Mayo player on Connacht side at Interprovincial tournament

Today (Friday) will see sixty-four 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.

Alan Murphy (St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway) led Connacht to the coveted title twelve months ago and he will be eager to continue this success in 2022.

It’s always a close encounter among the four provincial teams and this year will be no different. Murphy may have the slight advantage with five of that match winning team making a welcome return. We will see Niall Holohan (Carrick on Shannon Community School), Mark O’Halloran, Adam O’Halloran (Clarin College, Athenry), James Lukau (Merlin College, Galway) and netminder James Murphy (Calasanctius College, Oranmore) all involved again. Conor Reynolds (Rice College, Westport) is the sole player from Mayo in the squad.

Alan Murphy who played in 1997 and 1998 as a Ballinrobe Community School scholar, and went on to play for the Republic of Ireland schools with great distinction.

In fact Murphy was named Schools International Player of the Year in 2000.

The Interprovincial series will be the first step in the process of selecting the FAI Schools International 18 man squad which will compete in the SAFIB Centenary Shield competition.

The 2022/23 campaign will see John McShane’s charges travel to Scotland in the opening clash on February 23. The Irish will entertain Wales at home on March 9 while England come to town a fortnight later. The conclusion of our series will see the North host us on March 30.

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.

It will be a competitive outing this evening with the four teams in action as 2019 winners Leinster line out against Munster at 4 p.m. while Ulster will take on the defending Champions Connacht at 6.30 p.m.

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.

Schools International head coach John McShane is hoping to hold his first assessment on December 17 as the players look to impressive over the course of the weekend.

Connacht: Brian Cunningham (Presentation College, Headford), Niall Holohan (Carrick on Shannon Community School), Milo O’Malley (Coláiste Iognaid, Galway), Ben Costello (Calasanctius College, Oranmore), Mark O’Halloran, Adam O’Halloran (Clarin College, Athenry), James Murphy (Calasanctius College, Oranmore), Dara Kavanagh, Kyle Fitzgerald (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Co na Gaillimhe), James Kelly, Tommy Lillis (St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway), James Lukau (Merlin College, Galway), Junior Thiam (Coláiste Éinde, Salthill), Eli Rooney, Gavin Lynch (Summerhill College, Sligo), Conor Reynolds (Rice College, Westport)

Management: Alan Murphy (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Alex Lee (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Kevin Murphy (coach), Keith McTigue (coach).