The Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament will launch the first series of events in the FAI Schools calendar this year: The tournament will see the first and second round of games played at Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore while Sunday morning’s fixtures will be played at Athlone IT:
The Interprovincial’s are the first step in the process of selecting the FAI Schools International squad for next year’s Carnegie Centenary Shield competition so as well as provincial honours, there is plenty at stake with sixty four of the top players in Irish schools taking part:
Leinster have a fantastic record in this tournament, having captured the title eight times previously and Manager Paddy O’Reilly will be hoping to make it three in a row this year: The Leinster lads made hard work of it last season, drawing level with Connacht but superior goal difference saw the title return to O’Reilly’s charges:
The team has a wealth of experience in their panel, with the welcome return of Tomas Boyle this season: Tomas was capped last year with the Schools International team and should feature heavily in the Interprovincial series: Unfortunately Jason Dwane, St: Peter’s College, Dunboyne was a late withdrawal from the panel due to a groin injury he picked up at the weekend: He will be replaced by the versatile Leigh Swords of Brunswick Street, CBS:
Paddy O’Reilly has selected a mix of talent from around the Province with players from Athboy, Arklow, Athlone, Baldoyle, Celbridge, Fairview, Leixlip, Malahide, Newbridge, Palmerstown and Swords all represented:
Munster had a rebuilding process this season, which has seen the introduction of new manager, David Dineen: The Clonmel native will be assisted by Darius Delahenty and Gerry Hough (Rockwell College): Indeed Dineen and Delahunty led their school, CBS High School, Clonmel to victory in the FAI Schools 1st Year Boys Cup last season and are no strangers to Schools football:
Munster last won the title in 2006 and Dineen will be hoping for a marked improvement in form from a number of key players:
Munster will see three familiar faces return to the foe: The first to feature is David Cowper of Crescent Comprehensive, Limerick: David has an outstanding record with Crescent capturing the North Munster U16 title in 2008 and claiming an outstanding 3 in a row at U17 level: He plays his club football for Regional United which saw him claim an U16 Cup and League double last season:
Waterford twins, Shane and Brian Nolan also make a return to the squad: The Nolan twins are hoping to follow in their brother, Eddie’s footsteps; with notable International success: Kevin Barry will be the third St: Paul’s student to be selected to the Munster team alongside the Nolan boys: In fact, Brian was drafted into the International Schools set/up last season and he will be hoping to progress to that stage yet again:
Tipperary star Kealan O’Gorman will represent Cashel Community School while Eoin Farrell has been selected for Rockwell College: CBS Tramore see the inclusion of youngsters Craig Vernon and goal keeper Mark O’Reilly:
Newcomer, Paddy Barrett of Mount Sion, Waterford will be hoping to emulate the success of former pupil and Irish International, Noel Hunt:
Cork have three players in the Munster line/up with goalkeeper Alan Burns and Shane Geesley hailing from Colaiste Mhuire, Cobh alongside PBC team mate Andrew Bandarker who are all hoping to make an impact:
The famous Sexton Street, CBS in Limerick will be represented by Lee O’Mara, Gary O’Connor and Cian Byrnes: These players featured in the FAI Schools Boys Senior Final last May which saw them loss their All Ireland crown to St: Joseph’s College of Galway in dramatic style: The Limerick trio will obviously put their experience to good use as they try to defeat their Connacht counterparts in the opening game of the tournament, when they kick off on Friday evening at 5pm in Tullamore:
John Kerr’s Ulster outfit are a new look side with only Marty McGinty of Deele College in Raphoe returning from last season: The net keeper will be hoping to keep his side in contention this year as they failed to get off the mark last season:
