Leah Victoria Park in Tullamore plays host to this year’s Interprovincial Tournament which will take place from 10 – 12 October 2008.
The Interprovincial’s are the first step in the process of selecting the FAI Schools International squad for next year’s 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 will be confident heading to Tullamore with an excellent record in this tournament and Manager Paddy O’Reilly (Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun) will be hoping for a huge performance from the lads in defence of their title.
The Leinster squad shows a breadth of influence from throughout the province with O’Reilly selecting players from Dunboyne, Athlone, Arklow, Kilkenny, Navan, as well as Celbridge, Bray and Dublin.
Joining O’Reilly’s management team will be Assistant Manager, Mr. John McShane (Dublin Oak Academy) and Coach, Mr. Conor Foley (Athlone Community College). The Leinster selection will have just two faces from last season’s squad with Garvan Broughall of Athlone Community College and Carl Forsyth of Cabinteely Community School returning to the panel.
The Connacht management duo of Mr. Coley Kelly and Mr. Dominic Lally both from St. Joseph’s College, Galway have their squad well prepared for the tournament and will be confident that the squad will be stronger this year and may even break the Leinster dominance.
The Connacht squad have Robbie Benson of Marist College, Athlone and Gary Kelly of St. Joseph’s College returning this season to provide some experience to the panel. Colaiste Einde, Galway has two representatives on the panel with Brian Conlon and Enda Curran eager to feature.
Munster has a wealth of experience with Jason Hughes of Limerick CBS, who was capped for FAI Schools last season making a return. Joining him is school colleague, Eoin Hanrahan and Ian Storan of Crescent College Comprehensive. St. Paul’s Community College in Waterford will be represented by twin brothers Brian and Shane Nolan. The Nolan brothers are following in the footsteps of their older brother, Eddie (Blackburn Rovers) who is captain of the Republic of Ireland U21 side.
Mick Molyneaux has included four players from Douglas Community School in Cork. Edward Finn, John Forrest, Dean Kelly and Sean Moynihan will be hoping to impress the International selectors this weekend. There is good geographical diversity in this year’s Munster selection with schools from Cobh, Carrigaline, Clonmel, Limerick City and County, Waterford City and County and Carrick-On-Suir making the cut. The Munster men will be hoping to produce the same style that saw them capture the prestigious title in 2006.
Mr. Ollie Horgan has stepped down as team manager this season after many years of excellent service to Ulster. Ollie will now take up the position of International team coach. Mr. John Kerr (Patrician College, Carrickmacross) has been appointed to the vacant manager’s position. Joining him will be Mr. Paddy Carr (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana) and Seamus Gallagher (Moville Community College).
Ulster has two familiar faces returning to the squad this season with Eric Roberts of Loreto Community College, Milford and Aaron Carey, St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan making the grade. Deele College, Raphoe have three representatives in the Ulster selection, namely Marty McGinty, Barry O’Donnell and Chris Bogle. St. Eunan’s College also have three students, with Josh Mailey, Cillian Morrison and Garbhan Grant hoping to impress. Philip O’Callaghan of Largy College, Clones will feature alongside Jimmy Fallon from St. Patrick’s College, Cavan but this will not overshadow Donegal’s dominance in the Ulster grouping.
As part of the International trial process, a training squad will be selected by the Irish School’s management team. Mr. Ollie Horgan (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny) will join the fray as Coach this year together with Manager Mr. Hugh Colhoun (St. Laurance College, Loughlinstown) and Assistant Manager, 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 a numerous sessions ahead of their first game of the International season which is scheduled at home to Wales on the 26th of February 2009.
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.
FIXTURES
Friday 10th October: Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore
5.00pm Leinster v Connacht
6.30pm Munster v Ulster
Saturday 11th October: Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore
2.00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
3.30pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
Sunday 12th October: Athlone
10.00am TBC
11.00am TBC
PROVINCIAL SQUADS
LEINSTER: Ryan O’Flaherty (St. Kevin’s CBS), Jason Dwayne (St. Peter’s College, Dunboyne), James Scallan (Arklow Community College), Garvan Broughall (Athlone Community College), Tomas Boyle (Salesian College, Celbridge), Paul Corry (Belvedere College), Shane Murray (Arklow Community College), Gareth Callaghan (Hartstown Community School), Jimmy Kedhane (Kilkenny CBS), Carl Forsyth (Cabinteely Community School), Michael Whelan (St. Brendan’s College, Bray), Gary Burke (Larkin College), Craie Rothery (Firhouse College), Stephen Relihan (Athlone Community College), Craie Walshe (Drimnagh Castle), David Quirke (St. Patrick’s School, Navan)
Management: Paddy O’Reilly (Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun), John McShane (Dublin Oak Academy), Conor Foley (Athlone Community College), Ger Prendergast (Physio)
MUNSTER: Edward Finn (Douglas Community School, Cork) Pierce Donnachie (Cobh Community College), Ian Storan (Crescent College Comprehensive), John Forrest (Douglas Community School), David Cowpar (Crescent College Comprehensive), Brian Nolan (St. Paul’s Community College, Waterford), Wayne Bruton (Carrigaline Community School), Jason Hughes (Limerick CBS), Evan McGuire (Clonmel), Shane Nolan (St. Paul’s Community School), Eoin Hanrahan (Limerick CBS), Dean Kelly (Doughlas Community School), Sean Moynihan (Douglas Community School), Zach Shanahan (Tramore CBS), Damian McCarthy (Carrick CBS), Josh Byrne (De La Salle College, Waterford).
Management: Michael Molyneaux (Limerick CBS) and David Dineen (High School, Clonmel)
CONNACHT: Gerard Hanley (St. Josephs College), Philip Ryan (St. Mary’s College), Gary Kelly (St. Joseph’s College), Neil Harney (St. Aloysius, Athlone), Jason Finn (Holy Rosary, Mountbellow), Barry O’Mahoney (Summerhill College, Sligo), Brian Conlon (Colaiste Einde), Danny Fallon (Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh), Robbie Benson (Marist College, Athlone), Peter Drevins (St. Gerard’s College, Castlebar), Brian Gaffney (St. Joseph’s College), Noel Varley (Clifden Community College), Eric Holland (St. Mary’s College), Billy Lane (Presentation College, Athenry), Enda Curran (Colaiste Einde), Conor Winne (St. Josephs College).
Management: Coley Kelly and Dominic Lally (St. Joseph’s College)
ULSTER: Marty Mc Ginty (Deele College, Raphoe), Chris Bogle (Deele College, Raphoe), Owen Ward (Pobail Scoil Gaoth Dobhair), Garbhan Grant (St. Eunans College, Letterkenny), Darren Mc Geever (PCC Falcarragh) Barry O Donnell (Deele College, Raphoe) Thomas Mc Monagle (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Cillian Morrison (St. Eunans College, Letterkenny), Josh Mailey (St. Eunans College, Letterkenny), Eric Roberts (Loreto Community College, Milford) Jack Keys (Moville Community College) Johnny Bonner (Scoil Mhuire Buncrana), Seimi Friel (Mulroy College, Milford), Aaron Carey (St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan), Jimmy Fallon (St. Patricks College, Cavan), Philip O Callaghan (Largy College, Clones).
Management: John Kerr (Patrician College, Carrickmacross), Paddy Carr (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Seamus Gallagher (Moville Community College)
END
