Balbriggan ladies Loreto Secondary School and Wicklow men Dublin Oak Academy were crowned FAI Schools First Year Futsal Leinster Champions yesterday (November 28) in the wonderful surrounds of Franciscan College, Gormanston, Meath:
The Post Primary Schools futsal competition is in its fourth year nationally after a successful pilot programme: The competition caters for first year students with both boys and girls categories catered for:
The competition was split into two sections, boys and girls, with two groups in each section and group winners progressing to their respective final:
The College’s indoor facilities are unrivalled and an impressive 288 participants from 23 schools representing each and every one of the counties in Leinster made it a day to remember at the Meath facility:
There was notably four sets of twins teaming up with their respective schools, namely Sam and Luke O’Neill (Wexford CBS), Sorcha and Laoise McAleenan (Loreto SS, Balbriggan), Megan and Carrie Randle (Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny) and Katie and Jane Bullen (St: Leo’s College, Carlow)
In the Leinster qualifiers, one school were making a welcome return to defend their Provincial title with St: Peter’s College, Dunboyne winning the boys title last time around and going on to claim fourth place in the All Ireland series: Unfortunately the girls from Grennan College who claimed provincial honours in 2011 were knocked out by Presentation Secondary School in the Kilkenny qualifiers this year:
Other previous winners from the Leinster Girls section included Eureka Secondary School (2010) and Moyne Community College (2009): However it was history in the making for Loreto as they were crowned Leinster Champions in empathic style:
GIRLS SECTION
The Dubliners had to work had for their success throughout the day as they came up against a wonderful St: Leo’s College of Carlow in the ultimate decider with Group One Winners taking on Group Two Winners in a hugely entertaining Final: Loreto may have been the underdogs going into the final contest of the afternoon but they held their own to overcome a classy Carlow side 2/1 in a fantastic end to the Leinster series:
Loreto were impressive throughout their group stages winning 4 out of the 5 games played: Tullamore’s Sacred Heart School were the only School to defeat them in the afternoon fixture putting four past them in quick succession:
The Balbriggan outfit were well prepared by teacher Stuart O’Brien as they captured the points with an opening win against rivals Eureka Secondary School, 3/1: Scoil Chriost Rí were a tougher test but they narrowly overcame the Laois ladies 2/1: Presentation Kilkenny was next up and they slotted 2 past the Cats without reply: Their penultimate game was against Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon as they secured a 4/0 victory: With a top spot in the group table guaranteed, Loreto faced Sacred Heart in the final game of the series: The Tullamore girls gave a wonderful performance to secure the two points with a 4/0 win that saw them finish a gallant second in the group one table:
Balbriggan’s opposition in the final was group two table toppers, St: Leo’s College, Carlow:
Dearbhla Cussen’s team had an even more impressive record than their counterparts securing five wins out of five in their group, scoring 18 goals and only conceding 3: Their nearest rivals in their group were Presentation Wexford who came a very deserved second place winning three, drawing one and losing one: St: Leo’s got their proceedings under way with a 5/1 win over Holy Family School, this was shortly followed by a close encounter with Wexford and they just got the points with a hard fought 1/0 contest: Their third game was a 4/1 win over Our Lady’s, Greenhills of Drogheda: Their penultimate win was a 2/0 victory over Gaelcholaiste na Mara while they finished with a flurry bagging a 6/1 win over a lack lustre Holy Family Secondary School:
