ARDSCOIL MHUIRE BALLINASLOE GATHERED TOGETHER, ON THURSDAY 8TH NOVEMBER, AS A WHOLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, TO CONGRATULATE, HONOUR AND PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR WONDERFUL SENIOR RUGBY TEAM ON THEIR MOMENTOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN DONNYBROOK YESTERDAY WEDNESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, WHEN THEY WON THE ALL IRELAND SCHOOLS RUGBY NATIONAL 7’S FINAL, THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT THE CUP HAS BEEN WON BY A SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF LEINSTER.
THE TEAM MEMBERS ARE : CAPTAIN, MEABH DEELY, AOIBHEANN REILLY, BEIBHEANN PARSONS, HANNAH GULLANE, NIAMH KENNY, EMILY GAVIN, HANNAH FLYNN, SHAUNA FINNERAN, LEONA LARKIN, RACHEL LARKIN, AVRIL DEELY , ORLAITH BRENNAN, SARAH LYONS, MARTHA FREHILL, JOANNE CURLEY, LEAH HOGARTY AND ROISIN FAHY.
16 TEAMS IN TOTAL COMPETED IN THE COMPETITION, 6 FROM LEINSTER, 4 FROM ULSTER, 4 FROM MUNSTER AND JUST 2 FROM CONNACHT.
ARDSCOIL MHUIRE BEAT COLAISTE IDE AND JOSEF, THURLES, FOLLOWED BY ST. KEVIN’S FROM DUNLAVIN. NEXT THEY TOOK ON AND BEAT ENNISKILLEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL WHICH QUALIFIED THEM FOR THE SEMI FINAL.
IN THE SEMI FINAL THEY PLAYED OLDCASTLE BEATING THEM 5-2. THEN IN THE FINAL THEY FACED THEIR OLD CONNACHT RIVALS, SACRED HEART WESTPORT BEATING THEM 4-3 TO TAKE HOME THE ALL IRLAND 7’S CUP. AND THE VICTORY IS ALL THE SWEETER AS IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CUP HAS BEEN WON BY A SCHOOL OUTSIDE LEINSTER.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO BALLINASLOE RUGBY CLUB AND TO YOUR INSPIRATIONAL AND DEDICATED MENTORS AND COACHES, ANNE DEELY, DERMOT TIERNEY AND GEAROID FINNERAN WHO HAVE SUPPORTED YOU ALL THE WAY AND INSPIRED YOU TO THIS WONDERFUL VICTORY.
HUGE THANKS TO ANGELA FLAHERTY WHO SUPPORTS THE GIRLS AT TRAINING AND TRAVELS WITH THEM TO MATCHES TO SUPPORT THEM THERE TOO.
NOT FORGETTING MARTHA SHEAHAN WHO ENSURES THAT THE NEW KIT, KINDLY SPONSORED BY BALLINASLOE CREDIT UNION AND SUPPLIED BY MULVEY SPORT, IS WASHED, DRIED AND READY FOR ALL MATCHES.
WE AM VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL.
ARDSCOIL MHUIRE ABU!!
