Courtesy: Fai Futsal Portal


Colleges and Universities Futsal Cup 2009 underway!

Tuesday, 31 March 2009

The Colleges and Universities Futsal Cup 2009 competition got off to a flyer today with 24 third level institutions competing in 4 venues countrywide. Six teams from 24 will compete in the finals day to take place in April in the new BRL Umbro Arena in Ballymun.

The competition was organised by FAI Schools, Colleges and Universities Coordinator Gerard Dunne, FAI Futsal Cordinator Derek O'Neill, FAI International Assistant Manager Stephen Finn, FAI Futsal Referees Coordinator Gerry Behanand FAI third level football facilitators Maz Sweeney (Athlone IT), Stephen Griffin (University of Limerick), Greg Yelverton University College Cork), Barbara O’Connell (Cork IT and CSN), John O’Carroll (DIT) and Barry Prenderville (NUI Maynooth).

Six teams from todays event will progress to the National Final which takes place in the new FAI Futsal venue in Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun, Dublin.

Winners of the National Final will be invited in association with CUSAI to enter the 6th European Universities Futsal Championship which will be organised in Podgorica (Montenegro) from July 20-26, 2009. (www.eusa.eu and www.unisportmne.ac.me)

Southern Region:
The spectacular Mardyke Arena in University College Cork was the venue for the Colleges and Universities Futsal Cup Southern Regional Final today. Seven institutions in Munster took part in the first FAI Third Level Competition for Futsal.

Cork IT, Tipperary Institute and St Johns Central Cork were knocked out after the group stages. Brian Bell of Cork IT scored four goals, Tipperary Institutes goalkeeper turned goalscorer Philip O’Brien got five while St Johns took the lead in their game against hot favourites Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa but couldn’t hold on.

The semi finals were closely contested games with UCC beating IT Tralee 3-0 with goals from Richard O'Donovan, OJ Deady and the impressive Luke Burgess. Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa overpowered a battling Cork College of Commerce 4-0 with two goals each from Craig Duggan and Eoin Forde.

The final was an absorbing encounter with Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa’s Irish International Futsal player Craig Duggan finally breaking the deadlock from a free kick with four minutes left on the clock. UCC goalkeeper Eoin Kelly was particularly impressive as he kept CSN at bay on a number of occasions. UCC had opportunities of their own as the play opened up in this well contested final. Rory Kiely and Donal Lynch scored late goals on the break as UCC pressed for an equaliser. Richard O’Donovan scored a consolation for UCC with seconds remaining after an excellent passing move from UCC.

Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa and UCC now progress to the National Futsal Finals in April.

Top scorers for the day with five goals each were: Philip O’Brien (Tipperary Institute), Craig Duggan (Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa), Luke Burgess and Richard O’Donovan (UCC).

FAI Futsal Referees: Alex Byrne & Dermot Broughton

Results from Southern Division:

Group One
UCC 3: Cork IT 0
Cork College of Commerce 3: Cork IT 2
UCC 10: Tipperary Inst 2
Cork College of Commerce 1: Tipperary Inst 3
UCC 1: Cork College of Commerce 1
Cork IT 5: Tipperary Inst 1

Group Two
Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa 8: St Johns Central College 1
Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa 1: IT Tralee 0
St Johns Central College 1: IT Tralee 4

Semi Finals
UCC 3: IT Tralee 0
Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa 4: Cork College of Commerce 0

Final
UCC 3: Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa 1


Leinster South Region:
NUI Maynooth was the host venue for the Colleges and Universities South Leinster Regional Futsal Finals today. Five institutions took part in what was a very successful and enjoyable first third level futsal finals in the south Leinster region.

UCD looked the strongest outfit early in the tournament, they signaled their intent by beating the hosts NUI Maynooth 4-1 In the first game, however all games were hotly contested. There was a lot of talent on show and the spectators that were there were served up some extremely entertaining games .The defining game in the competition was a 2-1 win for ITT Dublin over UCD. ITT Dublin ran out the eventual winners beating Inchicore, Maynooth, UCD and drawing with IT Carlow-Wexford respectively.

Top scorers on the day were Steve Nicholl (ITT Dublin) with six goal and Anthony Falconer (NUI Maynooth) with five goals.

