Bessbrook’s St Paul’s High School won a tight affair against Glengormley High School to be crowned the winners of the Irish FA mixed nine-a-side schools’ tournament.
A total of 27 teams and over 300 pupils came together at City of Belfast Playing Fields in Mallusk to take part in the tournament for Year 8 and 9 pupils.
The tournament provided opportunities for boys and girls to play together with a minimum of three girls starting for each team. The teams played in groups of five with the winners of each group alongside the top runners up moving into the quarter-finals.
The semi-finals saw Glengormley HS advance past Trinity College and the combined team from St Malachy’s and Dominican College Fortwilliam narrowly miss out against a determined St Paul’s.
The final was a very close encounter with a late goal from St Paul’s enough to secure the trophy for the Co Armagh school.
