Thursday, December 5, 2019
There was jubilation in abundance in Waterford IT Arena as Rice College, Westport and Presentation Secondary School, Thurles were victorious in the FAI Pos tPrimary Schools First Year Boys & Girls National Futsal Finals this afternoon (December 5).
The teams gathered from as far as Buncrana and as near as Wexford to compete for national honours in the small sided variation.
Rice College, Westport were victorious in the Boys competition, making it back to back victories for Mayo following St. Louis CS, Kiltimagh in 2018. They required a play-off game with 2017 Champions St. Francis College, Rochestown, Cork after both teams were locked on seven points after three games.
Both sides would face each other in the opening game with the Munster squad taking the lead from Eoin Kelly before an own goal would draw the sides level. Conor Reynolds equalised late on to share the spoils in an epic opening round.
The Western outfit would be more ruthless in their second game against Ulster delight Patrician High School, Carrickmacross with Conor Cannon coming to the fore with a hat-trick and an assist in a comprehensive win with Alex Halpin, Andre Ludden and Tom Lambert also netting.
Heading into the final game, both Rice College and St. Francis College knew that a victory in their final game would force a play-off after a last-gasp winner for the Rochestown side against Drogheda team, St. Mary’s Diocesan School. St. Mary’s had taken a 2-0 lead through Paul Galvin and Leon Luzha before a Robert Walker free kick kickstarted the comeback. Eoin Kelly would equalise before Jamie O’Brien struck the winner with the last strike of the game.
The Westport crew would have no concern in their final game against St. Mary’s DS. Goals from Halpin, Cannon, Ludden, an OG and Cillian McGing ensuring a wonderful victory. At the same time, St. Francis enjoyed a 6-3 success against Patrician High School. Despite a Luke Povall hat-trick, Player of the Tournament Jamie O’Brien would net a treble of his own with Noah Sowinski scoring an excellent brace and Eoghan Murphy also adding his name to the scoresheet.
In the five-minute play-off, with tensions on edge, Conor Cannon would rise to the occasion and score twice in the shortened period to give the Westport team the title in a 2-0 victory. St. Mary’s DS, Drogheda would come third, ahead of Patrician High School in fourth following a 3-0 victory for the Louth side in the North-East clash in the opening round.
In the Girls competition, it was much plainer sailing for Presentation Secondary School, Thurles as they secured the title with a game to spare. Player of the Tournament Grace Flanagan was on fire as she led her side from an early deficit in their opening game to secure their opening three points in a 4-1 win. Eimear Keaney would give St. Clare’s CS, Manorhamilton the lead. A quick short corner routine would click twice as Flanagan would profit from before she would score two excellent strikes to extend the lead.
Flanagan would be the star player when her deflected shot found its way past Maeve Kenny in the Presentation Secondary School, Wexford goal. Kenny was influential in keeping the score at 1-0 with a number of fine saves. Thurles would make it maximum points for the day with a 3-1 victory over Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Buncrana. Flanagan scored her sixth goal of the campaign and Ella Coppinger also converted a brace for the Tipperary school.
Presentation Secondary School, Wexford would eventually settle for second place with Emma Cullen being the standout performer with four goals, a double in their two winning games. The first brace was taken against Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana and Jane Murphy making it 3-0. Despite the defeat to the winners, they would recover and defeat St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton 2-0 with Cullen’s second brace of the day.
The Leitrim side would take third over their Donegal rivals with a 5-3 victory. Eimear Keaney netted a hat-trick either side of Aine McLaughlin’s double despite Jodie Loughrey scoring twice and Ciara McGee bundling in a well placed corner.
