The cream of schools futsal will demonstrate their skills and ability with the conclusion of the FAI Post Primary Schools First Year Futsal Finals next Tuesday (December 6) as Franciscan College, Gormanston plays host: This event will see four provincial finalists in each of the boys and girls sections as they compete to be crowned ALL IRELAND FUTSAL CHAMPIONS
Boys and girls of all sporting abilities will be hoping to emulate the talents of former players such as Lionel Messi, Zico, Juninio, Kaka and Ronaldo:
Futsal is said to be the world’s most played small sided sport with 25 million participants: The game is praised for the number of star footballers it has nurtured over the years: Therefore it’s not surprising to hear that Brazil is estimated to have more futsal players than football players: The two disciplines complement each another brilliantly:
These legends of the football world have inspired youngsters to get involved and in doing so have increased the profile of futsal on an International scale:
Futsal is the official indoor version of “the beautiful game”: It’s a fantastic way for young players to develop and improve their football abilities in a highly paced environment: The nature of the game creates an emphasis on improvisation, creativity, technique as well as ball control and passing in confined spaces:
The competition now in its fourth year has grown steadily with participation at an all time high: The competition caters for boys and girls in first year: Competitions commenced in October with schools progressing from County and Provincial levels to the All Ireland series:
As part of the FAI Schools development programme, futsal is used as a way of introducing youngsters to the game of football and thus increasing grassroots participation within the sport:
Over 7,000 students have taken part in the FAI Schools futsal Initiative inside a three month period in Primary & Post Primary Schools throughout Ireland:
Sean Carr, Chairman, FAI Schools paid tribute to the enormous contribution of the FAI’s Regional Development Officers in overseeing the competitions at local level:
“The growth of the game within the schools structure can be attributed to the hard work being done at local level by the Development Officers as they play a vital role in the success of the initiative each year”:
The climax of the Post Primary School’s event will see the cream of schools futsal on display in Gormanston next week:
The focus will be on our local talent with eight schools competing for the coveted title of All Ireland Post Primary Schools Futsal Champions:
Schools representing Meath, Mayo, Tipperary and Donegal will contest the Boys Section while Kilkenny, Tipperary, Donegal and Roscommon will all challenge for the crown in the Girls Section:
The four girls Provincial finalists have created great excitement in their respective schools with their progression to the National stage: Thurles tornados Presentation Secondary School, Stranorlar stars St: Columbas College, gale force Grennan College and the Roscommon rockets Convent of Mercy are all within striking distance of the silverware:
Youngsters Sara McKevitt of Presentation Secondary School starred in the Interprovincial tournament for Munster in October while Rachael Fitzmaurice of Scoil Muire gan Smal featured in the Connacht panel: These two outstanding youngsters will lock horns again but will the Munster dominance reign supreme this time around?
The Convent of Mercy are no strangers to schools football having featured in some memorable finals in recent years: However, the inclusion of futsal has meant that the Roscommon rockets are now prevailing at this, which is no surprise given the schools successes in girl’s sports especially soccer: Teacher Sean Boland will travel to Meath next week with a star studded panel of players at his disposal: He will be looking to etch his School’s name on the Cup as they do battle with their opposition:
Thurles tornados Niamh O’Mahony and Shauna Cleary starred in their provincial qualifiers with impressive force: Teachers Henry Flynn and Edel Harding will have a difficult task at keeping these two from doing damage next Tuesday as they both have an eye for goal: The team selected are very versatile and this will suit their style of play as they pick their opposition off one by one:
Thomastown natives Grennan College are mindful of the fact that Kilkenny’s Loreto SS claimed the All Ireland Girls title in 2009/10: The black and amber will have their sights set on emulating their neighbour’s successes this season: Ciara and Orla Gardiner, Rebecca Walsh and Rachael Murphy were all outstanding in the Leinster Finals: A repeat performance will be wanted if they are to contest the All Ireland series:
The boys draw will be a closely fought encounter withreigning Champions St: Muredach’s up against Ulster kingpins Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana, Leinster legends St: Peter’s College of Dunboyne and the mighty Munster men of Borrisokane Community College are all bidding for glory:
Borrisokane will be entering next week’s finals as debutants but mentor Orla Cunningham won’t mind this as it takes the pressure off her team: All eyes will be focused on the reigning champions from Ballina so the opposition may feature well under the radar: Will the Borris duo of Martin Grace and Cian Darcy securethe result for the Tipperary side in Gormanston this time around?
