This Friday (November 15) will see sixty eight of
the top players in Irish Schools line out for the FAI Schools Under 15 Girls’
Interprovincial Tournament as the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh plays host.
The Interprovincial series will be the first step in
the process of selecting the FAI Schools International Development squad of 18
players who will compete in the Bob Docherty Cup. The 2019/20 campaign will see
the Republic of Ireland Schools select travel to Manchester for this season’s
Home Nations event. The International series will take place during the Easter
Break from Monday, April 13 to Friday, April 17. Prior to that the squad will
take on England in the annual John Read Cup as well as a friendly with Northern
Ireland in the build-up to this season’s International run.
With this in mind, all eyes will be on the
Interprovincial series to scout for the best talent on display within our
network of post primary schools. The three day event will see a series of six
matches played with Provinces awarded two points for a win and one point for a
draw. The format leaves for an exciting finale in the Sunday morning outings.
An impressive sixteen players will make a welcome
return from last season.
Dom Coll’s set-up will see Hannah GLYNN, Kate
THOMPSON (Coláiste Iognáid, Galway) and Jessica CASEY (St. Attracta’s Community
School, Tubbercurry) join forces again.
Bridgeen Harley will see the return of her famous
five as Shania McMONAGLE (Deele College, Raphoe), Erika GALLAGHER, Nicole
McDAID (Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny), Erin DOHERTY (Coláiste Ailigh)
and Ellie LONG (Carndonagh Community School) resume their provincial
partnership for Ulster. The absence of Keri Loughrey will be a massive blow for
the girls as the young Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana scholar impressed last season and
was still eligible this year but a broken leg in the Foyle Cup has ruled her out
of contention. We will see Keri’s youngster sister Jodie in the select for
2019. The Ulster outfit look impressive on paper and will be one’s to watch out
for.
The mighty Munster have five key players back in
action with goalkeeper Caoilinn CASEY (Cashel Community School), Libby
COSTELLOE (Laurel Hill FCJ), Jodie
GRIFFIN (Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally), Ellie O’BRIEN Scoil Mhuire gan Smál,
Blarney) and Heidi O’SULLIVAN (Regina Mundi College, Cork) all ringstar for Barry Ryan’s crew.
While the calibre of Leinster’s previously capped
players is formidable. Rob Ellison has two former International’s involved with
Liadan CLYNCH (Bush Post Primary School) and Jessie STAPLETON (Palmerstown
Community School) in the mix alongside the talented goalkeeper Summer LAWLESS
(Ballymakenny College, Drogheda). Stapleton will make her third consecutive
appearance at this level, something that the likes of Jessica ZIU (Larkin
Community College) has emulated previously.
Leinster enter the fray on Friday, looking to retain
their title following a 2-0 victory over a skilful Munster side last year.
Ellison’s side only required a draw in their final game but ended in style with
some brilliant passages of play in their final encounter.
Their first goal of the afternoon came midway
through the half when Palmerstown scholar Jessie STAPLETON netted from inside
the box despite the sustained pressure they were under from the attacking
prowess of Munster.
St. Joseph’s Mercy SS, Navan netminder Robyn Murray
pulled off a spectacular save to deny Salesian Secondary College star Aine
Walsh to keep their slight advantage at the interval.
Then Ellen MOLLOY stuck the match winner twelve
minutes into the restart with a fantastic rocket from distance.
Leinster have a phenomenal record at this level, the
victory last season saw them secure their twelfth title in twenty years.
However, Leinster did concede their dominance of the
Interprovincial tournament in 2017 and dashed their astonishing six in a row
title ambitions when surprise package Connacht took the prestigious title
following their 2-0 victory in the final game of the event.
This tournament has always been a tight and
competitive outing for the four teams involved.
Munster completed an historic treble in 2006, 2007,
2008 and then again in 2011. The crew came very close to capturing the
silverware last season so confidence will be high in camp.
Ulster last won the tournament outright in 2010 and
have always been very modest in their endeavours to recapture their hold on the
trophy. St. Columba’s College tutor
Bridgeen Harley will be confident that they can give a good account of
themselves.
Connacht came agonisingly close to snatching the
title back in 2012, only for Leinster to get an injury time winner courtesy of
a converted penalty from Eleanor Ryan Doyle (St. Joseph’s College, Lucan) to
take the title in dramatic fashion in Athlone Town FC. They suffered a similar
feat in 2015 when Leinster won the title following a dubious penalty call. So
the 2017 win was bitter sweet for Dom Coll’s charges.
The opening clash of this series will see our title
holders Leinster take on 2017 winners Connacht at 3pm while Munster entertain
Ulster at 4.30pm. Two very interesting games in store which should set the
scene for the remaining encounters.
In keeping with the long standing tradition of
maintaining the interest in the competition until the final matches on Sunday
morning, the draw for Saturday and Sunday’s matches will be made following the
games on Friday evening.
