Three Mayo schools competing in Pinergy All-Ireland Basketball Schools Cups

Students and school teams across the country - including north and east Mayo - are charged up and ready for action ahead of the upcoming Pinergy All-Ireland Basketball Schools Cup, following the official launch of the competition today at the National Basketball Arena.

Pinergy was unveiled as the sponsors of the All-Ireland Schools Cup earlier this year in an announcement that saw them extend their partnership with Basketball Ireland as the Official Energy and Insights partner for another three years. Pinergy is delighted to add the All-Ireland Schools Cup to their portfolio and is looking forward to #PoweringTheDifference for one of the marquee events in the Irish basketball calendar. Proud to be supporting the development of basketball nationwide, Pinergy will look to provide marginal gains on the court and sustainable energy consumption gains off it in the season ahead.

More than 150 schools across the country will square off in a hotly-contested knockout competition over the coming months at Under 19 and Under 16 A, B and C grades, with teams nationwide vying for a coveted final spot in a winner takes all battle at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght in January.

Taking part from Mayo are Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, St. Brendan's College, Belmullet, and St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh.

Gortnor Abbey have teams entered in the Under 16 B boys cup, Under 16 B girls cup, Under 19 B boys cup and Under 19 B girls cup. The Under 16 boys have received a bye into the quarterfinals, in which they will face either St. Brendan's College from nearby Belmullet or St. Patrick's Classical from not-so-nearby Navan. The Under 16 girls go straight into the quarterfinals also, where they face St. Andrew's of Booterstown. The Under 19 boys take on Blackrock College, Dublin, in round one, while the Under 19 girls face St. Louis CS from Kiltimagh in the first round.

In the Under 16 B boys cup, St. Brendan's from Belmullet, as mentioned, face St. Patrick's Classical, Navan, in round one knowing that a win would set up a quarterfinal against Gortnor Abbey. The Under 19 boys, meanwhile, face Sligo Grammar in round one of their competition, the Under 19 B cup.

St. Louis have teams in the Under 16 B boys cup and Under 19 B girls cup, with the former taking on St. Mary's CBGS, Belfast, in round one, and the latter facing Gortnor Abbey, as mentioned above.

The round one fixtures are due to be completed by November 12, with the quarterfinals to be concluded by November 26 and the semi-finals by December 17. The finals at A, B and C levels will be played during the week of January 17 to 20 at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, marking the culmination of another superb season of schools basketball.

Speaking at the launch, head of marketing at Pinergy, David Slattery, said: “At Pinergy, we are extremely excited to launch the prestigious All-Ireland Schools Cup in our first year as sponsors of the competition. The All-Ireland Schools Cup comes at a crucial stage in young players' development, and we are proud to be powering the difference for schools across the country this year. The skill, determination and hard work of youngsters at this level is awe-inspiring and should make for an electric season ahead.”

Conor Meany, commercial manager at Basketball Ireland, added: “Pinergy has been a great supporter of basketball for the past couple of years and it is exciting to see them take over title sponsorship of one of our flagship events. Anyone who has seen our schools competitions knows the energy and excitement that they bring, making Pinergy the perfect sponsor of the All-Ireland Schools Cup.”

Former All-Ireland Schools Cup star and Irish international Sorcha Tiernan commented: “I’m extremely proud to be an ambassador for this year’s Pinergy All-Ireland Schools Cup. I have such fond memories of representing my school Coláiste Chiaráin at the Arena in Tallaght and testing myself against the very best players in the country. The Schools Cup was instrumental in my development as a player, and I’m really looking forward to seeing which players and schools shine this year.”

The 2020 edition of the Cup saw Mercy Mounthawk of Tralee claim the Under 19 A boys title, getting the better of St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Castleisland, in an all-Kerry decider. Scoil Chríost Rí will be looking to keep their hands on the Under 19 A girls trophy having overcome Loreto Abbey of Dalkey in last year’s final clash. Last year’s B finals saw St. Eunan’s College of Letterkenny and St. Colmcille’s CS in Knocklyon triumph in the boys and girls competitions respectively, while St. Flannan's College of Ennis and Belfast’s Methodist College were crowned Under 19 C cup champions.

In the Under 16 A girls cup, Kenmare’s Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine will once again be hoping to claim silverware this year after they edged out rivals Our Lady of Mercy of Waterford in the 2020 showpiece. Reigning Under 16 A boys champions, Malahide Community School, meanwhile, will fancy their chances at building on last year’s successful campaign, which culminated in victory over St. Patrick’s College, Cavan. Limerick’s Castletroy College won out a hotly-contested Under 16 B boys cup in 2020, while Abbey VS of Donegal stormed to glory in the Under 16 B girls Cup final. Cork’s Skibbereen CS reigned supreme in the 2020 Under 16 C boys final, while St. Joseph’s SS of Ballybunion came out on top of the Under 16 C girls decider.

Follow updates on the thrills and spills of this year’s competition on Basketball Ireland’s website (https://ireland.basketball), while you can find out more about Pinergy’s support of the competition on their social channels across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.