From Lankill to Lansdowne: Mayo girls feature in FAI Finals
The Lankill NS team from Aughagower, Westport, who took part in the FAI Primary 5s Finals Day at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Included are players Shona Gibbons, Sophie Collins, Karla Gibbons, Aine Hughes, Abbie Collins, Jennifer McGuire, Róisín O'Malley and Holly Vahey, and teachers Pat Morrison and Ciarán Hynes. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Soccer: The young girls of Lankill National School in Westport had a thrill of a lifetime on Wednesday, June 11 when they got to play on the hallowed turn of Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in the 2025 FAI Schools Primary 5s National Finals. The team had come through county, regional and provincial qualifiers over the course of four months to become Connacht’s representatives in the prestigious Girls ‘A’ Cup. In total, 256 children lined out on Wednesday across the various categories, putting in some stylish performances in front of a crowd of over 2,500 supporters at the famous Lansdowne Road venue.
Lankill’s opening game was against Scoil an Choimin (Donegal) who had goals from Eadoin Nic Meanaman in the eighth and eleventh minutes to give them a 2-0 win. However, Lankill bounced back superbly in Round 2 when they beat Cloughjordan NS (Tipperary) 3-1 thanks to goals from Aine Hughes, Karla Gibbons and Abbie Colllins, all before the eighth minute. Their final game ended in a 4-0 loss to the eventual champions St Leonard’s NS of Dunnamaggin (Kilkenny), who won all three of their matches thanks, in part, to some sensational displays by goalkeeper Méabh O’Sullivan who was named Player of the Tournament.
Lankill NS had to settle for a third place finish behind silver medallists Scoil an Choimin and above Cloughjordan NS.
Former Women’s International player Méabh De Búrca from Galway was among those in attendance, supporting her niece Réidín who was participating in the Girls ‘B’ Cup with Scoil Fhursa, Gaillimh. Méabh was a Connacht and National Cup winner with her school, St James’ NS, Bushypark, 25 years ago, and Réidín and her Scoil Fhursa colleagues replicated this success in 2025.
