SPAR5s Munster Finals reach a sensational conclusion
Wins for Limerick (2), Tipperary (2) and Cork (2)
Friday, April 22, 2016
The renowned Waterford Institute of Technology Sports Campus at Carriganore was a superb venue for a brilliant SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Munster Finals on Wednesday last (April 20) reports Ger Duggan (Co-ordinator)
36 schools converged on the venue, requiring 12 pitches to cater for the six categories. There were goals galore in this action packed finale. After the last football was kicked Limerick, Tipperary and Cork emerged with 2 titles each.
Section ‘A’ (Small Schools, boys/mixed)
Group 1 comprised Flagmount Central NS (Clare), Scoil Réalt na Mara (Cork) and Aughacasla NS (Kerry).
All 3 schools finished on 3 points with one win and one defeat each. When the maths was done Aughacasla NS topped the group. Colman O’Meara, Caolan O’Connell and Owen Garvey scored their goals. Flagmount Central NS finished in the runners up spot. Their goal scorers were Jack O’Donnell, Keith Smyth, Ian Mac Namara and Seamie O’Donnell.
Group 2 saw Newtown NS (Waterford), Thomastown NS (Tipperary) and Croom NS (Limerick) competing.
Croom won both matches and topped the group with Thomastown NS also qualifying for the semi- finals.
Thomastown NS defeated Aughacasla NS 2-0 while Croom NS beat Flagmount Central NS 7-2 in the semi finals.
The final was a real cracker as the teams met for the second time on the day. Croom NS again came out on top to take the SPAR CUP ‘A’ title on a 2-1 scoreline.
Scoil Réalt na Mara defeated Newtown NS 4-1 in the play-off for 5th and 6th place.
Section ‘A’ Girls (Small schools, girls only)
Annagh NS (Clare), Scoil Inse Ratha (Cork) and Scoil an Clocháin (Kerry) played in Group 1.
The Clare girls won both their matches to win the group. In their two matches Abby Downes scored six and Annick Walsh scored four. Scoil Inse Ratha also qualified for the semi-finals.
Group 2 had Villierstown NS (Waterford), Thomastown NS (Tipperary) and Ballylanders NS (Limerick). Thomastown won the group with two victories, scoring five goals in each match. Ballylanders finished runners up.
In the semi-finals, Ballylanders NS defeated Annagh NS 4-2 while Thomastown NS beat Scoil Inse Ratha 4-1. Abbey Walsh and Ellen Flanagan scored for Annagh NS.
The final was another cracking match. They met in the group earlier when the Thomastown girls won 5-3. It was much tighter in the final. Thomastown led 2-0 and looked winners. However, Ballylanders fought back strongly and scored twice to send the match to extra time.
Thomastown proved the stronger side and scored three without reply. Villierstown NS won the 5th/6th place play-off defeating Scoil an Clocháin 3-2.
Section ‘B’ (Medium Schools, boys/mixed)
Mol An Óige (Clare), Scoil Íosagáin (Cork) and Scoil Mhuire Killorglin (Kerry) contested Group 1.
The boys from Cork won their two matches with the goals coming from Kalem Keane (4), Mark Hogan and Eric Cunningham. The Killorglin boys edged out Mol An Óige on goal difference. Matt Reenstierna (2), Tom Whittleton and Ryan Diggin scored for the Killorglin boys.
Group 2 comprised Gaelscoil Dúrlas Éile (Tipperary), Gaelscoil Philib Barún (Waterford) and St. Mary’s BNS Abbeyfeale (Limerick).
Gaelscoil Dúrlas topped the group with a win and a draw with the Boys from Abbeyfeale taking the runners up spot. The goals for Gaelscoil Dúrlas were scored by Eoin Craddock (2), Darragh Stakelum (3) and Danny Treacy. Thomas McCarthy scored three for St. Mary’s Abbeyfeale in their matches with Culann Quigley and Sam Quigley also finding the net.
Scoil Íosagáin scored a big victory over the Limerick boys in the semi-final with goals from Mark Hogan (2), Kalem Keane (2), Fintan Cody (2) and Jack Colbert.
Gaelscoil Dúrlas had a thrilling 2-1 victory over Scoil Mhuire Killorglin in the other semi-final. Eoin Craddock and Darragh Stakelum scored for Gaelscoil with Tom Whittleton netting for Killorglin.
Again we were treated to a real match in the final. Two good, solid boys’ teams squared up to each other. The Thurles boys scored early through Danny Treacy. They kept that lead until the final whistle in a match that had just about everything.
Gaelscoil Philib Barún and Mol An Óige played out a very entertaining match in the play-off for 5th and 6th place.
Section ‘B’ Girls (Medium Schools, girls only)
The schools in Group 1 were Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire (Clare), Maria Assumpta NS (Cork) and Fossa NS (Kerry). The girls from Cork and Clare qualified for the semi-finals with a win and a draw each.
Maria Assumpta NS had the better goal difference after drawing their group match. Ellen Casey (5), Ella Kelly (2) and Amanda Liddy scored for Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire
Birdhill NS (Tipperary), Dromtrasna NS (Limerick) and Piltown NS battled in Group 2.
