THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SCHOOLS will play the final fixture of this year’s SAFIB Centenary Shield series when they travel to Briton Ferry to take on Wales this evening at 7 pm. Northern Ireland have already captured the Shield for this season with four wins from four, the most recent victory was last Thursday when they defeated Wales 2-1 in Belfast to clinch the silverware. The Ireland Schools side includes Adam O'Halloran from Clarin College in Athenry.
Despite last week’s result, the Welsh side are playing some great football having ground out some excellent results. They defeated Scotland 2-4 away from home. William’s side continued their rich vein of form to beat rivals England 3-1, but their winning streak ended in Belfast with that narrow loss.
It’s been a disappointing campaign for the Republic of Ireland with a hard-fought one-all draw against Scotland in the opening night. The Republic of Ireland unluckily went down 1-2 to Northern Ireland the following week. The concession of goals from set pieces was their Achilles’ heel in both outings in Athlone. And a further defeat at the hands of England a fortnight ago (4-0) left the squad deflated. O’Brien will be looking to end the campaign on a positive note with a victory against the 2023 Joint Champions.
Last season the Irish were defeated 3-2 by a 90th-minute Welsh winner in Ferrycarrig Park, Wexford. Wales went on to share the Shield trophy with England last season as they were level on points. The Irish will be hoping to upset the odds this evening when they face off against each other.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SCHOOLS | Edvinas JAKAS (Lucan Community College), Óisín COONEY (Carndonagh Community School), Kyle McDONAGH (St. Attracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry), James McATEER (Loreto Community School, Milford), Daire PATTON (Summerhill College, Sligo), Conor CANNON (Rice College, Westport), Conor REYNOLDS (Rice College, Westport), Aidan RUSSELL VARGAS (Lusk Community College), Kyle DONOGHUE (Kildare Town Community School), Callum HONOHAN © (Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline), Rhys KELLY NOONAN (Coláiste Mhuire, Crosshaven), Calum COSTELLO (Comeragh College, Carrick on Suir), Evan LYNCH (Christian Brothers College, Cork), Jack AHERN (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore), Mark ISONG (Belvedere College), Tom McLOUGHLIN (Malahide Community School), Adam O’HALLORAN (Clarin College, Athenry), Hugh PARKER (Temple Carrig School, Greystones)
MANAGEMENT | Derek O’BRIEN, Head Coach (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore), Alan MURPHY, Coach (St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway) Ollie HORGAN, Coach (St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny), John POWER, GK Coach, Kevin HABERLIN, Equipment Manager, Michael McGLYNN (Physio), Dr. Aidan O’COLMAIN (Team Doctor)
