Polonia Limerick were playing in their third tournament with us having competed at the 2022 Barcelona Fives and 2023 Mallorca Fives. They'd performed well in both tournaments have won the Plate Final in Barcelona and finishing in second position in Mallorca (losing out to an Ecuador 100% team who had won 4 tournaments in a row). The Polish team had begun well today with 4 points from a possible 6. Their next opposition would be Mates/Lads FC.

Mates/Lads FC were searching for their first points and goals of the tournament but it was Polonia Limerick who made the breakthrough. Kuba Cieloch opened the scoring in the first half, giving his team a 1-0 lead with a composed finish. Mates/Lads FC, still struggling to find their footing in the tournament, battled to stay in the game, but went into halftime trailing. It was only 1-0 though so they weren't out of it.

In the second half, Kuba Cieloch took over, producing a brilliant performance. He quickly doubled Polonia Limerick's lead, scoring his second goal to make it 2-0. Cieloch then completed his hat-trick, taking advantage of a stretched Mates/Lads FC defence to put the result beyond doubt at 3-0. Not stopping there, Cieloch added a fourth goal, sealing a dominant personal performance.

To cap off the victory, Kuba Domanski got in on the action, adding a fifth goal to make it 5-0 and round off a comprehensive win for Polonia Limerick. Mates/Lads FC, despite their efforts, were unable to find a response. Polonia Limerick's 5-0 victory saw them move up to 7 points in the group and top of the table (but 5ive Guys had a game in hand).

In Game 7, 5ive Guys faced off against Stats FC in a high-stakes encounter. Stats FC, sitting in third place with 4 points from 6 and yet to concede, were looking to maintain their unbeaten run, while 5ive Guys had two wins from two and were aiming to continue their perfect start. A win for 5ive Guys would see them go top of the group.

The match began with 5ive Guys asserting themselves early, and their attacking prowess was quickly on display. Theo Madekurozwa opened the scoring, putting 5ive Guys 1-0 up with a well-taken goal. Not long after, Ryan Caldwell, who had been in fine form throughout the tournament, doubled the lead to make it 2-0. 5ive Guys looked in control as they went into halftime with a two-goal cushion.

In the second half, Stats FC showed resilience and fought back. Richard Cobbing pulled a goal back for Stats FC, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and giving his side hope of a comeback. However, 5ive Guys responded swiftly, with Oscar Browning restoring their two-goal advantage, making it 3-1 and putting them back in command.

Despite the setback, Stats FC refused to give up, and Cobbing struck again to make it 3-2, keeping the pressure on 5ive Guys in the closing stages. However, despite some late efforts, Stats FC couldn't find an equalizer, and the match ended 3-2 in favor of 5ive Guys. The victory saw 5ive Guys go top of the group with three wins from three, while Stats FC suffered their first defeat of the tournament, though they put up a strong fight in an intense and competitive match.

RAF were desperate to turn their fortunes around after losing their first two matches, a rare occurrence for a team that typically finishes towards the top of their group. They faced a struggling Mates/Lads FC, who were at the bottom of the table after three consecutive defeats and still searching for their first win.

RAF wasted no time in asserting their dominance, getting off to a fast start. Marcio Gomes opened the scoring, putting RAF 1-0 ahead in the first half. Antonio Custódio then doubled their lead, and before Mates/Lads FC could regroup, Gomes struck again to make it 3-0 before halftime. RAF were in full control, and the game looked well out of reach for Mates/Lads FC as they went into the break with a commanding lead.

At the start of the second half, Mates/Lads FC found a glimmer of hope when they benefitted from an own goal by RAF's Rafael Jeronimo, cutting the deficit to 3-1. However, RAF quickly regained control of the match. Beto Lima restored RAF's three-goal advantage, making it 4-1, and Marcio Gomes completed his hat-trick, sealing the win with a final goal to make it 5-1.

RAF's emphatic victory helped them get back on track in the tournament, while Mates/Lads FC suffered another tough defeat, remaining at the bottom of the table.

In Game 9 of Group A at the 2024 Porto Sixes Tournament, Polonia Limerick took on the in-form 5ive Guys in what was expected to be a competitive match. Polonia Limerick, sitting in second place with a strong tournament so far, were looking to challenge group leaders 5ive Guys, who had won all three of their matches.

The game turned out to be a tightly contested affair, with both teams demonstrating solid defensive organization. 5ive Guys, who had been prolific in front of goal in previous matches, found themselves frustrated by a well-drilled Polonia Limerick defence. The Polonia Limerick team had now kept 4 successive clean sheets in this tournament which provided the solid platform for their title quest. The Polish team however, struggled to create clear-cut chances against a resolute 5ive Guys backline who proved that when the goals weren't flowing they can still grind out results.

Despite moments of attacking pressure from both sides, neither team was able to find the breakthrough. The match ended in a hard-fought 0-0 draw. The result saw 5ive Guys drop their first points of the tournament but remain unbeaten and also secure the Group A title. Polonia Limerick would join them in the Cup as they qualified in second position.

In the final game of Group A, Stats FC and RAF met in a crucial match with both teams eyeing a potential spot in the Cup as one of the best third-placed teams. Stats FC were in third place with 4 points, while RAF, with 3 points, needed a win to give themselves the best chance of advancing. A draw would keep Stats FC in contention, but defeat would consign the losing side to the Plate competition.

The match started with high stakes, and RAF showed their intent early. Their pressure paid off when Guilhermo Rodrigues found the back of the net, giving RAF a 1-0 lead before halftime. Stats FC pushed to respond, but RAF's defence was resolute, maintaining their narrow lead at the break.

In the second half, RAF continued to manage the game well, and they extended their lead through Tiago Sousa, who scored a decisive second goal to make it 2-0. Despite Stats FC's efforts to mount a comeback, RAF remained in control and saw out the victory. The 2-0 win propelled RAF to 6 points, giving them a strong chance of qualifying for the Cup (** Spoiler alert: It was enough), while Stats FC, with the loss, missed their opportunity and were left to compete in the Plate competition. They had performed well in a very tough group though.