William O’Connor will lead his side out as Scoil Mhuire of Buncrana make the long journey South to compete for the ultimate prize of being crowned All Ireland futsal stars:
The Buncrana boys showed great skill at their provincial qualifiers in Letterkenny: Most impressive were Michael Eoin Doherty, Michael Grant, Paul Doherty and Eoin Murphy who all registered on the score sheet that day: Another pivotal player for the Buncrana outfit is Ronan Hegarty who notched up an impressive hat/trick in the three games he featured in: Hegart will definitely be one to watch out for come match day
Brian Lacey and Emmet Peyton have seen this all before having executed a tactical victory in the same venue 12 months previously: The St: Muredach’s side will be like a well oiled machine going into the final day as they go all out to retain their title: The Ballina School had an incredible Provincial performance notching up an outstanding 26 goals on route to the Finals: Conor McStay, Moo Paw and Daniel Maughan were three players that stood out on the day but Lacey and Peyton have a panel of capable players to choose from:
St: Peter’s College are in a similar position to the Convent girls as the School featured in the 2009/10 finals against a determined CBS Limerick: The latter won out 1/3 on the day: Mentors Danny O’Reilly & Donncha McCarrick will be encouraged by their school’s ability to play well under pressure as demonstrated both in their County and Provincial qualifiers:
Stranorlar’s St: Columbas College featured in the same finals as Limerick and Dunboyne in the boys section: This time it’s the girls in the commanding position and Nicola Ryan will want to do the school proud as her team goes in search of glory: The Stranorlar side defeated reigning Ulster and All Ireland Champions Moville Community College in convincing fashion at the Provincial stages and this will give her team a massive boost heading into the finals on Tuesday next:
Gerard Dunne, FAI National Co/ordinator for Schools, Colleges & Universities will oversee proceedings on the day and is very excited by the fixtures on display:
"Futsal is the way we see football being taken forward in the country and from what I have seen at Provincial finals nationwide and in Dublin, it is very encouraging,"
"Players like Fernando Torres have been brought up from a background of playing futsal and it can be a benefit to our young players":
The competition has proven to be very successful at local level and this is evident with the huge numbers of entrants and the sheer quality of futsal being demonstrated: The competition has caught the imagination of everybody involved and should prove highly entertaining for the travelling supporters when the games commence:::
For further information on the event or images of participating schools please contact Diane Fay, FAI Schools on 01 8999 522:
BOYS FIXTURES
Group Stages
11:30 Pitch 1 St: Peter’s v Scoil Mhuire
11:30 Pitch 2 Borrisokane v St: Muredach’s
12:10 Pitch 1 St: Peter’s v Borrisokane
12:10 Pitch 2 Scoil Mhuire v St: Muredach’s
12:40 Pitch 1 St: Peter’s v St: Muredach’s
12:40 Pitch 2 Scoil Mhuire v Borrisokane
1:15 Pitch 2 Third & Fourth Place Play Off
1:40 Pitch 2 FINAL
GIRLS FIXTURES
Group Stages
11:30 Pitch 3 Grennan v St: Columbas
11:30 Pitch 4 Presentation v Convent of Mercy
12:10 Pitch 3 Grennan v Presentation
12:10 Pitch 4 St: Columbas v Convent of Mercy
12:40 Pitch 3 Grennan v Convent of Mercy
12:40 Pitch 4 Presentation v St: Columbas
1:15 Pitch 3 Third & Fourth Place Play Off
1:40 Pitch 3 FINAL
List of participating Schools:
Leinster (Boys) St: Peter’s College, Dunboyne, Meath
Nathan Lee, Colm Dowling, Lavina Adam, Lorcan Conway, Sam McQuaid, Gavin Prior, Darragh Nolan, Lloyd Youngston, Sean Quigley, Sean Nealon, Cian Mullen, Brendan Courtney
Teacher: Danny O’Reilly & Donncha McCarrick
Leinster (Girls) Grennan College, Thomastown, Kilkenny
Niamh Sheehy, Ailis O’Shea, Aoife Holden, Rebecca Walsh, Orla Gardiner, Ciara Gardiner, Christina Begley, Niamh Costigan, Rachel Murphy, Fern Van Rooyen
Teacher: Nicola Murphy
Ulster (Boys) Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana
Toby Doherty, Paul Doherty, Michael Grant, Michael Owen Doherty, Eoin Murphy, James Adair, Ronan Hegarty, Noel McLaughlin, Eamonn Sweeney, John Doherty
Teacher: William O’Connor
Ulster (Girls) St: Columbas College, Stranorlar
Teacher: Nicola Ryan
Munster (Girls) Presentation Secondary School, Thurles
Shonagh Cleary, Christine Coffey, Hazel McAuliffe, Sara McKevitt, Robyn Moore, Niamh O’Mahony, Niamh Ryan, Megan Woodlock
Teacher: Henry Flynn, Edel Harding
Munster (Boys) Borrisokane Community College
Carl Williams, Cian Darcy, Jack Dunne, Martin Grace, Gearoid Larkin, Danny Maguire, Gary Culbert, Stevie Daly, Stephen Burke, Rob Banaghan, Adam Gorman, Darren Mooney
Teacher: Orla Cunningham
Connacht (Boys) St: Mureduch’s College, Ballina, Mayo
Teacher: Brian Lacey & Emmet Peyton
Connacht (Girls) Scoil Muire gan Smal, Convent of Mercy
Arlene Feely, Fiona Tully, Rachel Fitzmaurice, Graínne Whyte, Niamh Farrell, Allanah Hanley, Aisling McGrath, Clare Keegan, Laura Keenan, Patsy Farrell
Teacher: Sean Boland
END