The Girls Final was end to end action as both teams went all out to win: It was unfortunate that there had to be one winner as a 2/1 scoreline decided their faith, Loreto Balbriggan celebrating their fine performance while a disappointed St: Leo’s looked on:
BOYS SECTION
Dublin Oak had tasted success four years ago in Tallaght when the competition was only in its infancy: When the series developed into an All Ireland concept it was St: Peter’s College (2011, 2009) and Confey College, Leixlip (2010) that got their names etched onto the silverware: Dublin Oak were up against Group One winners Coláiste Choilm, Tullamore in a cracking clash: The Bray side were under the cosh for much of the game but managed a 3/2 victory to lift the prestigious title:
Wicklow winners Dublin Oak Academy won five out of five in their group games: An impressive team dynamic that would need some stopping, scoring 16, conceding only four on route to the Final: They opened their account with a hat/trick of goals against Ballymahon’s Mercy Secondary School: The next test was Mountrath Community School who they dismantled 3/1 followed by a 4/1 win against Presentation De La Salle: St: Peter’s College who captured the title twice in three year’s were no match for John McShane’s side as they overcame the Dunboyne boys 4/1 in a wonderful display of futsal: Dublin Oak took their foot off the throttle as they secured a 2/1 win over Wilson Hospital, Multyfarnham in the final group game:
Offaly qualifiers Colaiste Choilm were not expecting much from the days outing but surprised themselves by winning the group confidently winning four out of the five games played: The Tullamore School opened their account with a 3/1 win over Wexford CBS: This was followed by a narrow 2/1 win over Naas CBS: Grennan College, Thomastown were next up for Tullamore and a 3/1 win in favour of Richelle O’Neill’s squad was the outcome: Donabate Community College were the only team to beat Colaiste Choilm in the group stages as they enjoyed a 2/0 win which left them third in their group: The final game for the Offaly contenders was a 2/0 victory over De La Salle to see them sit top of the table:
Notably Wexford CBS and St: Peter’s College, Dunboyne came second respectively in group one and two while the girls section, second place was awarded to Sacred Heart School, Tullamore and Presentation Wexford in their respective groups: A wonderful achievement for all the schools involved:
Loreto Balbriggan and Dublin Oak Academy will now progress to the All Ireland Finals which will be held on Wednesday next, December 5 at Franciscan College, Gormanston: We wish the schools the very best of luck in their endeavours to be crowned All Ireland Champions:
List of participating Schools:
Dublin (Boys) Donabate Community College: Niall Shields, Jack Simpson, Cian Shortle, Darren Maher, Adham Kinsella, Shetemi Ayetigbo, Mark Madden, Stephen Brody, Harry Nugent, Neil Moddy
Teacher: Barry Tiernan
Dublin (Girls) Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan: Eibhlin McCarthey, Lauren Deweer, Naomi Harper, Sorcha McAleenan, Shauna Healy, Laoise McAleenan, Yvonne O’Sullivan, Saoirse McDonaugh, Dominka Lewandowska, Ann Casey
Teacher: Stuart O’Brien
Wicklow (Boys) Dublin Oak Academy, Kilcroney, Bray: Daniel Vanzini, Juan Luis Cort, Nicolas Sanchez, Fernando Rodrigues, Jose Lomelin, Jorge Flores, Sebastian Garza, Pablo Zubieta, Juan Mena, Juan Carlos Sojo, Luca Bazarro, Jose Miguel Ledesma
Teacher: John McShane
Wicklow (Girls) Gaelsholaiste na Mara, Arklow: Roisin O’Reilly, Kate Moriarty, Abigail Doyle, Shauna Lee Thomas, Robyn Smith, Amy Browne
Teacher: Gearoid O hEalaithe
Laois (Boys) Mountrath Community School: Jack Owens, Jack Claffey, Dylan Russell, John Fitzpatrick, Elliott Scully, Aaron Gaughan, Declan Nell, Will Boland, Cavan Phelan, Joe Phelan, Daniel Connolly
Teacher: Tom Devane
Laois (Girls) Scoil Chriost Rí, Portlaoise: Eimear Foran, Anisha Nabayimbazi, Jennifer O’Neill, Maeve Phelan, Shaunagh Dunne, Rebecca Keane, Katie Casey, Rachael Ogunnowo, Aine O’Neill, Lucy Scully, Aine Camphuissen, Aoife Fitzpatrick
Teacher: Tom Moss
