Letterkenny’s Aura Leisure Centre will play host to the Ulster Post Primary Schools First Year Futsal Finals on Thursday next, November 24:
The competition caters for boys and girls in first year only which delivers a quality fast paced action packed game focusing on skill, speed and technique:
Futsal is an indoor version of association football: It is played between two teams of five players, one of whom is the goalkeeper, and up to seven substitutes per team: Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the game is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines; walls or boards are not used:
Futsal is also played with a smaller ball with less bounce than a regulation football: The rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces:
Schools from Monaghan, Cavan, Inishowen and Donegal will participate in this event which will see 96 players representing 8 qualifying schools from 3 counties do battle:
The competition should be wide open with many of the schools involved for the first year ever at this level: In 2009, Inver College in Carrickmacross captured the prestigious title in the girls section while Monaghan Collegiate School won the boys category:
In 2010, Bailieborough Community School won the girls section while St: Columbas College were crowned Ulster Champions that year: Last year it was Moville Community College who won the girls and Patrician High School, Carrickmacross that were named Ulster stars: Both schools will be back in contention to retain their titles but judging the standard of futsal featured at their county qualifiers, it’s anyone’s ball game:
Donegal will see Farcarragh Community School and Stranorlar Community School represented as well as Inishowen’s Scoil Mhuire and the Moville Community College:
St: Mogue’s and Breifne College see them fly the flag for Cavan while Monaghan’s Patrician High School and Largy College of Clones will relish the challenge of going one stepper further this season:
In the Monaghan qualifiers Largy College were unfortunate not to feature dual teams in both sections as they treated Colm McEneaney’s Patrician to a 12 goal thriller: The latter enjoying the spoils as they finished up 7/5 winners to retain their title and thus make some small history with the Carrick school being the only school to retain their title in this competitive field:
The Cavan deciders were evenly matched with the Breifne girls winning the competition on penalties against a rebellious Royal College: Meanwhile the Bawnboy boys beat hosts Breifne 2/1 in their opener and drew with the Royal in an exciting final group game for the school to advance on goal difference: The Cavan teams definitely making it an entertaining event for any neutral spectator:
Noreen Meehan’s, Moville and McEneaney’s Patrician did their Province proud at All Ireland level when both schools came a respectable third place in the finale: The two teachers will be looking at their new squads with anticipation as they take to the stage in Letterkenny later this week:
For further information on the event please contact the competition co/ordinator Stephen McNutt 087/2499/399
List of participating Schools:
Monaghan (Boys) Patrician High School, Carrickmacross
Monaghan (Girls) Largy College, Clones
Cavan (Boys) St: Mogue’s College, Bawnboy
Cavan (Girls) Breifne College, Cavan
Inishowen (Boys) Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana
Inishowen (Girls) Moville Community School
Donegal (Boys) Farcarragh Community School
Donegal (Girls) Stranorlar Community School
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