As the Ireland Senior Men and Women teams gear up for their respective outings at the Aviva, so too, do our future generation of young stars, as the countdown to the FAI Schools Primary 5s National Finals takes centre stage.

Aviva Stadium, Dublin will host the event on Wednesday, May 29 with six National titles up for grabs with the mainstream schools and one National title for the Football for All category.

The varies sections will see the schools divided in Provincial representatives in small, medium and large schools divisions. The girls are encouraged to play with the boys in the ‘A’ Cup, ‘B’ Cup and ‘C’ Cup sections but there is a separate competition for girls only; ‘A’ Girls Cup for small schools, ‘B’ Girls Cup for medium schools and the ‘C’ Girls Cup for large schools.

The event will see 224 children from 27 schools participate in the final stages of the competition following four months of fun filled nationwide activity. The qualifying schools have come through their local County events, Regional and/or Provincial qualifiers to reach this stage of the competition with excitement mounting around the local areas. 

This year the programme featured 2,025 schools with a total of 42,064 children participating which is a new record for the 5s programme which has been in existence since the mid-1990s.  The prestigious event has been held in the exceptional surrounds of Aviva Stadium since 2013. 

11 counties will be represented in the Aviva with Donegal leading the charge with 6 representatives. The Donegal army hail from Buncrana, Cavnagarve, Craigtown, Illistrin, Raphoe and Stranorlar.  The rebel County, Cork have an impressive 4 schools qualified who hail from Ballincollig, Blackrock, Crossbarry and Mallow. While the Capital, Dublin, Galway and Mayo have 3 teams in action. Limerick, Cavan and Meath will see two schools each selected. Meanwhile, Kilkenny, Cork and Wexford will each have one representative. The action will commence at 11.30am with the Football for All and Girls Sections kicking us off.

It will be an extra special outing for Scoil Phádraig who have both their girls and boys competing in the medium schools division next week. The Westport sides are in the unique position of potentially capturing double Cup success in the Aviva and retaining the ‘B’ Girls Cup. The only school to complete this famous landmark achievement was Bohola NS, Mayo when the boys captured the ‘A’ Cup and the girls snatched the Girls ‘A’ Cup in 2006, making it a day to remember for the Claremorris contingency.  Can Gerard Murphy’s teams equal this historic milestone? 

Also defending their 2023 titles will be Scoil Eoin, Crumlin in the Football for All Cup well as St. Eunan’s NS, Raphoe in the ‘B’ Cup.  

Fan favourites Scoil Íoságain, Buncrana will make a welcome return in the Football for All category as they grabbed runners up spot last season. While Scoil Naomh Colmcille, Dún na nGall will be hoping for a little better this year as they collected a fourth place finish twelve months previous in the ‘A’ Cup. 

Everyone is a winner on the day as all 224 players will receive a medal, the seven winning teams will be crowned FAI Schools Cup Champions in their respective sections as well as a FAI Schools Player of the Tournament accolade in each division to be awarded. International stars Jamie Finn and Killian Philips will be ambassadors for the event and will be on hand to meet and greet the teams and distribute the silverware on the day. 

LIST OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Football for All Cup

Leinster                                             Scoil Eoin, Crumlin, Dublin
Munster                                            Catherine McAuley School, Limerick
Ulster                                                 Scoil Íosagáin, Buncrana, Inishowen, Donegal
Ulster                                                 St. Anne’s NS, Bailieborough, Cavan

‘A’ Cup (small schools)                      

Connacht                                             Windfield NS, Galway
Leinster                                                Scoil Moibhi, Dublin
Munster                                               Martinstown NS, Limerick
Ulster                                                    Gaelscoil Chois Feabhaill, Inishowen, Donegal

‘A’ Girls Cup (small schools)            

Connacht                                             Tierneevin NS, Galway
Leinster                                                 St. Leonard’s NS, Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny
Munster                                               Gurrane NS, Cork
Ulster                                                    Scoil Mhuire, Lacken, Cavan

‘B’ Cup (medium schools) 

Connacht                                             Scoil Phádraig, Westport, Mayo
Leinster                                                Kentstown NS, Meath
Munster                                               Gaelscoil Choinn tSáile, Cork
Ulster                                                    St. Eunan’s NS, Raphoe, Donegal

‘B’ Girls Cup (medium schools)      

Connacht                                             Scoil Phádraig, Westport, Mayo                
Leinster                                                Marshalstown NS, Wexford        
Munster                                               Burnfort NS, Cork
Ulster                                                    Scoil Naomh Colmchille, Craigtown

‘C’ Cup (large schools)                       

Connacht                                            St. Joseph’s PS, Ballinrobe, Mayo                     
Leinster                                               St. Declan’s NS, Ashbourne, Meath          
Munster                                              Beaumont Boys School, Blackrock, Cork
Ulster                                                   Illistrin NS, Donegal
 

‘C’ Girls Cup (large schools)             

Connacht                                            Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen, Galway  
Leinster                                              Our Lady’s Grove PS, Dublin
Munster                                              Gaelscoil Ui Riordain, Ballincollig, Cork
Ulster                                                   St. Mary’s NS, Stranorlar, Donegal

For more information:
Diane Fay, FAI Schools                                   [email protected] / 086 0404 952