Kildare (Boys) CBS Naas: Philip Tierney, Darragh Kirwan, Barry Keogh, Oliver Dunne, Eoin Prizeman, Joe Russell, Sean Gallagher, Paddy Scholfield, James Ryan, Jake Dardis, Liam Anderson
Teacher: Damien Stephens
Kildare (Girls) Holy Family Secondary School, Newbridge:Cliona Malone, Kathleen Reddy, Hayley Donoghue, Kayleigh Fitzpatrick, Amy O’Neill, Caitlyn Grogan, Jordanna Rooney, Emma Murray, Rebecca Ryan, Rodika Brodetchi, Hannah Oduntan
Teacher: Daire Keane
Kilkenny (Boys) Grennan College, Thomastown: Shane Mahir, Conor Kearney, Rory Monks, Stephen Wenges, Michael Murphy, Shane Molloy, Brian Staunton
Teacher: Eleanor Reddy
Kilkenny (Girls) Presentation Secondary School: Amy Adams, Ciara Delaney, Aoibhe O’Gorman, Hannah Scott, Neasa Galway, Shauna Valentine, Eadaoin Murphy, Megan Randle, Carrie Randle
Teacher: John McDonald
Offaly (Boys) Colaiste Choilm, Tullamore: Conor Langton, Brian Finn, Ross Digan, Joseph Dwyer, Ryan Maher, Tom Furlong, Diarmuid Egan, Ciaran Burke, James Mullen, Jake Lloyd, John Paul Colsh, Jason O’Dwyer
Teacher: Richelle O’Neill
Offaly (Girls) Sacred Heart School, Tullamore: Ava Gowran, Aideen Owens, Ciara Bryaot, Rebecca Conlon, Kate Fox, Ciara Hamill, Megan Burns, Shauna Sweeney, Katie Mollen
Teacher: Sean McFadden
Meath (Boys) St: Peter’s College, Dunboyne: Michael Reid, Oscar Braun, Josh McCluskey, Ronan Duggan, Glen Mulvey, Paul Grant, Eric Abulu, Daragh Gilmartin, Jack Donnelly, Cadhla McKenna, Gary Dunne, Jack Nyhan
Teacher: Noel Payne
Meath (Girls) Eureka Secondary School, Kells: Laura Halpin, Danielle Farrelly, Samantha Bennett, Sarah Bradley, Orla O’Rorke, Niamh Carolan, Aoife Brady, Beverly Genockey, Carol Cassidy
Teachers: Peter Whitty, Leonard Noone
Longford (Boys) Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon: Josh Madigan, Leon Hynes, Sean O’Neill, Aaron Kennedy, Philip Chalmers, Brad Reed, Dillion Rushe, Colin Murtagh, Jack McGann, Jack Kennedy, Oisin Ryan
Teachers: Michéal Walsh, Reina Flower
Longford (Girls) Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon:Michaela Quinn, Ruth Noonan, Ellen Kelly, Aoife Kavanagh, Emer Tyrrel, Megan Forbes, Louise Grogan, Ciara O’Shea, Aine Bannon, Eituile Lengvinaite, Courtney Doyle:
Teachers: Michéal Walsh, Reina Flower
Westmeath (Boys) Wilson Hospital School, Multyfarnham: Ryan McClean, Leon Chinaka, David Ngadaonye, Luke Nangle, Stephen Sweeney, Dylan Hitchinson, Tobi Okechukwu, Franlkin Une Obiekwe, Stewart Salíu, Ayo Okanlawon, David Gillespie, Simon Broderick
Teacher:Liam Buggs
Westmeath (Girls) Castlepollard Community College: Jade Crone, Cameron Gahan,Shannon Daly, Sophie Allabyrne, Lauren Mackey, Lauren Murray, Jenny Kelly, Shannon O’Reilly
Teacher: Brian Caffrey, Laura Harrison
Louth (Boys) De La Salle College, Dundalk: Wayne Boland, Chad McEneamey, Adam Finnegan, Kizito Ekwuene, Oisin Meegan, Alex O’Hagan, Cadam Dines, David Sally, Micheal Somers, Ronan Bailey, Oluwaseaun Opebiyi, Daniel Mullen
Teacher: Ciarán Renaghan
Louth (Girls) Our Lady’s Greenhills, Drogheda: Caoimhe Saurin, Soso Tshunungwa, Ava Smyth, Kate Byrne, Amy Conaghan, Lauren Reilly, Tammy Whelan, Rebecca Turnbull, Olivia Boylan
Teachers: Karin O’Hare & Mr: McKeown
Wexford (Boys) Wexford CBS: Adam Dempsey, Cathal Kirwan, Sam O’Neill, Luke O’Neill, Peter Doyle, Ryan Busher, Luke Dowdall, Leon Nolan, TJ Cousins, Justin Butler, Ben Creane, David Tennant
Teacher: Pádraig Whitty
Wexford (Girls) Presentation Secondary School: Jamie Deveraux, Julia Halpin, Kate Redmond Browne, Deirdre Byrne, Emma Rossiter, Chloe Mythen, Sarah Harding Kenny, Kaitlyn Whelan, Kinsella, Kelley Scallan, Nicola Roche, Kirsty Fanning, Grainne Brett
Teacher: Valerie Redmond
Carlow (Boys) Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown: Michael Murphy, Shea Somers, Dylan Kavanagh, Danny Doyle, Cian Doyle, Robbie Kane, Sean Taylor, Adam Kehoe, Shane O’Reilly, Cathal Murphy
Teacher: Tom Cummins
Carlow (Girls) St: Leo’s College, Carlow: Zoe Lacken, Ciara O’Shea, Toyah Salimon, Ciara Hickson, Olivia Gough, Katie Bullen, Jane Bullen, Aoife Nolan, Nicole Brennan, Chelsie Nolan, Courtney Forbes
Teacher: Dearbhla Cussen
