Schools Football

Aviva Health FAI Primary School 5’s National Finals Preview   Stage set for Aviva Finals on Saturday   Monday, May 20, 2013   AVIVA STADIUM will play host for the first time ever to this year’s Aviva Health FAI Primary School 5’s National Finals on Saturday, May 25 (12 noon to 3pm).   This Saturday (May 25) will see the future stars of the game entertain the crowds in Aviva as the Aviva Health FAI Primary Schools 5’s comes to its climax. The event will be a family fun day focused on providing participants and spectators alike with huge excitement and entertainment, making it a day to remember for all involved. Activities kick off at 12pm.   After three months of competitions, the final twenty schools advance from their provincial finals to the ultimate stage, the National Finals. Over 16,000 children from all over Ireland participated in this, the biggest and best competition in the 2013 Primary Schools Soccer Calendar.  Schools battled it out in county qualifiers nationwide before advancing firstly to regional finals, and then to provincial deciders.   There are four sections catering for different schools including, “A” Schools and Girls “A” Schools for small sized schools. Medium sized schools are catered for under the “B” Schools section, and finally “C” Schools accommodate the large schools section.   The National Finals will see 160 participants from 12 counties compete for this prestigious title. Schools from Roscommon (3), Galway, Mayo, Tipperary (2), Clare, Cork (2), Cavan, Donegal, Inishowen (3), Longford (2), Louth, Kildare and Meath will fight it out in their respective categories for the top prize of being crowned All Ireland Aviva Health FAI Primary 5’s Champions for 2013.   Everyone’s a winner in this competition with participants receiving an umbro kit and Aviva Health commemorative medal for their participation in this year’s National Finals.   At today’s National Finals launch, players from St. Michael’s NS, Trim and Scoil Mochua’s Celbridge were in attendance at Aviva Stadium in advance of Saturday’s finals. St. Michael’s NS will participate in the large schools ‘C’ Section, while the girls from Scoil Mochua will line out for Leinster in the Girls ‘B’ Section.   The participants were joined at today’s launch with previous primary school All Ireland winners, and current underage internationals, Gemma McGuinness, Sarah Rowe and Lauren Dwyer.   WU19 International players, Gemma McGuinness and Sarah Rowe participated in the All Ireland Finals in 2008. Both girls captured gold for their respective schools in the Girls ‘A’ Section and Girls ‘B’ Section. Sarah lined out for St. Oliver Plunkett’s NS, while Gemma played with Greencastle NS.   WU17 International star Lauren Dwyer is another student who participated in the competition for Bennekerry NS in Carlow in 2009, winning gold at the National Finals for the first time in the School’s history.   Men’s underage internationals Conor Levingston, Michael Quigley and Adam Dunbar were also present at today’s launch, and are all alumni of the competition. Conor Levingston represented St. Joseph’s NS in Gorey in 2009, while his fellow students Michael Quigley and Adam Dunbar lined out in 2010. The trio picked up first place finishes at the National Finals in consecutive years.     NATIONAL FINALISTS   CONNACHT - WINNERS: Section “A” Schools:                       Lisaniskey NS, Roscommon Section “A” Girls Schools:             Cregmore NS, Galway Section “B” Schools:                        Summerhill NS, Athlone, Roscommon Section “B” Girls Schools:              Summerhill NS, Athlone, Roscommon Section “C” Schools:                       St. Patrick’s NS, Castlebar, Mayo   MUNSTER - WINNERS: Section “A” Schools:                       Ballyneale NS, Tipperary Section “A” Girls Schools:             St. Joseph’s NS, Miltown Malbay, Clare Section “B” Schools:                        Scoil Iosagain, Aghada, Cork Section “B” Girls Schools:              St. Mary’s NS, Tipperary Section “C” Schools:                       St. Columba’s BNS, Douglas, Cork   ULSTER - WINNERS: Section “A” Schools:                       Mullahoran NS, Cavan Section “A” Girls Schools:             Scoil Mhuire, Glenties, Donegal Section “B” Schools:                        Carndonagh BNS, Inishowen Section “B” Girls Schools:              Whitecastle NS, Inishowen Section “C” Schools:                       Scoil Iosagain, Buncrana, Inishowen   LEINSTER - WINNERS: Section “A” Schools:                       Fermoyle NS, Longford Section “A” Girls Schools:             Stonepark NS, Longford Section “B” Schools:                        Monastery NS, Ardee, Louth Section “B” Girls Schools:              Scoil Mochua, Celbridge, Kildare Section “C” Schools:                       St. Michael’s NS, Trim, Co. Meath     ENDS