SFAI - WCSL Futsal Tournament in Clonakilty

The FAI in conjunction with the SuperValu West Cork Schoolboys League ran the first ever one-day FUTSAL mini-tournament in the Clonakilty Sports Complex Astro Pitch recently.

The idea of the tournament was to promote the game of FUTSAL (non-contact, mini-football, encouraging close control and skill) in a 7-a-side competition. The Bay Rovers, Clonakilty AFC and Riverside Athletic clubs sent representative teams to take part in the inaugural event for the West Cork region. FAI Regional Development Officer, Ray Claffey, structured the day’s events once the number of confirmed entries had arrived at the superb Clonakilty Astro turf venue.


WHAT IS FUTSAL?
Futsal is the official FIFA and UEFA version of indoor 5 a side football and indeed the only internationally recognised small sided game. The word “Futsal” comes from the Portuguese phrase “futebol de salao” or the Spanish, “futbol de sala” which basically means indoor football. The main feature of the game is the ball which is a size 4 slightly weighted leather ball with restricted bounce rather than the fluffy, bouncy, yellow ball traditional to the indoor game in Ireland.

The FAI launched the country’s first ever Futsal Development Programme back in December of last year, which set out a method to improve the technical skills of young players throughout the country. The new programme (part of the FAI Technical Development Plan) was launched by UEFA President and former French International star, Michel Platini. According to the FAI website: “The main aim of the Programme is to establish Futsal as the preferred version of five-a-side football in Ireland and to increase and sustain participation at all ages and ability levels by promoting and developing the game as a complementary format of football within the football family. The game allows players to improve their technical skills as it requires quick thinking and rapid decision making facilitating the development of overall football intelligence.”

There was a surprise in store for each of the young participants who attended the mini-tournament in the Clonakilty Sports Complex when Cork City stars, Colin O'Brien and Mick Devine arrived to present Certificates and pose for photographs. Colin O'Brien and Ray Claffey took time at the end of the competition to conduct a lively questions and answers session with the attending players discussing the merits of FUTSAL.

Every player who attended the tournament expressed their satisfaction with the event and offered encouraging feedback to the organisers. The mini-tournament turned out to be such a resounding success that the West Cork Schoolboys League - with the help of the FAI - hope to arrange further FUTSAL events during the forthcoming 2008-2009 season.

FUTSAL SQUADS
Bay Rovers: Ayrton O'Shea, Mark Hine, Joe Murphy, Shane Delaney, Donal Casey and Darren Cronin.

Clonakilty AFC: Fergus Jayes, Patrick McCarthy, Mark Crowley, Damien O'Brien, Daniel Kelleher, Stephen Madden, Colm O'Donovan, Jack McCarthy and Daniel Lane.

Riverside Athletic: Jack O'Callaghan, Shane O'Driscoll, Finghin O'Driscoll, Ray O'Connor, Kevin O'Neill, Mark Kingston, Sean Jackson and Gavin O'Leary.