The Ulster team can’t escape the Donegal dominance in the line/up which features players from the Aranmore Islands, Stranorlar, Raphoe, Milford, Carndonagh, Moville and Falcarragh:
Cavan have one representative in Conor Moynagh: He will be flying the flag for St: Aidan’s Comprehensive in Cootehill: Monaghan have three players selected with Finian Farrelly of Inver College named as goalkeeper while Clones lads David Masterson and Jack McCarron will represent Largy College:
The rejuvenated team will need to be highly motivated as they kick off their season’s campaign against the impressive Leinster team in the second of the evenings fixtures on Friday at Tullamore (KO 6:30pm)
The Connacht management were late naming their team ahead of this weekend’s crunch encounter:
The St: Muredach’s duo of Brian Lacey and Emmet Peyton take over the reins of the Connacht team this season which shows a strong St: Mary’s presence in the squad: Six players in total will represent the Galway school in what should prove to be an interesting tournament for the westerners: Keeper Ronan Burke, defenders Shane Keogh, James Casserly, midfielder Shane Gallagher and the attacking pairing of Rory Gartlan and Barry McEntee deserve a mention:
Last year the Connacht side were only beaten on goal difference after sharing the leader board with Leinster on 5 points each: Lacey will be hoping that sharp shooters Billy Lane and Padraic Collins will be on song:
Lacey admits that it will be a difficult task to come away with the silverware but he has faith in the selection he has chosen to face Munster in the opening game of the tournament:
Darly Horgan of St: Enda’s College will be a central figure to watch out for, as well as Martin Owens of St Joseph’s Charlestown:
Athenry student Billy Lane will be joined by Sligo’s Barry O’Mahony as they make the cut for the second consecutive season: The boys will be hoping to progress further this year as International management will be in attendance to oversee proceedings:
St: Joseph’s College, Galway who are current FAI Schools Senior All Ireland Champions has surprisingly only one player featuring with Thomas Curran given a deserved call up:
Ballina will see Ross Kenny, Padraic Collins and goalkeeper Mark Duffy reach Provincial level status: While Sligo have the impressive Adam Hynes and Barry O’Mahony ever present in the final selection:
As part of the International trial process, a training squad will be selected by the Irish School’s management team: This consists of Mr: Ollie Horgan (St: Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Mr: Hugh Colhoun (St: Laurance College, Loughlinstown) and Mr: Dave Archbold (Palmerstown School):
This provisional training squad will have a major three day session at the end of the month as well as numerous sessions ahead of their first game of the International season which is scheduled at home to Northern Ireland on St: Patrick’s Day (17 March)
In keeping with the long standing tradition of maintaining the interest in the competition until the final matches on Sunday morning, the draw for Saturday and Sunday’s matches will be made following the games on Friday evening:
This year, Student Travecard has teamed up with the FAI Schools to proudly sponsor the Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament: This mutually beneficial relationship will see the players awarded student travel cards which offer exclusive travel discounts of up to 40% as well as over 200 discounts available for retail outlets, gyms, food and entertainment: Check out www:studenttravelcard:ie for further information
PROVINCIAL PANELS:
Leinster: Craig Hanlon (Athboy Community School), Stephen Traynor (Belvedere College), Robert Gaul (Colaiste Choilm, Swords), Leigh Swords (Brunswick Street, CBS), Tomas Boyle (Salesian College, Celbridge), Shane McInerney (Athlone Community College), Conor Carberry (Pobailscoil Iosa, Malahide), Adam Hanlon (Arklow Community College), Sean Skelly (St: Joseph’s) Michael Gleeson (Chanel College), Jack Tim Murphy (St: Peter’s College, Wexford), Gary Shaw (Patrician Secondary School), Daragh Walshe (St: Kieran’s College), Eoin Fowler (Pobailscoil Neasain, Baldoyle), Jake Carroll (Confey Community College, Leixlip), Greg Murray (Phobailscoil Iosaide, Palmerstown)
