PREVIEW | Allen McKinstry Cup | St. Joseph's College all set for this weekend's tournament

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Allen McKinstry Cup

Schools Association Football International Board (SAFIB) Home Nations

First Year Boys Cup Champions (U14)

 

St. Joseph’s College, Galway fly the flag for the

Republic of Ireland

 

Thursday, May 24, 2018

 

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, GALWAY jetted off to Glasgow this evening (Thursday, May 24) in preparation for the Allen McKinstry Cup which kicks off this weekend.

 

The three day event will see the FAI Schools representatives take on two qualifiers from Scotland and Wales while they hope the results go their way for the positional play-offs on Sunday morning as the impressive Toryglen Regional Football Centre plays host.

 

Scotland as host nation can select two representatives to participate in the competition which will see two Glasgow based schools do battle as Holyrood Secondary and defending Champions St. Ninian’s High School selected. Other competitors include Christian Brothers School, Omagh, Tyrone (Northern Ireland), St. Thomas More School (England), Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr (Wales) as well as the Galway men all in contention for title honours.

  

Now in its eleventh year, the Republic of Ireland representatives have had some notable successes winning on three occasions.

 

FAI Schools hosted the tournament in 2016 which saw St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny go all the way and claim glory with Douglas Community School coming runners up that season.

 

Oranmore’s Calasanctius College were crowned Champions having captured top spot in Belfast three years ago.  Those included in the squad that day were Adam Rooney, Aaron Connolly and Ronan

Manning.

 

Previous to that, when FAI Schools last hosted on home soil in 2012, it was the turn of Ulster crew St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny taking the title as the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh facilitated the tournament with St. Joseph’s College, Galway coming a gallant fifth that year.  Stars like John Kennedy and Conor Melody lined out that weekend for the Bish and it is ironical that they’re both back in the management setup at the School now coaching the future generation.

 

Similar to the Bish, St. Brendan’s College, Killarney have qualified twice for this tournament and were runners up four years ago and managed a fourth place finish last season.

 

The Galway crew under the stewardship of Robert Grealish and Barry McDermott will be hoping to replicate their extraordinary Cup form with some top class performances over the coming days.

 

Captain Gary Higgins and his charges will be looking forward to the challenge having captured the Bank of Ireland FAI Schools First Year Boys National Cup title last season which saw them qualify for this event.

 

Building on their superb 2016 campaign, the same panel of players claimed National Cup success last month when they captured the Under 15 National Minor Cup, the next grade up. The momentum is with the lads now and they need to get points on the board early. The Galway side will face Holyrood Secondary in the first outing on Friday evening while they’re pipped against Welsh side Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr on Saturday morning before the play-offs on Sunday.      

 

#AllenMcKinstryCup

 

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE, GALWAY | Darragh O’Leary, Aaron McHugh, Matthew Mulvaney, Keane Griffin, Ciaran Kinsella (GK), Calum Loomes, Benicio Sehe, Brian Okoye, Aaron Kavanagh, Gary Higgins (Captain), Liam Melody, Darragh O’Malley, James Egan (GK), Adam White, Luke O’Gorman, Rory O’Brien, Conall Gallagher, Harry Browne, Churchill Idemudia, Ronan Bambara

MANAGEMENT STAFF | Robert Grealish, Barry McDermott, Cathal McGinn & John Kennedy KIT MAN | Neil Alone

LIST OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

 

Christina Brothers School, Omagh, Tyrone                            Northern Ireland  

St. Thomas More School                                                                England

Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr                                                Wales

St. Joseph’s College, Galway                                                       Republic of Ireland

St. Ninian’s High School, Giffnock                                              Scotland

Holyrood Secondary, Glasgow                                                    Scotland

 

Fixtures | Toryglen Regional Football Centre

 

Friday, May 25, 2018, KO 4.30pm

St. Ninian’s HS, Giffnock vs Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr         

Holyrood Secondary, Glasgow vs St. Joseph’s College

Christian Brothers School vs St. Thomas More School 

 

Saturday, May 26, 2018 KO 10.30am

St. Ninian’s HS, Giffnock vs Christian Brothers School

Holyrood Secondary, Glasgow vs St. Thomas More School 

Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr vs St. Joseph’s College

 

Sunday, May 27, 2018 KO 10.30am

Positional Play-Offs 1 vs 2 and

Teams finishing in places 3-6 after day 2 will be paired with a team they have not yet played on day 1 or day 2. 

 

Allen McKinstry Cup Roll of Honour

 

YEAR

WINNER

2017

St. Ninian’s High School, Glasgow

2016

 St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny

2015

Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Galway

2014

Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg, Plasmawr, Cymru

2013

Bannerman HS, Scotland

2012

St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, Donegal

2011

St. Columb's College, Northern Ireland

2010

St. Ambrose HS, Scotland

2009

Forest School, Wokingham, England

2008

Dumfries Academy, Scotland

 

 

Republic of Ireland Representatives

 

YEAR

SCHOOL

2017

St. Brendan’s College, Killarney

2016

St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny*

Douglas Community School, Cork

Dublin Oak Academy, Bray

2015

Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Galway*

2014

St. Brendan’s College, Killarney, Kerry

2013

Gorey Community School, Wexford

2012

St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, Donegal*

St. Joseph’s College, Galway

2011

St. Joseph’s SS, Rochfortbridge, Westmeath

2010

Limerick CBS, Sexton Street

2009

De La Salle College, Waterford

2008

Coláiste Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown, Cork

*Winners