Courtesy: Herald.ie


In the hunt for a Messi

New soccer star could be spotted at the latest Futsal finals

by Gavin Earley

Thursday December 02 2010

ALL eyes will be on Meath's Gormanston College next week as the fastest growing competition in Irish sport takes centre stage for the FAI Post-Primary Schools All-Ireland Futsal finals.

The national showpiece will be the culmination of another successful year for the explosive tournament that has seen a rise in participation numbers in each of the three years since it was added to previous provincial competitions.

Under the watch of current FAI Schools Development Officer, Ian Carry, Futsal has flourished at this level since being introduced and this year alone 7,000 students have participated in competitions nationwide.

Futsal, which is the world's most-played small-sided sport, with 25 million players was primarily introduced to Ireland by FAI National Futsal Co-ordinator Derek O'Neill and has made a huge impact in a short space of time.

The game, which accounts for more players in Brazil than football, has obviously complemented the 11-a-side game perfectly in the home of football judging by the South American nation's five World Cup successes.

As Carry prepares to see the top young talent from all four corners of the island compete for national honours next Tuesday, he insists, like Brazil, Ireland will start to see the benefit of investment in the sport that created Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo very soon.


Beneficial
"This competition is going from strength to strength; we were delighted with the Leinster finals and very excited about the national showpiece," said the man who has reinvigorated the schools game in recent years.

"Gormanston College is a fitting venue for some of the best football you are going to see on any surface this year and the Leinster finals were proof that Futsal can only be beneficial to young players.

"The word is out that Futsal is an ideal tool for young players to improve their technical and tactical ability.

"We are all looking forward to the national finals now and no doubt the impact of this competition will stretch into the 11-a-side game, just as it has done in the the world's top football nations."

Kildare's Confey College and local side, Eureka Secondary School, Kells, will welcome winners from the other three provinces to the Royal County as both schools represent Leinster.

Confey won the boys' section title last month, while Eureka claimed girls' section glory in the Leinster finals, but face stiff opposition next week.

Schools from Mayo, Cork and Donegal will also contest the girls' section, while Mayo, Limerick and Monaghan will all challenge Confey for the crown in the boys' section.


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