The Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament will launch the first series of events in the FAI Schools calendar this year: The AUL Complex will play host to this three day tournament which will conclude on Sunday morning:
The Leinster lads landed five in a row last year in the midlands and will be looking to emulate their success at the Clonskeagh venue: Connacht were very close contenders last season and new Manager Tom Byrne (St: Gerald’s College) will strive to go one better next weekend and take the title from the defending Champions:
Ger Bane will join Byrne at the helm in Connacht this season: The Westerners have five squad members making their second consecutive appearance at the weekend: The side will be strengthened by the return of Rice College pupil Conor O’Malley between the posts as well as his colleague Paraic Keane: Michael Casey (Summerhill College), Conor Byrne (St: Louis, Kiltimagh) and Jason Lyons (Colaiste Iognaid) will hopefully make the most of the experience gained last season to steer the team to victory in 2012:
Derek O’Brien’s outfit is looking to upset the odds in Munster this year: They are the only other province to win the title in the last eleven years, the last victory coming in 2006 when Limerick last hosted the tournament: O’Brien will see Anthony O’Donnell (Carrigaline CS) and Gavin O’Donovan (De La Salle College, Waterford) return to the frame: Unfortunately due to club commitments with Waterford United FC youngster Jack Doherty (Comeragh College) will miss out as will Limerick FC’s James McGrath: St: Aidan’s CC student Darren Murphy is also out of the panel due to a long term injury: It was hoped that he would be fit to return to action but his recovery is taking longer than expected: The trio of absentees is a major blow to the squad but O’Brien has plenty of confidence in his selection and knows that the sixteen chosen will do the province proud:
O’Brien has a number of underage International players featuring over the series which include Darragh Corcoran (Carrigaline CS), Anthony McAlevey (St: Aidan’s CC) who were capped at U15/16 level for the Republic of Ireland: Alan Browne (Nagle CC) and Conor O’Driscoll (Schull CC) were part of Paul Doolin’s home based squad last year that travelled to Wales: All four players are also part of the FAI Emerging Talent Programme over the years: Waterford’s De La Salle pupil Dessie Hutchinson played in the home/based U17s this Summer in a game against Peterborough FC in which he scored: A good prospect to watch out for: Michael Sadys (Glanmire CC) and Nathan Murray (St: Flannan’s College, Ennis) are the two goalkeepers selected and much will be expected for these two promising stars:
Preparations have been going well in the Munster camp with challenge matches against Cork City U19s, Waterford United U19s and UCC Senior team encompassing part of their preparations in the run up to the tournament:
Ulster’s Ferghal McMahon will tog out again this season for Paddy Carr’s team: The Monaghan native had a good campaign last year which saw him capped for FAI Schools alongside Carrigaline star Anthony O’Donnell: Both talismen will be looking for a second call up to the International team providing they show form over the three game series: McMahon will be joined on the panel by fellow student Kevin Loughran
The Ulster Schools team will have a record number returning with keeper Seamus Houghton (Carndonagh CS), Peter Doherty (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Ferghal McMahon (St: Macartan’s College), Dean McConnell (Deele College, Raphoe), Darragh O’Connor (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana) and Cathal McDaid (St: Eunan’s College) all starring: St: Eunan’s net minder Shaun Patton is also a welcome addition to a confident looking set up: Carr will be looking to the experienced lads to bring the game to Leinster in their opening encounter on Friday afternoon:
Letterkenny’s St: Eunan’s College captured two All Ireland Schools Cup titles last season with the boys winning the Junior (U17) and Minor (U15) titles: Four students have made the cut to the Ulster crew with Aiden Sweeney, Cathal McDaid, Christopher Flanagan and keeper Patton all featuring:
McShane and O’Reilly have had a difficult task of wilting down their panel to just sixteen with the amount of talent on display in the province: Six of last year’s panel were available for selection but surprising only Stephen McGuinness (Coláiste Chroabh Abhainn, Kilcoole) and Alan Gannon (St: Joseph’s Fairview) made the cut:
Salesian College student, Dylan Kavanagh was part of the home based selection that featured against Petersborough during the Summer at the AUL Complex: Kavanagh who plays his club football for St: Kevin’s should show progression in this tournament:
Kevin O’Connor who studies at St: Peter’s College in Wexford has some International experience having featured in the early qualifying stages of the Republic of Ireland’s U17 camp and was the only home based player to make the team at the time: O’Connor’s ability on the ball should impress the International management:
Malahide Community School’s Dylan Cashin picked up a Senior Division 1 Metropolitan title as well as being a Senior Cup All Ireland finalist last year and will be one to watch as will Palmerstown’s Jamie Goonery
