Glanduff NS and Cornafulla NS star in Aviva Stadium

Two local schools took part in the 2025 FAI Schools Primary 5s National Finals at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

Glanduff NS and Cornafulla NS had already made it through county and regional qualifiers to reach the last four in their respective competitions.

They were among 30 schools, from the initial 2,060, to make it to the Aviva Stadium.

In total, some 44,104 children participating which was a new record for the Primary 5s Programme, that has been in existence since the mid-1990s.

Glanduff NS were gallant runners up in the A Cup final, they had good wins over St. Mary’s NS, Threemilehouse, Monaghan (5-3), and Rathmore NS, Douglas, Cork (3-2) (where Tadgh Doyle (2) and Tom O'Shaugnessy were on the scoresheet before losing out 5-0 to winners Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh, Wicklow.

The Glanduff squad was Seán Reynolds, Tom O’Shaughnessy, Conor Doorley, Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Cathal Kearney, Luke Campbell, Liam Dowling, Tadhg Doyle with teachers Frank Noone and Colin Dowd.

Meanwhile, Cornafulla NS took third place in the B Cup competition.

They lost out narrowly to eventual champions, Monaghan school,

Scoil Bhride Mullaghrafferty Boys by 4 – 3, with Kevin Timlin, Ruairi Holohan and Mark Macken on the scoresheet for the local school, before overcoming Clare school Clonmoney NS, by 4-2, thanks to goals again from Holohan, Macken (2) and Timlin.

They concluded their tournament with a 4-1 defeat to Kentstown NS, Meath, with Timlin again finding the net.

The Cornafulla squad included Paddy Kelly, Mark Macken, Conall Martin, Ruairi Holohan, Kevin Timlin, Paul McCarron, Alfie Allen, Fionn Mulvihill and teachers Richard Dolan and Sean Glennon.