Girls gear up for Northern Ireland test

February 25, 2022

RICHARD BERKELEY’s Schools select will make the trip to Midgley Park in Belfast tomorrow to take on their Northern Irish counterparts in an International Friendly which kicks off at 2pm.

The last time these two sides met in a similar contest was March 2019 when they played out a scoreless draw in Armagh City.

The trial process for the Republic of Ireland is nearing completion so this encounter will be a useful exercise for Berkeley and his team as he puts the finishing touches to the squad.

The Tallaght native has named twenty players for this fixture but will have to narrow it down to just eighteen players to travel to Newcastle to contest the Bob Docherty Cup in April. The Head Coach has a few players out with injury so it will be race to see if they’re fit to contend for a spot following the assessment period.

Three players make the cut from both Ulster and Connacht with Monaghan, Donegal, Mayo and Galway all flying the flag for their respective educational institutes. Leinster and Munster both have seven players in contention with Kildare, Dublin, Cork, Tipperary  and Limerick all represented.

The students will relish the opportunity of some tough opposition tomorrow afternoon. The Head to Head battles have ensured a highly entertaining encounter over the years.

Former Schools Internationals that contested these friendly fixtures in the past include; Heather PAYNE, Saoirse NOONAN, Leanne KIERNAN (all 2014), Jessica ZIU, Tyler TOLAND, Eabha O’Mahony, Isibeal CAROLAN (all 2016) and Ellen MOLLOY, Jessie STAPLETON, Aoibheann CLANCY, Kerry BROWN (all 2018) starring previously.

The Republic of Ireland Schools will build on this encounter with three more training sessions before they participate in the Bob Docherty Cup which will take place from April 10 to 14 in Cochrane Park.

What future starlets will make a name for themselves tomorrow afternoon?

U15 GIRLS’ REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SCHOOLS  | Sarah McCAFFREY (Largy College, Clones), Cache CRUMLISH (Carndonagh Community School), Orlaith DOHERTY (St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar),

Keeva FLYNN (St. Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina), Emma DUFFY (Davitt College, Castlebar), Emily FITZGERALD (Coláiste Iognaid), Clodagh FITZGERALD (Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig), Chloe WALLACE (Coláiste Nano Nagle, Sexton Street, Limerick), Emma MEANEY (Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally), Clodagh DALY (St. Mary’s Secondary School, Nenagh), Leah McGRATH (St. Anne’s Secondary School, Tipperary), Amy TIERNEY (John the Baptist Community School), Kiera SENA (Coláiste an Chraoibín, Fermoy), Annie O’BRIEN (Assumption Secondary School, Walkinstown), Lucy O’ROURKE (St. Mary’s College, Naas), Kayla MAGUIRE (Kingswood Community College), Hannah HEALY (Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf), Robyn GLEESON (Loreto College, Crumlin), Lauryn McCABE (Tallaght Community School), Freya HEALY (Newbridge College)

Previously Friendly Encounters vs Northern Ireland