This weekend sees the 2023 Boys' Interprovincial Tournament kick off

FAI Schools Under 18 Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament

Team announcement ahead of tournament

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

This weekend will see sixty-eight of the top players in Irish schools’ line out for the FAI Schools Under 18 Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament which will take place in the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh.

Munster come into Friday’s showcase as defending Champions having won the contest last season. It wasn’t a bad start for Billy Woods, Glanmire CC teacher as he assumed the reigns in 2021. 

The Munster side only needed a point in the final game of the series as they narrowly defeated Leinster in the opening contest and followed this up with a draw against the defending Champions Connacht on match day two. They finished off the series in confident fashion with a 3-0 victory over Ulster to claim top spot.  Woods was delighted with the Munster performance given they netted five excellent goals only conceding once, with two clean sheets.

It's always a seriously close encounter so this year’s event will be no different. The standard of football should be exciting to watch as a whopping 20 players will return from last season. This also ensure some valuable experience among the sides. 

The reigning Champions will see the return of Rhys KELLY NOONAN (Coláiste Muire, Crosshaven), Patryk SWIECZKA-ANDRZEJCZAK, (Glanmire Community College), Matthew KIERNAN, Noah SOWINSKI (St. Francis College, Rochestown) and Michael DIKE (Thomond Community College).

While Alan Murphy will love to see the team strenghened with the additions of James MURPHY (Calasanctius College, Oranmore),  Conor REYNOLDS, (Rice College, Westport), Tommy LILLIS (St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway), Junior THIAM (Coláiste Éinde, Salthill), Dara KAVANAGH &, Kyle FITZGERALD (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Co na Gaillimhe) in the Connacht ranks.

Thomas BRADY (Largy College, Clones), Shaunie BRADLEY, Darragh COYLE (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), James McATEER (Loreto Community School, Milford), Kevin MULDOON (Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town) and Adam McDAID (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny) will all feature for the Ulster select for a second consecutive year.

Ian Ryan sees Shane TRACEY (St. Mary’s College, Dundalk), Tom McLOUGHLIN (Malahide Community School) and Aidan RUSSELL VARGAS (Lusk Community College) making a comeback for Leinster.

It’s also worth noting that Rhys Kelly Noonan and Aidan Russell Vargas were capped for the Republic of Ireland Schools just twelve months ago.

The Interprovincial series will be the first step in the process of selecting the FAI Schools International squad which will compete in the SAFIB Centenary Shield competition against Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.

Derek O’BRIEN (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore) replaces John McShane as International Schools Head Coach this season. Speaking ahead of tournament, O’Brien noted that ‘the weekend is a fantastic opportunity for the players to show what they are capable of. He’s excited to see the matchups and hopefully spot some future Senior Internationals in their midst’.

Having rose through the Interprovincial ranks for nearly eight years, the Waterford teacher won the Interprovincial title once during his tenure. Alan Browne (Nagle Community College) was involved in their successful victory in 2012.

O’Brien will relish the opportunity to manage at International Schools level. The Republic of Ireland last won the SAFIB Centenary Shield in 2018 so he will be looking to make his mark early on in the campaign. The Schools select will play Australia in an International Friendly on January 20 in Home Farm FC before the International test commences.

Scotland are first up on February 29 while a week later the Irish host neighbours Northern Ireland on March 7. Both those fixtures will take place in Athlone Town AFC. Then the crew will travel to take on England on April 5 while they finish the series away to defending Champions Wales on April 18.

With this in mind, all eyes will be on the Interprovincial series to scout for the best talent on display within our network of post primary schools. The three-day event will see a series of six matches played with Provinces awarded two points for a win and one point for a draw. The format leaves for an exciting finale in the Sunday morning outings.

We look forward to a competitive outing on Friday evening with the four teams in action as Connacht take on Ulster at 4pm while Leinster entertain last year’s winners Munster at 5.30pm.

In keeping with the long-standing tradition of maintaining the interest in the competition until the final matches on Sunday, the draw for Saturday’s and Sunday’s matches will be made following the games on Friday evening.