INTERNATIONAL SELECTION
Following the three day series in Dublin on Sunday,
an extended panel will be invited back for trial on Saturday, November 30 in
FAI HQ, Abbotstown.
Richard Berkeley, teacher in Sancta Maria College,
Louisburgh had a wonderful debut season and this was followed up with another
remarkable record last year retaining the Bob Docherty Cup and John Read
Trophy. Can the Republic of Ireland select capture the three in a row next
Easter in Manchester?
The Tallaght native will be reunited with his
management team of Emma Mullin (Coach), Karen Henry (Mulroy College, Milford),
Scott Gaynor (Presentation SS, Wexford) as well as new recruit Katie McCarthy
(St. Colman’s Community College, Midleton).
INTERPROVINCIAL
PANELS
CONNACHT | Sarah Kiernan (Abbey Community School, Boyle), Kate Thompson, Hannah Glynn (Coláiste Iognáid, Galway), Lara Swann (Sligo Grammar School), Leanne Regan, Eve Dossen, Daisy O’Connell, Leah O’Connor, Isabella Fitzpatrick (Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill), Heather O’Sullivan (Roscommon Community School), Katie McGuire (Grange Post Primary School, Sligo), Alice Lilly (Ursuline College, Sligo), Rola Olusola (Merlin College, Galway), Kerri Ann O’Hara, Rebecca Doddy, Jessica Casey (St. Attracta’s Community School, Tubbercurry), Sky Corcoran (Presentation College, Athenry)
MANAGEMENT | Dom Coll (Presentation College, Athenry) Fabienne Cooney, Sinead O’Donovan (Claregalway College), Stephen Lacken (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross).
ULSTER | Leah
McLaughlin, Rachel Friel (Mulroy College, Milford), Ella McHugh, Shania
McMonagle (Deele College, Raphoe), Niamh Harkin, Jodie Loughrey (Scoil Mhuire,
Buncrana) Ellie Long (Carndonagh Community School) Erin Doherty (Coláiste
Ailigh, Letterkenny) Stranorlar) Erika Gallagher, Nicole McDaid, Hannah
Hopkins, Darcey Kelly (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Ciara Molly (Gairmscoil
Chú Uladh, Ballinamore), Sarah McGinley, Emily Irwin, Siobhán Cameron (Loreto
Community School, Milford), Claire Diver (Rosses Community School, Dungloe)
MANAGEMENT | Bridgeen Harley (St. Columba’s College,
Stranorlar), Emma Duffy (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Karen Henry (Mulroy
College, Milford), Paddy McDaid (Finn Valley College, Stranorlar)
LEINSTER | Summer Lawless (Ballymakenny College,
Drogheda), Ava Gibson Doyle (St. Laurence College, Loughlinstown), Liadan
Clynch (Bush Post Primary School, Dundalk), Aoibhe Fleming (Lucan Community
College), Jessie Stapleton (Palmerstown Community School), Jade Flannery (Clonturk
Community College), Eve O’Brien (Woodbrook College, Bray), Leah Tighe (Larkin
Community College), Katie Law (Presentation Secondary School, Wexford), Allie
Larkin (Ringsend College), Kate Skillington (Santa Sabina Dominican College),
Orlaith O’Mahony (St. Farnan’s Post Primary School, Prosperous), Tara O’Hanlon
(Castleknock Community College), Ruby Atkinson (St. Joseph’s Secondary School,
Rush), Ciara Giles (Dominican College, Griffith Avenue), Claudia Keenan
(Ardscoil Rathagan), Aoife Kelly (Presentation College, Carlow)
MANAGEMENT | Rob Ellison (St. Raphaela's SS,
Stillorgan), Scott Gaynor (Presentation SS, Wexford) Rachel Graham (Coach)
MUNSTER | Caoilinn Casey, Jenny Ryan (Cashel
Community School), Maeve Russell (Loreto Secondary School, Clonmel), Libby
Costelloe (Laurel Hill Secondary School), Nicole Nix (Laurel Hill Coláiste),
Jodie Griffin (Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally), Ellie O'Brien (Scoil Muire gan Smál,
Blarney), Heidi O'Sullivan (Regina Mundi College, Cork), Caoimhe Golden
(Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig), Michaela Lawrence, Grace Flanagan
(Presentation Secondary School, Thurles), Grace Fitzpatrick, Sarah Bell
(Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles), Ellie O’Brien (Scoil Muire gan Smál,
Blarney), Leah Martin (Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, Doon), Shauna Pearson (St.
Mary’s Secondary School, Newport), Niamh Cotter (Coláiste na Toirbhirte,
Bandon), Amy Madden (St. Patrick’s Comprehensive School, Shannon)
MANAGEMENT | Barry Ryan (Presentation Secondary
School, Thurles), Richard Grimes (St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon),
Stephen Quinn (FAI Development Officer, South Tipperary) Pat Barrett (GK
Coach), Emma Conway (St. Mary’s Secondary School, Newport)