ROLL OF HONOUR
Winner | Rice College, Westport, Mayo
Runner-Up | St. Francis College, Rochestown, Cork
Third Place | St. Mary’s Diocesan School, Drogheda, Louth
Fourth Place | Patrician High School, Carrickmacross, Monaghan
Boys Player of The Tournament | Jamie O’Brien, St. Francis College, Rochestown, Cork
RESULTS
Rice College, Westport 2-2 St. Francis College, Rochestown
Patrician HS, Carrickmacross 0-3 St. Mary’s DS, Drogheda
St. Francis College, Rochestown 3-2 St. Mary’s DS, Drogheda
Patrician HS, Carrickmacross 0-6 Rice College, Westport
Rice College, Westport 5-0 St. Mary’s DS, Drogheda
Patrician HS, Carrickmacross, 3-6 St. Francis College, Rochestown
BOYS SECTION
ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE, ROCHESTOWN, CORK | Joe Lyons, , Robert Walker, Eoghan Murphy, Jimmy Harte, Oscar McCarthy, Ronan Dooley, Eoin Kelly, David O’Kelly, Jamie O’Brien, Jayden Adair Bell, Noah Sowinski, Finnán Gallagher, (Injured Matthew Kiernan)
TEACHERS | Stephen Bermingham & David Donovan
RICE COLLEGE, WESTPORT, MAYO | Peter McNally, Cillian McGing, Conor Reynolds, Conor Cannon, Alex Halpin, Andre Ludden, John Murphy, Luke Durkan, Joey Holmes, Conor Ketterick, Tom Lambert, Matthew McNamara
TEACHERS | Brian Flannery & Darragh Connolly
PATRICIAN HIGH SCHOOL, CARRICKMACROSS, MONAGHAN | Dion O’Gorman, Shane Boylan, Luke Povall, Daniel Breen, Adam Mullins, Mark Hanratty, Seán O’Brien, Conor McGeown, Max Ward, Ben Murtagh
COACH | Francis Matthews PRINCIPAL | Patrick Joseph Duffy
ST. MARY'S DIOCESAN SCHOOL, DROGHEDA, LOUTH | Oran Collins, Kyle Morris, Sam Heeney, Leon Luzha, Alex Divine, Paul Galvin, Eamonn Armstrong, Ethan Burke, Andrew Olajide
TEACHERS | Barry Hobbs & Gavin Brett
ROLL OF HONOUR
Winner | Presentation Secondary School, Thurles
Runner-Up | Presentation Secondary School, Wexford
Third Place | St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, Leitrim
Fourth Place | Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Buncrana, Donegal
Girls Player of The Tournament | Grace Flanagan, Presentation Secondary School, Thurles, Tipperary.
RESULTS
Presentation SS Wexford 3-0 Scoil Mhuire SS
St. Clare’s CS 1-4 Presentation SS, Thurles
Presentation SS, Wexford 0-1 Presentation SS, Thurles
St. Clare’s CS 5-3 Scoil Mhuire SS
Presentation SS, Wexford 2-0 St. Clare’s CS
Scoil Mhuire SS 1-3 Presentation SS
GIRLS SECTION
SCOIL MHUIRE SECONDARY SCHOOL, BUNCRANA | Leah Deehan, Heidi Gill, Aine Jordan, Jodie Loughrey, Ciara McGee, Amy McBride Duncan, Kayla McElaney, Sorcha Doherty, Sarah Marie Duffy, Nicole McDaid
TEACHERS | Davey Hone & Breege Grant
PRESENTATION SECONDARY SCHOOL, WEXFORD | Maeve Kenny, Tara Cullen, Zara Corrigan, Arwen Murphy, Jane Murphy, Aisling Roche, Emma Cullen, Angel Doyle, Eva Corrigan, Ella Crotty
TEACHERS | Michael Doran & Cian Doyle
ST. CLARE’S COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, MANORHAMILTON, LEITRIM | Katelyn Gilgunn, Lauren Devaney, Emma Fox, Iona Pudney, Eimear Keaney, Áine McLaughlin, Sophie Dalton, Ciara Nolan, Katie Stephenson, Sarah McGagh, Allie White, Erin Chester
TEACHER | Niamh Gallagher COACH | Muireann Devaney
PRESENTATION SECONDAY SCHOOL, THURLES, TIPPERARY | Caitlin Shelly, Emer Dwan, Ciara Shelly, Amy Reddan, Grace Fanagan, Ella Coppinger, Laragh Griffin, Reah Sweeney, Victoria Cantwell, Blathnaid Lloyd, Lucy Callanan, Sarah Byrne
TEACHERS | Barry Ryan & Cian Treacy
END