FAI Futsal Referees: Gerry Behan & Ben Finlay

NUI Maynooth 1: UCD 4
Inchicore College 1: ITT Dublin 3
UCD 4: IT Carlow- Wexford 2
NUI Maynooth 1: ITT Dublin 3
Inchicore College 1: IT Carlow-Wexford 5
ITT Dublin 2: UCD 1
NUI Maynooth 5: Inchicore College 3
ITT Dublin 3: IT Carlow-Wexford 3
Inchicore College 4: UCD 8
NUI Maynooth 4: IT Carlow-Wexford 1

Standing
ITT Dublin 10
University College Dublin 9
NUI Maynooth 6
IT Carlow - Wexford 4
Inchicore College 0


Leinster North Region:
IT Blanchardstown played host to the Colleges and Universities Regional Futsal Cup for Dublin North. DIT, Trinity College Dublin, IT Blanchardstown, IT Dundalk and St Patricks College Drumcondra made up the competing teams with 42 students registering to play on the day.

The hosts IT Blanchardstown started well in the first game going 2 up before DIT pulled back to level the game 2-2 at the end. TCD notched up the highest score of the competition scoring 14 against an under strength St Patricks College. IT Dundalk started strongly in their first game putting 5 past DIT.

Each of the 10 games proved extremely competitive and this was not always reflected in the scoreline. IT Blanchardstown and IT Dundalk battled hard against the overall winners TCD but with international Chris Allen leading the way for Trinity they proved too strong for all the teams on the day scoring 25 goals and only conceding 1 goal over the course of the day.

The top 3 scorers on the day all came from the winning team, Niall Walsh -9, Darren Burke – 6 and Chris Allen 5. Andy Yoew and Diarmuid Byrne scored 4 each for IT Blanchardstown who finished runner’s up.

Trinity College now progress to the National Finals.

FAI Futsal Referees: Darren Coombes & Wayne Mc Donald

Blanchardstown IT 2: DIT 2
St Pats Drumcondra 1: Trinity College 14
DIT 1: Dundalk IT 5
Blanchardstown IT 0: Trinity College 3
St Pats Drumcondra 2: Dundalk IT 3
Trinity College 4: DIT 0
Blanchardstown IT 6: St Pats Drumcondra 1
Trinity College 4: Dundalk IT 0
St Pats Drumcondra 0: DIT 2
Blanchardstown IT 3: Dundalk IT 1

Standing
Trinity College 12
Blanchardstown IT 7
Dundalk IT 6
DIT 4
St Pats Drumcondra 0


Western Region:
The west section of the FAI Regional Futsal Tournament was a great success at the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) Sports Centre. With six teams competing, two groups of three battled it out with some very tight encounters. From Group one University of Limerick (UL) L advanced in top place on goal difference with NUIG piping GMIT Galway to second also on goal difference.

In Group two Athlone IT(AIT) finished top with maximum points while Mary I finished second and GMIT Letterfrack in third.

The Quarter final saw NUIG beat GMIT Letterfrack and GMIT Galway overcame Mary I to reach the semi finals.

Group form shone through again in the semi’s as UL and AIT both put in impressive performances to set up a final of the top two on the day.

Nothing could separate the two as the game ended in a 1-1 draw so it was all going to be decided on a penalty shootout!

With the shootout tied at 2-2 the UL goalkeeper Cian Healy touched AIT’s 3rd penalty onto the crossbar to hand UL the title.

Jean Hourcade of UL finished as top goal scorer on the day with 6 goals, closely followed by AIT’s Craig Tone and GMIT Galway’s Robert Timony who netted 5 a piece.

UL and AIT progress to the National Finals.

FAI Futsal Referees: Mark Whelan & Darren Carey

Group One
NUI Galway 4: GMIT Galway 0
NUI Galway 1: University of Limerick 4
GMIT Galway 4: University of Limerick 3

Group Two
Athlone IT 2: GMIT Letterfrack 1
GMITLetterfrack 2: Mary I 3
Athlone IT 3: Mary I 2

Quarter Finals
NUI Galway 2: GMIT Letterfrack 1
Mary I 1: GMIT Galway 5

Semi Finals
NUI Galway 1: University of Limerick 3
Athlone IT 5: GMIT Galway

Final
Athlone IT 1: University of Limerick 1 (2-3pens)








Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com