FAI Schools to host Allen McKinstry Cup
Inter-nations Championship
The Athletic Union League (AUL) Complex, Clonshaugh will be the venue for this year’s Allen McKinstry Cup which will take place this weekend, May 25 to 27, 2012
The tournament is run under the auspices of the Schools’ Association Football International Board (SAFIB) and the competition has been in existence since 2008:
Representative schools from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will line out in this Inter-nations championship to compete for the coveted title:
England will be represented by Liverpool’s Cardinal Heenan College while Scotland’s Dunfermline High School, FIFE will do the honours for the tartan army: Derry’s St: Columb’s College will be Northern Ireland’s qualifiers while the Welsh will be represented by Portarddulais Comprehensive School located in Swansea:
As host nation, the Republic of Ireland will have two schools participating: St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny and St: Joseph’s College, Galway will represent FAI Schools in the three day tournament:
FAI Schools have yet to win the tournament outright as previous qualifiers such as Coláiste Sprioraid Naomh, Bishopstown (2008), De La Salle College, Waterford (2009), Limerick CBS Sexton Street, Limerick (2010) and St: Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge (2011) had the unique opportunity of being invited to participate in this annual event: Schools gain valuable experience while competing overseas against players of their own sporting ability:
It’s the first year that FAI Schools have hosted the championships and both St: Eunan’s and St: Joseph’s will be hoping that playing in Dublin will provide an advantage in their endeavours to be crowned Inter-nations Champions and have their name etched onto the Allen McKinstry Cup:
The Friday afternoon fixtures will see all three games kicking off simultaneously at 4:30pm in the Clonshaugh venue:
Letterkenny’s St: Eunan’s College will have a difficult task as they open their proceedings against Welsh outfit Pontarddulais Comprehensive School, Swansea:
A mouth watering tie will ensue as Galway’s St: Joseph’s College play Dunfermline High School, FIFE
Any finally Derry’s St: Columb’s College face Cardinal Heenan College in what should prove an exciting encounter as the day’s events evolve
The penultimate set of games on Saturday morning will also kick off simultaneously at 10:30am with St: Columb’s College facing St: Joseph’s College, Pontarddulais Comprehensive School will take on Cardinal Heenan College and St: Eunan’s College will play Dunfermline High School:
A draw will be made on Saturday evening to decide the match day three pairings as results from the opening two games will decide the order of the day: All three games on Sunday will kick off at 10:30am:
As history dictates this Championship should provide some high calibre performances from all participating schools and no doubt there won’t be much between the top teams as events unfold in Dublin:
The Irish contingency will be hoping that either Letterkenny or Galway will be in the running for a first place podium finish following the final round of games:
Participating Schools:
St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny (Republic of Ireland): Rory Carr, Nathan McElwaine, Darragh Harper, Liam Blaney, Darragh McWalters, Oisin Hassett, Paul O’Brien, Ciaran Maloney, Kieran McPherson, Patrick Driver, Caolan McDaid, Luke Nelis, Cormac Cannon, Ryan McLaughlin, Caolan Murray, Sam Murphy
Teachers: Ollie Horgan and Michael Kelly
St: Joseph’s College, Galway (Republic of Ireland): James Grealis, Tommy McClean, Ben Brennan, Robby Keane, Brian Lally, John Kennedy, Joe Hynes, Michael Costello, Shane Hulgraine, Conor Melody, Gary Kinneen, Josh Marvesley, Jack Coyne, Diarmuid McGee, Shane Gillespie, Ronan Murphy
Teachers: Robert Grealish and Barry McDermott
Cardinal Heenan College, Liverpool (England): Callum Mulby, Ross Wilson, Alex Morris, Adam Dunwoody, John Duncan, Liam Walsh (Capt), Lewis Cooper, Luke Griffiths, Lee Jones, Scott Briscombe, Mike Cummins, Patrick Parr, Lewis Bocking, Alan Pollard, Bailey Murphy, Jay Kilburn, Danny Murphy
Teacher: Paul Sewill
Dunfermline High School, FIFE (Scotland): Quinn Franklin, Thomas Marshall, Hamish Michie, Cameron Mitchell, Marcus Hall, Alistair MCDonald, Yousef Asam, Scott Hynd, Euan Aitken, Scott Russell, James Laurie, Calum Murray, Morgan McInnes, Glenn Carter, Daryl Healy
Teacher: David Barclay
Pontarddulais Comprehensive School, Swansea (Wales): Josh Kilmister, Rhys Paddison, William Lewis, Matthew Davies, Chris Thomas, Sion Johnson, Joe Rodon (Capt), Edward Smith, Ceri Silvester, George Mbofona, Leon Johnston, Robert Miles, Shaun Morgans, William Bassett, Jordan Gibbs, Evan Gibbs, Tom Bowen
Teacher: Ceri Bushnell
St: Columb’s College, Derry (Northern Ireland): Dylan Doherty, Caoimhin McCallion, Matthew Kirk, Mark McAdam, Conor Quigley, Tiarnan Canning, Matty Doherty, Conor McDermott, Emmet Hargan, Darren Rush, Rory Holden, Joe McCartie, Stephen Duffy, Anthony Gillespie, Tiarnan Hargan, Conal Fagan
Teachers: Mark Tracey and James Green
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