INTERPROVINCIAL PANELS

CONNACHT | James MURPHY (Calasanctius College, Oranmore),  Conor REYNOLDS, Conor CANNON (Rice College, Westport), Billy REGAN, Tommy LILLIS, Charlie COX (St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway), Junior THIAM (Coláiste Éinde, Salthill), Callum LYNCH, Daire PATTON (Summerhill College, Sligo),  Dara KAVANAGH, Kyle FITZGERALD (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Co na Gaillimhe), Evan MORAN, Donnacha SAMMON, Eoin HANNON (Presentation College, Athenry), Rory WALSH, Ciaran NOLAN (Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew), Kyle McDONAGH (St. Attracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry)

Management | Alan Murphy, Alex Lee (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Keith McTigue (Coach)

LEINSTER | Shane TRACEY (St. Mary’s College, Dundalk), Tom McLOUGHLIN (Malahide Community School), Aidan RUSSELL VARGAS (Lusk Community College) Filip WASILEWSKI (Wexford CBS), Sean MACKEY (Coláiste Chiaráin, Leixlip), Kyle DONOHUE (Kildare Town Community School), Callum TRAVERS DOYLE (St. Fintan’s High School), Caleb O’NEILL (Piper’s Hill College, Naas), Alain KIZENGA (St. Mac Dara’s Community College), Mark ISONG, Hugh SMITH (Belvedere College), Aaron MOLONEY (Gaelcholáiste Reachrann), Markus STRODS (St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush), Seán KEOGH (Skerries Community College), Andy PARASCHIV (Ardgillan Community College), Noah DOUGLAS (Coláiste Ráithín, Bray), Edwinas JAKAS (Lucan Community College)

Management | Ian Ryan, Conor Canavan (St. Mac Dara’s Community College, Templeogue), Fintan Sheridan (St. Kevin’s Community College, Clondalkin), John Power (Physio)

MUNSTER | Rhys KELLY NOONAN (Coláiste Muire, Crosshaven), Patryk SWIECZKA-ANDRZEJCZAK, Luke DOWNEY (Glanmire Community College), Matthew KIERNAN, Matthew MURRAY, Dara McCORMICK, Noah SOWINSKI (St. Francis College, Rochestown), Michael DIKE (Thomond Community College), Robbie LYNCH (Hazelwood College, Limerick), Aaron CASS (Abbey Community College, Waterford), Callum HONOHAN (Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline), Callum COSTELLO (Comeragh College, Carrick on Suir), Evan LYNCH (Christian Brothers College, Cork), Zak O’SULLIVAN (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore), Evan GEARY (St. Colman’s College, Fermoy), Seán RICHMOND (Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig), Rory MOLONEY (Presentation Brothers College, Cork)

Management | Billy Woods (Glanmire Community College),  Brian Nolan (Mount Sion CBS, Waterford), Kevin Condon (Coláiste Dun Íascaigh, Cahir),  David Browne (Physio)

ULSTER | Thomas BRADY (Largy College, Clones), Shaunie BRADLEY, Darragh COYLE (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), James McATEER (Loreto Community School, Milford), Kevin MULDOON (Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town), Adam McDAID, Luca BARRETT, Jack KEYS (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), Liam CARLIN (St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar), Conall ALFRED (Coláiste Oiriall, Muineachán), Oisin COONEY, Nathan McDAID, Tierna RUDDY, Brendan McLAUGHLIN (Carndonagh Community School), Seaghan McCORMICK (Gairmscoil Chú Uladh), Conor McGRANAGHAN (Deele College, Raphoe), Luke MULLIGAN (Ballybay Comunity College)

Management | Oisín McMenamin (St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar), Gary McHugh (Royal School, Cavan), Alan Boal (Royal & Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe)

UNDER 18 BOYS’ INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT | AUL COMPLEX, CLONSHAUGH

Friday, December 8

4.00pm Ulster vs Connacht

5.30pm  Munster vs Leinster

Saturday, December 9

3.00pm  Match 3

4.30pm  Match 4  

Sunday, December 10

10.30am  Match 5

11.30am   Match 6

Roll of Honour | Boys’ Interprovincial Tournament Winners

END