Management: Paddy O’Reilly (Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun), John McShane (Dublin Oak Academy), Conor Foley (Athlone Community College), Ger Prendergast (Physio)
Munster: Alan Burns (Colaiste Mhuire, Cobh), Lee O’Mara (CBS, Limerick), Kevin Barry (St: Paul’s Community College, Waterford), David Cowpar (Crescent Comprehensive, Limerick), Brian Nolan (St: Paul’s Community College), Cian Byrnes (CBS, Limerick), Shane Nolan (St: Paul’s Community College), Paddy Barrett (Mt: Sion, Waterford), Kevin Gunne (CBS, Clonmel), Craig Vernon (CBS, Tramore), Gary O’Connor (CBS, Limerick), Kealan O’Gorman (Cashel Community School, Tipperary), Shane Geesley (Colaiste Mhuire), Andrew Bandarker (PBC, Cork), Eoin Farrell (Rockwell College), Mark O’Reilly (CBS, Tramore)
Management: Dave Dineen (CBS, Clonmel), Darius Delahunty (CBS, Clonmel), Gerry Hough (Rockwell College)
Ulster: Marty McGinty (Deele College, Raphoe), Rory Dunleavy (St: Columbas College, Stranorlar), Declan Proctor (Garmscoil Mhic Diarmada, Aranmore Island), Michael Cannon (PCC, Falcarragh), Raymond Foy (Finn Valley College, Stranorlar), Chris McBride (St: Columba’s College), Ryan McClenaghan (Moville Community College), Paul McVeigh (Mulroy College, Milford), Gavin McGlanaghey (Garmscoil Mhic Diarmada), Kieran mcdaid (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Seamus Doherty (Carndonagh Community School), Conor O’Rourke (Finn Valley College), Conor Moynagh (St: Aidan’s Comprehensive, Cootehill), David Materson (Largy College, Clones), Jack McCarron (Largy College), Finian Farrelly (Inver College, Carrickmacross)
Management: John Kerr (Patrician High School, Carrickmacross), Paddy Carr (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Seamus Gallagher (Moville Community College), Conal McBride (Inver College, Carrickmacross):
Connacht: Ronan Burke (St: Mary’s College, Galway), Martin Owens (St: Josephs SS, Charlestown), Shane Keogh (St: Mary’s College), Thomas Curran (St: Joseph’s College, Galway), James Casserly (St: Mary’s College), Ross Kenny (St: Mureduch’s College, Ballina), Shane Gallagher (St: Mary’s College), Daryl Horgan (St: Enda’s College, Galway), Adam Hynes (Summerhill College, Sligo), Billy Lane (Presentation College, Athenry), Padraic Collins (St: Mureduch’s College), Rory Gartlan (St: Mary’s College), Barry McEntee (St: Mary’s College), Barry O’Mahony (Summerhill College), Enda Curran (St: Enda’s College, Galway), Mark Duffy (St: Mureduch’s College)
Management: Brian Lacey & Emmet Peyton (St: Mureduch’s College), Michael Feeney:
IMAGES OF 2008 INTERPROVINCIAL - CLICK HERE
INTERPROVINCIAL FIXTURES:
Friday 16th October (Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore)
5:00pm Munster v Connacht
6:30pm Leinster v Ulster
Saturday 17th October (Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore)
2:00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
4:00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
Sunday 18th October (Athlone IT)
10:00am Fixtures TBC
11:30am Fixtures TBC
BOYS’ INTERNATIONAL FIXTURES:
23/30 January - Friendly / Republic of Ireland v Australia
17 March / Carnegie Centenary Shield - Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland
25 March / Carnegie Centenary Shield / Wales v Republic of Ireland
2 April / Carnegie Centenary Shield / Republic of Ireland v Scotland
12 April - Friendly / Republic of Ireland v New Zealand
30 April / Carnegie Centenary Shield - England v Republic of Ireland
NOTE TO EDITOR
Student Travelcard is Ireland’s leading National student discount card and student website offering exclusive travel discounts of up to 40% on Irish Rail, Dart, Dublin Bus and LUAS and thats 40% on each trip!
There are also over 200 discounts available to cardholders on production of the card in Ireland: These include hotels, heritage centres, gyms, food, entertainment and online:
This year Student Travelcard have partnered with the FAI, Champion Sports, cdwow, AIB, the GAA, McDonald’s, Boots, 02, Topshop, Say it Travel, Peter Mark and the Lash Bar to offer students exclusive discounts with their Student Travelcard:
The card costs €12 and has a 16 month shelf life and is available to any student in full time second or third level education: For more information on the Student Travelcard you can check out www:studenttravelcard:ie