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SPAR5s Munster Finals down for decision on Tuesday & Wednesday in Mounthawk Park, Tralee
Monday, May 7, 2018
36 schools amounting to 288 students from Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford will descend on Mounthawk Park, Tralee tomorrow (May 8) and Wednesday, May 9 with a chance of being crowned SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Munster Champions for 2018.
The event saw 31,728 children participate this year. The competition has been running since the mid 1990’s, the event is more popular than ever with an impressive 1,528 schools involved in 2018.
This season’s 36 schools will line out in six sections based on their school size which is dependent on their enrolment numbers. The small schools will be catered for under the SPAR ‘A’ Cup while the medium schools will participate in the SPAR ‘B’ Cup and the large schools will tog out in the SPAR ‘C’ Cup. Boys and girls are encouraged to play together but there is separate competitions for girls only.
Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director said, “As a community-based retailer, SPAR encourages a healthy and active lifestyle and is proud to be a supporter of primary schools’ soccer in association with the FAI. SPAR local retailers in Munster have been supporting the programme for four years, which encourages children to enjoy the benefits of exercise in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.”
There will be plenty to play for as proceedings get underway in Tralee with a collection of impressive squads all looking to compete at their best. A new line-up will see no defending Champions return this season which is a little surprising given the high calibre of talent in some of these schools. However we will see two runners up return, be it their girls and boys teams in reverse. Last season. Tankerstown NS were runners up in the ‘A’ Cup with the lads but this year, the girls are contesting the honours in their relevant section while Annagh NS were runners up in the girls small schools section, the boys are competing for the title this time out! Also making a welcome return is St. John the Baptist GNS from Cashel who claimed a second place finish last season in the SPAR Girls ‘C’ Cup, can they do one better this week?
The host County are well represented with Kenmare outfit, Cahir NS, Kilgarvan Central School, Scoil Naomh Padráig Measc, Caherleaheen, Faha NS, The Mon NS, Killarney and Holy Cross Mercy, Killarney all qualifying for the Kingdom. Can these schools use home advantage to ensure their progression to the next round? Presentation Monastery in Killarney won Munster as far back as 2000 and were finalists at the Nationals in the ‘B’ Cup that year. It will be interesting to see how the squad do now in the SPAR ‘C’ Cup 18 years later!
Cork have Beara’s Trafrask NS, Coachford NS, Scoil Íosagáin, Aghada, Clogheen Kerry Pike NS, Glasheen NS and St. Columba’s GNS all in the mix and ready to impress. The Aghada crew previously won Munster titles in 2006 with runners up spot in the Nationals in the Girls ‘A’ Cup while the boys came fourth in 2013 in the ‘B’ Cup. The long wait is over, can they claim another piece of history in the coming days?
Burncourt NS, Tankerstown NS, Upperchurch NS, Thurles, Corville NS, St. John the Baptist BNS and St. John the Baptist GNS will fly the flag for Tipperary. In 2017, both Nenagh CBS and Little Flower NS were crowned Munster starlets, can any of these six schools replicate such success in 2018?
Limerick have St. James NS, Cappagh, Croagh NS, Oola NS, Ballingarry NS, Monaleen NS and An Modhscoil all in contention for some silverware. Six years ago, the girls from Monaleen won the Munster and National title in the Girls ‘B’ Cup, can the boys do something similar in the SPAR ‘C’ Cup this season?
The Deise will travel with Dunhill NS, Ballyfacey NS, Waterford Educate Together NS, Piltown NS, the experienced St. Declan’s NS and St. Ursula’s NS all lining out with some fantastic performances in their County deciders. Piltown are no strangers to this competition having featured in three previous occasions at the National Finals in 2003 and 2004 and more recently with a third place finish in 2012 in the Girls ‘A’ Cup.
The talented Annagh NS of Milton Malbay, Crusheen NS, Killaloe BNS, Kilmurry NS, Barefield NS, Ennis and Holy Family Senior School also of Ennis will relish the opportunity to showcase their talents in a large setting in Tralee as proud Clare representatives. The Milton Malbay crew last won provincial honours in 2012 when they reached a fourth place podium finish at the Nationals that year.
Following the conclusion of the Munster Finals, the six Cup winners will test themselves against the best in Ireland as they travel to the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on May 30 for the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s National Finals.
LIST OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
SPAR ‘A’ Cup (small schools)
Cork Trafrask NS, Beara
Kerry Cahir NS, Kenmare
Tipperary Burncourt NS, Cahir
Limerick St. James NS, Cappagh
Waterford Dunhill NS
Clare Annagh NS, Milton Malbay
SPAR ‘A’ Girls Cup (small schools)
Cork Coachford NS
Kerry Kilgarvan Central School
Tipperary Tankerstown NS
Limerick Croagh NS
Waterford Ballyfacey NS
Clare Crusheen NS
SPAR ‘B’ Cup (medium schools)
Cork Scoil Íosagáin, Aghada
Kerry Scoil Naomh Pádraig Measc, Caherleaheen
Tipperary Upperchurch NS, Thurles
Limerick Oola NS
Waterford Educate Together NS, Carrickpherish
Clare Killaloe BNS
SPAR ‘B’ Girls Cup (medium schools)
Cork Clogheen Kerry Pike NS
Kerry Faha NS
Tipperary Corville NS, Roscrea
Limerick Ballingarry NS
Waterford Piltown NS
Clare Kilmurry NS
SPAR ‘C’ Cup (large schools)
Cork Glasheen BNS
Kerry The Mon NS, Killarney
Tipperary St. John’s the Baptist BNS, Cashel
Limerick Monaleen NS
Waterford St. Declan’s NS
Clare Barefield NS, Ennis
SPAR ‘C’ Girls Cup (large schools)
Cork St. Columba’s GNS, Douglas
Kerry Holy Cross Mercy, Killarney
Tipperary St. John the Baptist GNS, Cashel
Limerick An Modhscoil
Waterford St. Ursula’s NS, Ballytruckle
Clare Holy Family Senior School, Ennis
Follow the action on social media via #SPAR5s or at www.faischools.ie and www.spar.ie.
SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Programme
PROVINCIAL
Ulster Final: May 2 John Sherlock Park, Cootehill Harps FC, Co. Cavan
Connacht Final: May 3 Solar21 Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Munster Final: May 8+9 Mounthawk Park, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Leinster Final: May 10 MDL Grounds, Trim Road, Navan, Co. Meath
NATIONAL
National Final: May 30 Aviva Stadium, Dublin
For more information:
Diane Fay, FAI Schools - Diane.Fay@fai.ie / 086 0404 952
Kio Lopez, Teneo PSG – Kio.lopez@teneopsg.com / 086 014 4914
IMAGES
Cork | https://www.facebook.com/pg/faischools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1979771125387775
Kerry | https://www.facebook.com/pg/faischools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1986241581407396
Tipperary |https://www.facebook.com/pg/faischools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1989961944368693
Limerick | https://www.facebook.com/pg/faischools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=198537094482779
Waterford | https://www.facebook.com/pg/faischools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1985380141493540
Clare | https://www.facebook.com/pg/faischools/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1989776001053954
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