Mayo schools set for FAIS Primary 5s national finals in the Aviva Stadium

As the Republic of Ireland senior squads gear up for their respective outings shortly, so too do the future generation of young stars as the countdown to the FAI Schools Primary 5s national finals takes centre stage.

The Aviva Stadium in Dublin will host the event on Wednesday (May 29), with six national titles up for grabs among the mainstream schools and one national title in the Football for All category.

It will be an extra special outing for Scoil Phádraig, Westport, who have both their girls and boys competing in the medium schools’ division. They could potentially capture double B Cup success in the Aviva, following in the footsteps of Bohola NS back in 2006 when they captured both A Cup titles.

Mayo's other representatives on Wednesday are St. Joseph’s PS, Ballinrobe, competing in the boys C Cup – the large schools section. St. Joseph's were involved in national finals previously as far back as 2001 and earned a fourth place finish in 2005.

The various sections see the schools divided into 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, also consisting of A (for small schools), B (for medium schools) and the C (for large schools) competitions.

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.

This year the programme featured 2,025 schools with a total of 42,064 children participating – a new record for the 5s programme, which has been in existence since the mid-1990s.

Eleven counties will be represented in the Aviva on Wednesday, with Donegal leading the charge with six representatives (Buncrana, Cavnagarve, Craigtown, Illistrin, Raphoe and Stranorlar). Cork have four schools qualified (Ballincollig, Blackrock, Crossbarry and Mallow), while Dublin, Galway and Mayo each have three teams in action.

The action will commence at 11.30 a.m. with the Football for All and girls sections kicking us off. This will be followed up by the boys or mixed team section at 3 p.m.

Scoil Phádraig are defending the girls B Cup title, and also defending 2023 titles will be Scoil Eoin, Crumlin, in the Football for All Cup well as St. Eunan’s NS, Raphoe, in the boys B Cup.

The A Cup has Windfield NS, Galway (Connacht), Scoil Moibhi, Skerries, Dublin (Leinster), Martinstown NS, Limerick (Munster) and Gaelscoil Cois Feabhail, Inishowen, Donegal (Ulster) all in the hunt for national honours. All four are newcomers to this stage of proceedings so the excitement among the traveling parties will be at fever pitch come match day.

The A Girls Cup will feature two debutants this season, with newcomers Tierneevin NS, Galway (Connacht) and Gurrane NS, Cork (Munster) joining St. Leonard’s NS, Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny (Leinster), and Scoil Mhuire, Lacken, Cavan (Ulster) in the search for glory.

The B Cup will see a broad geographic remit covered as Scoil Phádraig, Westport, will be joined by Kentstown NS, Meath (Leinster), Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile, Cork (Munster), and St. Eunan’s NS, Raphoe, Donegal (Ulster), trying to take the honours.

Scoil Phádraig, Westport, Mayo, face Marshalstown NS, Wexford (Leinster), Burnfort NS, Cork (Munster), and Scoil Naomh Colmchille, Craigtown, Donegal (Ulster), in the B Girls Cup competition, which should serve up some delightful football if the provincial finals are anything to go by.

Defending champions Scoil Phádraig can boast the return of half their squad from last year, as Francesca Caruana, May Duckett, Saoirse Reynolds and Robyn Tarmey all get another run out in a bid to claim back-to-back titles.

An array of talent will be on show in the C Cup for large schools, where St. Joseph's of Ballinrobe will be joined by St. Declan’s NS, Ashbourne, Meath (Leinster), Beaumont BNS, Cork (Munster), and Illistrin NS, Donegal (Ulster).

Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen, Galway (Connacht), Our Lady’s Grove PS, Dublin (Leinster), Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin, Baile an Chollaigh, Co. Chorcaí (Munster), and Scoil Mhuire B&C, Stranorlar, Donegal (Ulster), are in the final select for the C Girls Cup.

Regardless of the final standings, everyone will be a winner on the day as all 224 players will receive a medal.

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.