Clayton Stafford has merited a call up to the Leinster squad and he will be representing Collinstown Park Community College at the weekend: The School had an excellent season last year captured the Leinster Champions League Senior and Junior Division 2 titles for the first time in the School’s history:
Leinster has managed to win ten out of the last eleven seasons in the Interprovincial series: A phenomenal record by any provincial team! All eyes will be on the Leinster side to see if this triumph can be replicated once more:
As part of the International trial process, a training squad will be selected by the Irish School’s management team: This consists of Mr: Ollie Horgan (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny) and Mr: Dave Archbold (Palmerstown Community School)
This provisional training squad will have a major three day session at the end of the month as well as numerous sessions early next year ahead of their first competitive game of the International series which is scheduled away to Northern Ireland on March 15 in Institute FC, Derry:
In keeping with the long standing tradition of maintaining the interest in the competition until the final matches on Sunday morning, the draw for Saturday and Sunday’s matches will be made following the games on Friday evening:
PROVINCIAL PANELS:
Leinster:Stephen McGuinness (Colaiste Chraobh Abhann, Kilcoole), Jamie Goonery (Palmerstown Community School), Steven Byrne (Clonkeen College, Blackrock), Kilian Cantwell (St: Kieran’s College, Kilkenny), Conor Moore (Pobalscoil Iosolde), Kevin O’Connor (St: Peter’s College, Wexford), Peter Hopkins (Larkin Community College), Cormac Breslin (Arklow CBS), Alan Gannon (St: Joseph’s, Fairview), Clayton Stafford (Collinstown Park Community College), Dylan Kavanagh (Salesian College, Celbridge) Dylan Cashin (Malahide Community School), Colm Poole (Clonaslee College, Laois), Nika Arevadze (St: Kilian’s DSD), Gregory Sloggett (St: Oliver’s Community College, Drogheda), Andrew Murphy (Colaiste Chill Mhantain)
Management:John McShane (Dublin Oak Academy, Bray), Paddy O’Reilly (Trinity Comprehensive School, Ballymun), Conor Foley (Athlone Community College), Ferdia McKeown (Physio)
Munster:Nathan Murphy (St: Flannan’s College, Ennis), Adam Thompson (Colaiste Mhuire, Cobh), Anthony O’Donnell (Carrigaline Community School), Gavin O’Donovan (De La Salle College), Patrick Fitzgerald (De La Salle College), Alan Browne (Nagle Community College), Conor O’Driscoll (Schull Community College), Darragh Rainsford (Colaiste Chiarain), Josh Aimiuhi (De La Salle College), Kynan Rocks (CBC), Joe Kennedy (Crescent College Comprehensive), Jamie Walsh (Youthreach Waterford), Dessie Hutchinson (De La Salle College), Anthony McAlevey (St: Aidan’s Community College), Darragh Corcoran (Carrigaline Community School), Michael Sadys (Glanmire Community College)
Management:Derek O’Brien (CBS Tramore), Conor Uhi (Coláiste Mhuire, Cobh), Gary Power (FAI DO, Waterford)
Ulster:Seamus Houghton (Carndonagh Community School), Pauric Patton (Cholaiste Cholmcille, Ballyshannon), Kevin Loughran (St: Macartan’s College, Monaghan), Peter Doherty (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Ferghal McMahon (St: Macartan’s College, Monaghan), Aiden Sweeney (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Dean McConnell (Deele College, Raphoe), Darach O’Connor (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Kyle Black (Loreto Community School, Milford), Darragh Black (Loreto Community School, Milford), Cathal McDaid (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Johnny Coleman (Patrician High School, Carrickmacross), Georgie Kelly (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Christopher Flanaghan (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Ryan Varma (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Shaun Patton (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny)
Management:Paddy Carr (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Sean McFadden (Crana College), William O’Connor (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), John Kerr (Patrician High School, Carrickmacross):
Connacht:Conor O’Malley (Rice College, Westport), Andrew Peters (St: Colman’s College, Claremorris), Michael Casey (Summerhill College, Sligo), Paraic Keane (Rice College), Alex Burns (Yeats College, Galway), Conor Byrne (St: Louis, Kiltimagh), Conor Barry (Portumna Community School), Colm Nevin (St: Gerald’s College, Castlebar), Jason Lyons (Colaiste Iognaid, Galway), Joe Gaughan (Yeats College), Morgan Lyons (Ballyhaunis Community School), Richard Fahy (Presentation College, Headford), Jake Dykes (Summerhill College), Stephen Walsh (St: Gerald’s College), Liam Flatley (Bella Secondary School, Mayo), Adam Murphy (St: Colman’s College)
Management:Tom Byrne (St: Gerald’s College), Ger Bane (Moneenageisha Secondary School, Galway)
INTERPROVINCIAL FIXTURES (AUL Complex, Dublin)
Friday, October 5
4:00pm Leinster v Ulster
4:00pm Munster v Connacht
Saturday, October 6
2:00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
3:00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
Sunday, October 7
10:30am Fixtures TBC
11:00am Fixtures TBC
END