Dromtrasna NS won their two matches and topped the group.Piltown NS took the runners up position. Sarah O’Donovan(2), Áine Blanca, Lorna O’Shea and Chloe Beukes scored for Piltown NS.
The semi-finals saw comfortable victories for Maria Assumpta NS (3-0 over Piltown NS) and Dromtrasna NS ( 5-2 against Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire whose goals were scored by Amanda Liddy and Ellen Casey).
The final was – yes you’ve probably guessed it – a cracker of a match. Two very evenly-match teams nullified each other with some great defending. It was a really tight affair. Deep into the second half Maria Assumpta NS took the lead. The Limerick girls immediately equalised. The Cork girls almost regained the lead in the next attack but were denied a wonderful goal by a post. Dromtrasna scored straight from that let off and added a third with the last kick of the match. What a match!
Fossa NS and Birdhill NS played out an exciting play-off match for 5th/6th place.
Section ‘C’ (Large Schools, boys/mixed)
St. Finnachta’s NS (Clare), Scoil Naomh Iosaf (Cork) and Monastery NS Killarney battled for the two semi-final spots in Group 1.
The Cork boys topped the group with two wins, scoring six goals without conceding. Monastery NS Killarney and St. Finnachta’s NS drew 3-3 but the Killarney boys qualified for the semi-finals as they had slightly better goal difference.
The schools in Group 2 were St. Declan’s NS (Waterford), Newport Boys NS (Tipperary) and An Modh Scoil (Limerick). Newport topped the group and St. Declan’s finished runners up.
Scoil Iosaf and Newport reached the final with comfortable victories in the semi-finals. Scoil Iosaf took the honours for Cork in the final on a 4-2 score-line.
The play-off for 5th and 6th place was an entertaining match between St. Finnachta’s NS and An Modh Scoil.
Section ‘C’ Girls (Large Schools, girls only)
Scoil Niocláis (Cork), St. Conaire’s NS (Clare) and St. John’s NS Kenmare (Kerry) contested Group 1.
Scoil Niocláis and St. Conaire’s NS qualified for the semi-finals.
Group 2 was made up of St. Ursula’s NS (Waterford), St. Mary’s Convent Nenagh (Tipperary) and Monaleen NS (Limerick).
Monaleen won the group with two wins. Their goals were scored by Aoife Neville (4), Jane O’Brien (3), Neasa Kelly and Niamh Moloney. St. Ursula’s NS took the runners up spot as they defeated the girls from Nenagh.
Scoil Niocláis defeated St. Ursula’s 3-1 in one semi-final. The other semi was won by Monaleen with a 4-1 victory over St. Conaire’s with Fiona Herbert scoring a great hat trick and Aoife getting the other goal.
Scoil Niocláis won the final with a 3-0 victory over Monaleen NS.
St. John’s and St. Mary’s Convent shared 5th and 6th places.
Thanks to the support of SPAR, the competition will reach a sensational conclusion for the Schools involved as the National Finals will take place in the magnificent surrounds of the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on Wednesday, May 11. The event will be a family fun day focused on providing participants and spectators alike with huge excitement and entertainment, making it a day to remember for all involved.
Show your support for the Munster qualifiers this year with a visit to the home of soccer on May 11 in the Aviva Stadium. There will be prizes galore, including a special award for the most colourful, energetic supporters as we encourage schools to get behind their colleagues, so it’s definitely a date to pencil in on the school diary. We wish all participating schools the very best of luck.
SPAR 5s ROLL OF HONOUR
|
Section |
Winners |
Runners-Up |
|
SPAR Cup ‘A’ |
Croom NS (Limerick) |
Thomastown NS (Tipperary)
|
|
SPAR Cup ‘A’ Girls |
Thomastown NS Tipperary) |
Ballylanders NS (Limerick)
|
|
SPAR Cup ‘B’ |
Gaelscoil Dúrlas Éile (Tipperary) |
Scoil Íosagáin (Cork)
|
|
SPAR Cup ‘B’ Girls |
Dromtrasna NS (Limerick) |
Maria Assumpta NS (Cork)
|
|
SPAR Cup ‘C’ |
Scoil Naomh Iosaf (Cork) |
Newport Boys NS (Tipperary)
|
|
SPAR Cup ‘C’ Girls |
Scoil Niocláis (Cork) |
Monaleen NS (Limerick)
|
SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Competition
Schedule of Events
PROVINCIAL
Munster Final: April 20, Waterford Institute of Technology Sports Centre, Waterford
Ulster Final: April 21, Lakeside, Aileach FC, Burnfoot, Inishowen, Donegal
Connacht Final: April 27, Milebush Park, Castlebar, Mayo
Leinster Final: April 28, MDL Grounds, Trim Road, Navan, Meath
NATIONAL
National Final: May 11, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
For more information:
Jennifer Kelly, PSG Sponsorship – Jennifer.Kelly@psgsponsorship.ie / 085 1076806
Scott Graham, PSG Sponsorship – Scott.Graham@psgsponsorship.ie / 086 3687548
Diane Fay, FAI Schools - Diane.Fay@fai.ie / 086 0404 952