IT Sligo will contest the national third level futsal finals in Waterford IT in January, after winning their regional section yesterday.
The Sligo college hosted the regional qualifiers at the Knocknarea Arena, and beat GMIT’s two teams, and Athlone IT to qualify as section winners.
The IT Sligo students scored ten goals and conceded none in their four games to secure their passage to the national finals.
Earlier in the week, St Attracta’s Community School finished second in the girls section of the national first year futsal finals.
They Tubbercurry girls won two of their three games at the finals, only losing narrowly to eventual champions Presentation Secondary School from Cork.
Two second-half goals for St. Attracta’s helped them defeat St. Leo’s College (Carlow) 2-0, while two goals from Lya Gilhooly saw Presentation Secondary School defeat Donegal’s Carndonagh Community School 2-1.
Cork’s Ballypheane were the only side with a 100% record after two matches. They defeated St. Attracta’s 2-1 with Sophie Thompson scoring the crucial winner.
St Leo’s won their first match of the tournament with 4-2 win over Carndonagh in their second match. Emma Walker scored either side of the break to ensure the Carlow side earned the three points.
The final round of fixtures saw St. Leo’s defeat the previously unbeaten Presentation SS 6-2, while St. Attracta’s defeated Carndonagh CS 3-1.
After three games, St. Leo’s College, Presentation SS and St. Attracta’s all won two games and entered a three-way round-robin penalty shoot-out to crown the National Champions.
Presentation SS won both of their shootouts, while St. Attracta’s defeated St Leo’s to claim the silver medals.
Speaking after the tournament, FAI National Co-ordinator for Schools and Third Level Football Mark Scanlon was delighted with the level on show.
"I would like to congratulate St. Francis College Rochestown and Presentation Secondary School, Ballyphenane on becoming National Champions, in particular St Francis who came second last year in the boys competition.
"We had teams from six counties taking part in today’s competitions and the standard was at an all-time high.
"It was brilliant to see the skill and passion on show today at the WIT Arena from the players on court. Overall the tournament has been a massive success in 2017 and we are delighted with the increased participation in Futsal at Primary and Post-Primary level this year, with over 16,000 students taking part."
Players of the Tournament: Harry Nevin (St. Francis College) and Katie Collins Byrne (St. Leo's College)
Boys Results
Carndonagh CS 2-3 St. Francis College
Good Counsel College 3-1 St. Joseph’s College
Carndonagh CS 2-5 Good Counsel College
St. Francis College 6-0 St. Joseph’s College
Carndonagh CS 2-0 St. Joseph’s College
St Francis College 5-1 Good Counsel College
Girls Results
St. Leo’s College 0-2 St. Attracta’s CS
Carndonagh CS 1-2 Presentation SS
St. Leo’s College 4-2 Carndonagh CS
St. Attracta’s CS 1-2 Presentation SS
St Leo’s College 6-2 Presentation SS
St. Attracta’s CS 3-1 Carndonagh CS
St. Attracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry, Sligo | Macayla Burke, Leah Walsh, Rebecca Doddy, Eryn Lavin, Ellen Kelleher, Patrice Conboy, Nisha McDonagh, Cría Flanagan, Holly Gannon, Katie Cunney, Gráinne Scanlon, Fiona Whitehead
Teachers | Andrew Flynn & Hughie Harvey
