2009
The Girls Interprovincial Tournament will take place this weekend 6 – 8 November, 2009 in the midlands. The tournament will see the first round of games played at Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore on Friday evening while Saturday and Sunday’s fixtures will be played at Willow Park, Athlone.
The Interprovincial series is the first step in the process of selecting the FAI Schools U15 International squad for next year’s Bob Docherty Tournament so as well as provincial honours; there is plenty at stake with sixty eight of the top players in Irish schools taking part.
Connacht will be the most experienced side entering the tournament this year with eight players making a welcome return. These include goalkeeper Lisa Heffernan (St. Paul’s Oughterard), Kayleigh Dunning (St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill), Keira Cormican, Linda Corcoran, Anna Lane, (all Presentation College, Athenry), Sarah Rowe (St. Mary’s SS, Ballina), Niamh Kelly (St. Louis CS, Kiltimagh) and Roisin McCafferky (Scoil Muire & Padraig, Swinford)
Joining these players will be newcomers Aislish Dealy, Aoileaonn Collins (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross), Ciara Lynagh, Katie Carter (Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill), Fiona Treacy (St. Mary’s SS, Ballina), goalkeeper Rachael Timothy (Castlerea CS), Alicia Develle (St. Louis SC, Kiltimagh), Sadbh Clancy (St. Clare’s CS, Manorhamilton) and Lisa Casserly (Seamount College, Kinvara).
Athenry student Keira Cormican will be making her third consecutive appearance in the Connacht colours and she has been aptly named as Captain for the weekend’s event which should prove highly entertaining.
Dom Coll’s charges will open their campaign when they kick off against Munster at 5pm in Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore.
The very talented Munster outfit have an excellent record in this tournament. Last year saw Munster lift their fourth consecutive title under the guidance of Manager Claire Wehrley (St. Flannan’s College, Ennis). The team will be boosted by the return of Cork student Clare Shine who featured heavily in the International setup last season.
Four other Corkian colleagues will return with Clare Shine notably, Shannon Carson (St. Vincent’s SS), Aisling Fox (Christ the King SS), Carys Johnson (Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant) and Taylor Kruschel (St. Mary’s High, Midleton).
The Rebel County have seven other debutants (12 in total) in goalkeeper Aine Bresnihan, Emma Madigan (Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant), Megan Connolly, Laura O’Brien (Christ the King SS), Ciara O’Connell (Mount Mercy College), Amy O’Connor (St. Vincent’s SS) and Ciara McNamara (Colaiste An Chroi Naofa).
Waterford will be represented by Roisin Cahillane (Blackwater CS, Lismore) and Eimear Fannell (St Augustine College, Dungarvan) while Kerry, Tipperary and Limerick have one representative each in Olivia Dawson (St. Brigid’s SS, Killarney), Edel O’Dwyer (Presentation SS, Thurles) and Clare Keating (St. Joseph’s SS, Doon).
It will be interesting to see if the reigning Champions Munster can continue their winning ways or if the very experienced Connacht can upset their tempo with a cracking game in store to open proceedings.
The second of the day’s fixtures on Friday will see Ulster take on Leinster at 6.30pm in Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore.
Under the leadership of Sean McFadden, Ulster have gone with a strongly dominate Donegal contingency. This is well merited as Scoil Mhuire and Crana College (both in Buncrana) captured All Ireland titles in 2007/08 while Mulroy College and Loreto Community School (both in Milford) are reigning All Ireland School Champions. Loreto Convent, Letterkenny narrowly missed out in their bid for All Ireland stardom when they were defeated by Moyne CS, Longford last season.
Ulster will rely on the form of Greencastle student Gemma McGuinness as she featured in the International panel last season. Gemma will return alongside school friends Charmaine McDermott, Eimear Lafferty (Moville CC) and Lauren Harper (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny).
Goalkeepers Sarah Cunningham (Inver College, Carrickmacross) and Paula McGrory (Crana College) will be eager to impress.
Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair will see Caroline Sharkey line out for the Northerners while Errigal College will be honoured by the appearance of Michelle Doran. Leanne Maguire (Inver College, Carrickmacross) is the second Monaghan player to make the cut.
The remaining players hail from prominent footballing schools including Kaneshia McKinney, Nadine Crawford, Sabha Medlar (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Kathy McLaughlin, Shannon McDonald, Sarah Jane McDonald (Moville CC).
Making the final selection for Ulster will be youngsters Amber Barrett and Aisling McDermott who were inspirational in capturing the All Ireland First Year Girls Schools Cup in Athlone last May. McFadden will have the girls well prepared in advance of the competition and will be hoping to impress the International management this season.
Leinster will have a point to prove heading into Friday’s clash with Ulster. Although Paul Howard’s selection hasn’t claimed the title in a number of years, his side has an exceptional record when it comes to International selection.
Making a return this year; is goalkeeper Nicole Cranny (Heywood Community College), Shauna Newman (St. Oliver’s Community College), Aine Bennett (Eureka Secondary School) and Chloe Mustaki (St Killian’s DSD). All four players wore the green shirt for Ireland last season and will be aiming to replicate this achievement going forward. Michelle Farrell is the fifth player that is eligible to play again this season. Farrell represents Moyne Community School in Longford. She had an outstanding year with the school, helping them to capture the All Ireland Minor Girls title last April.
Howard knows that a good performance in this tournament will ensure more International success for his young players. He will be bidding that the likes of Jessica Hunt (Loreto Secondary School, Bray), Emily Cahill (Newpark Comprehensive School), Elie Columb (Moyne CS) and Ciara English (St. David’s Holy Faith) can continue the high standard of play throughout the three day series.
