST http://www:lmfm:ie/music/podcasts/list:aspx?show_guid=ce0bc766/2e24/49d3/b2e3/793e2d66eddf

Afterwards organizers Paul Holland (FAI Schools Meath Coordinator) and Mark Scanlon (FAI Development Officer for Meath) thanked all those who ensured the continued success of the competition; Transition Year students from St: Peter’s Dunboyne and Athboy Community Schools who did a terrific job in refereeing all 333 games in the tournament, all the pupils and teachers from competing schools, Gerry Gorman and the MDL and the Navan Red Cross:

SECTION “A” GIRLS (40 SMALL SCHOOLS ENTERED)

 Yellow Furze topped Group 1 & reached the quarters after four straight wins, 3/1 over Bellewstown, 4/0 v Drumbaragh, 5/0 v Mt: Hanover and 1/0 over Wilkinstown: Another team with an equally mean defense was Gaelscoil na Rithe: The Dunshaughlin girls had beaten Kilmessan 2/0, Rathregan 6/0, Clonard 9/0 and Ráth Chairn 5/1 and advanced from Group 4: Last year’s champions, Kentstown, topped Group 5 with three wins, 1/0 over Cortown, 2/1 over Stackallen and 4/2 over Dangan:  Fiona Mahon’s girls were the first to book their place in the final when Sarah Donnelly scored the only goal against Moynalty: 

The second semi final saw a fiercely contested encounter between a strong Yellow Furze team and a skillful Gaelscoil na Rithe side: After drawing 1/1 in normal time, the tie eventually was decided by the golden goal: Amy Gilsenan netted the crucial score for Yellow Furze to set/up a local derby against neighbours Kentstown in the final:  Amy delivered again in the opening minute of the final with a superb strike from distance: Roisin Commons and Jamie O’Mara battled hard for Kentstown but Gilsenan was to score a further two goals to complete a magnificent hat/trick and a 3/0 victory for Liz Halpenny’s team:

SECTION “A” BOYS (32 SMALL SCHOOLS ENTERED) 

Boyerstown comfortably won Group 1 easily overcoming Kilbeg, Clonalvy and Drumconrath:  The first semi final saw Boyerstown dominate and lead Nobber by 3/0 at half/time: Despite the best efforts of Sam Ogumgbe and defender Tomas Murtagh, Nobber were eventually beaten 5/1 with Christian Byrne scoring four goals for Boyerstown:  Cortown had defeated Rathkenny 6/1 in the other semi final but had to go to extra time to overcome Baile Ghib in the quarter/final: The final saw neighbours Boyerstown and Cortown going head to head in a classic encounter: Darren Kavanagh opened his account for Boyerstown only for Cortown to equalize just before half/time: Kavanagh netted the crucial winning goal when he volleyed home from Ronan Casserly’s cross: Despite the best efforts of Conor Tighe and the skillful Jack O’Keeffe for Cortown, Boyerstown held on for their second county title in three years:

SECTION “B” BOYS (54 TEAMS FROM MEDIUM SIZED SCHOOLS)

The biggest section of the week long tournament saw no less than 54 school teams converge at the Navan facility with 24 competing in six groups of four in the morning and 30 entered for the afternoon’s section: After an amazing 88 games in one day, Robinstown, Carlanstown, Gaelscoil na Rithe, Oristown, Kilcloon, Kentstown, Gaelscoil na Boinne, Stackallen, Oldcastle, Cannistown, Longwood and Dangan were the 12 group winners that advanced to the latter stages:

After the group stages Gaelscoil na Rithe were drawn against Kilcloon with Cannistown against Gaelscoil na Boinne in the penultimate stages: Top scorer Tomás Cinseallach, Luke Wade Slater, Cillian O’Dufaigh and keeper Marc O Gealbháin had been outstanding for the Dunshaughlin Gaelscoil: However their unbeaten run came to an abrupt end against Kilcloon who were deserving winners in the first semi final:

Cannistown joined Kilcloon in the final after a thrilling 4/3 win over Trim’s Gaelscoil na Boinne:  The score was 3/3 with only 10 seconds remaining when Cannistown scored a last gasp winner to break the hearts of the Trim school who were well served by Keane Mac Oireachtaigh,  top scorer Zak Mac Gabhann , Jack Dowling and Patrick Quigley: Cannistown took an early lead in the final when Ross McEgerty scored an opportunist goal: Kilcloon shaded possession with David Travers, Josh Tyrell and Marc Boucher to the fore but Ronan Harding’s goal two minutes from time clinched Cannistown’s first ever Meath title with a 2/0 victory:

SECTION “B” GIRLS (20 teams from large schools)

  The four semi final places were secured by Cannistown, St: Olivers Navan, Dunboyne and Our Lady of Mercy Kells: Despite the best efforts of Zoe Walsh and top scorer Aisling O’Flynn, Cannistown were beaten 5/0 by a strong St: Oliver’s team in the first semi final: The second semi final was decided by an extra/time golden goal, when Dunboyne scored to knock out Kells: The final saw last year’s champions Dunboyne take on St: Oliver’s in a thrilling encounter: The Navan School took the lead after Kelsey Nesbitt set/up Regina Hand to score: Dunboyne replied with a goal from Katie Hyland but Kelsey Nesbitt put the Navan girls 2/1 up at the break: Dunboyne scored an equalizer when Katie Hyland grabbed her second of the game to set/up a nailbiting finish:  With less than a minute remaining Kelsey Nesbitt dribbled her way forward and slotted the ball past the helpless Maeve Clince in the Dunboyne goal: St: Oliver’s celebrated at the final whistle after a hard fought 3/2 victory:

SECTION “C” BOYS (22 teams from Large Schools)

  Donacarney overcame local rivals Laytown “A” by 2/1 despite the best efforts of Ross Murray and Georgie Poynton: Dunboyne “A” continued their impressive goal scoring form with a 6/0 victory against Laytown “B” for whom James Conlon and Oisin Maloney excelled: The semi finals were both one sided games as Dunboyne defeated Donacarney 5/0, but Aidan Murphy and Jordan Brown were on top form for their team: St: Oliver’s put paid to St: Seachnall’s hopes with a 4/0 win in their semi: In the final Eoin Dunne broke the deadlock and put Dunboyne ahead: St: Oliver’s were well served by Daniel Doggett and Simon Kalanzo and battled hard for an equaliser but it wasn’t to be as the game finished 1/0 with the South Meath School retaining their County title: Conor Keeley and Captain David McEntee caught the eye during the day with goalkeeper Andrew O’Connor keeping six clean sheets in seven games:

School photographs will be uploaded later