The Leinster team have a mix of talent which sees players from Dublin (3), Laois (1), Longford (6), Wexford (3), Wicklow (2), Louth (1) and Meath (1) participate.
As part of the International trial process, a training squad will be selected by the Irish School’s management team. Roscommon native, Michael Gallagher of St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill will return to manage the team. Assisting Michael will be Margaret Mulhall of Moville Community College, Donegal and Dave Collins of Alexandra College, Dublin.
This provisional training squad will have several weekend sessions later in the year ahead of the Bob Docherty Tournament which will take place from 12-15 April 2010 in Scotland.
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.
PROVINCIAL PANELS:
Connacht: Lisa Heffernan (St. Paul’s, Oughterard), Kayleigh Dunning (St. Josephs College, Summerhill), Ailish Dealy (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross), Keira Cormican (Presentation College, Athenry), Linda Corcoran (Presentation College, Athenry), Anna Lane (Presentation College, Athenry), Sarah Rowe (St. Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina), Ciara Lynagh (Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill), Aoileaonn Collins (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross), Sadbh Clancy (St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton), Niamh Kelly (St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh), Alicia Develle (St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh), Katie Carter (Domincian College, Taylor’s Hill), Roisin McCafferky (Scoil Muire agus Padraig, Swinford), Lisa Casserly (Seamount College, Kinvara), Rachael Timothy (Castlerea Community School), Fiona Treacy (St. Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina).
Management: Dom Coll, Manager (Presentation College, Athenry), Seamus Mac Eachmharcaigh, Assistant Manager (Sacred Heart School, Westport), Sean Boland, Coach and Noelle Connolly, Assistant Coach (Convent of Mercy, Roscommon)
Ulster: Sarah Cunningham (Inver College, Carrickmacross), Kaneshia McKinney (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Nadine Crawford (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Kathy McLaughlin (Moville Community College), Shannon McDonald (Moville Community College), Michelle Doran (Errigal College, Letterkenny), Lauren Harper (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Charmaine McDermott (Moville Community College), Gemma McGuinness (Moville Community College), Amber Barrett (Loreto Community School, Milford), Eimear Lafferty (Moville Community College), Caroline Sharkey (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair), Aisling McDermott (Loreto Community School, Milford), Leanne Maguire (Inver College), Sadha Medlar (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Paula McGrory (Crana College, Buncrana), Sarah Jane McDonald (Moville Community College)
Management: Sean McFadden, Manager (Crana College, Buncrana), Denise Dowds, Assistant Manager (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Michelle Duffy, Coach (Loreto Convent, Letterkenny), Nicola Roache, Assistant Coach (St. Columba’s Collge, Stranorlar)
Munster: Aine Bresnihan (St. Mary’s SS, Charleville), Shannon Carson (St Vincent’s SS, Cork), Megan Connolly (Christ the King SS, Cork), Olivia Dawson (St. Brigid’s SS, Killarney), Eimear Fennell (St. Augustine’s College, Dungarvan), Aisling Fox (Christ the King SS), Carys Johnson (Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant), Claire Keating (St. Joseph’s SS, Doon), Taylor Kruschel (St. Mary’s High, Midleton), Emma Madigan (Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant), Ciara McNamara (Colaiste An Chroi Naofa, Cork), Laura O’Brien (Christ the King SS), Ciara O’Connell (Mount Mercy College, Cork), Amy O’Connor (St. Vincent’s SS), Edel O’Dwyer (Presentation SS, Thurles), Clare Shine (Regina Mundi, Cork), Roisin Cahillane (Blackwater CS, Lismore)
Management: Claire Wehrley (St. Flannan’s College, Ennis), Yvonne O’Keefe (St. Mary’s SS, Charleville), Eric Nelligan (St. Munchin’s College, Limerick), Richard Grimes (St. Caimin’s CS, Shannon), Lorraine Counihan (Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant).
Leinster: Nicole Cranny (Heywood Community College, Portlaoise), Alisha Cullen (Presentation Secondary School, Wexford), Sarah Shannon (Convent of Mercy, Ballymahon), Jessica Hunt (Loreto Secondary School, Bray), Ciara English (St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary, Greystones), Elie Columb (Moyne Community School), Aisling Reynolds (Mean Scoil Muire, Longford), Shauna Newman (St. Oliver’s Community College), Emily Cahill (Newpark Comprehensive School), Aoife Darcy (Mean Scoil Muire, Longford), Aine Bennett (Eureka Secondary School, Kells), Katie McCabe (St. Paul’s Secondary School, Greenhills), Chloe Mustaki (St. Killian’s DSD), Leona Breen (FCJ Secondary School, Bunclody), Michelle Farrell (Moyne Community College), Bethany Houldsworth (Cnoc Mhuire, Granard), Katie White (St. Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross)
Management: Paul Howard, Manager (Loreto College, Crumlin), Richelle O’Neill, Head Coach (Colaiste Choilm, Tullamore), Joe Stafford, Assistant Coach (Skerries Community College)
INTERPROVINCIAL FIXTURES:
Friday 6 November (Leah Victoria Park, Tullamore)
5.00pm Munster v Connacht
6.30pm Leinster v Ulster
Saturday 7 November (Willow Park, Athlone)
2.00pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
3.30pm Draw will be made on Friday evening
Sunday 8 November (Willow Park, Athlone)
10.00am Fixtures TBC
11.30am Fixtures TBC
BOB DOCHETY TOURNAMENT (Girls International)
12-15 April 2010 in Scotland