Great start for Connacht at Under 15 girls’ interpro tournament
Connacht got off to a flying start in the FAI Schools girls' Under 15 interprovincial tournament, defeating Ulster by three goals to nil on Monday evening.
With Mayo students Lexi Murphy (Balla Secondary School) and Mia Killeen (Ballinrobe Community School) in the squad, Connacht accounted for the opponents thanks to a brace from Coláiste na Coiribe pupil Ruby Meaney and a strike from Ava Hogan (Coláiste Chiaráín, Athlone).
Carrick on Shannon CS star Ornaith Guckian set Meaney up for her first after 20 minutes, and Connacht enjoyed that slender 1-0 lead at the interval.
Hogan was was on hand to slot home Connacht’s second midway through the second half, while Meaney converted her second and Connacht’s third nine minutes from time.
As well as players Murphy and Killeen, the Connacht management team features Stephen Lacken of St. Patrick's College, Lacken Cross, and Seamus MacEachmharcaigh of Sacred Heart School, Westport. They join head coach Dom Coll (retired) and Lucy Smith, both of Presentation College, Athenry, on the sidelines.
Elsewhere yesterday afternoon, defending champions Leinster got the better of Munster in a highly entertaining encounter to open the tournament in fine style, Robin Denehan (St. Mary’s College, Naas) with the only goal of the game on 24 minutes.
Games continue today (Tuesday) at Athlone Town AFC, with Connacht taking on Munster in the opener at 1 p.m. while Leinster face Ulster at 3 p.m.
The Connacht squad in full for the tournament, which concludes tomorrow (Wednesday), is as follows: Laura McHugh, Charlottle McHugh, Elisa Day (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir), Grace Halvey (Glenamaddy Community School), Ruby Meaney, Hannah McHugh (Coláiste na Coiribe, Knocknacarra), Ava McLaughlin (Salerno Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Salthill), Lexi Murphy (Balla Secondary School), Mia Lawless, Róisín Sammon, Roisin Hannon (Presentation College, Athenry), Ava Hogan (Coláiste Chiaráín, Athlone), Erin McCartan (Coláiste Iognáid, Galway), Kate Howard (Coláiste Muire, Ballymote), Ornaith Guckian (Carrick on Shannon Community School), Annalise Higgins (Sligo Grammar School), Mia Killeen (Ballinrobe Community School).
The series concludes early on Wednesday, with the matches to be played at 10.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.
ELUSIVE
Connacht last captured the elusive title in 2017, while Ulster were victorious 16 years ago. Munster secured back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022, and Leinster come into the competition as defending champions having completed the three in-a-row last October.
It’s a huge honour for the students to represent their schools and be selected at this level. Many of these youngsters will develop on to the conveyor belt of international squads, while others will look back on the competition as one of their many footballing highlights.
The interpro tournament is 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.
Since the inception of the international programme in 2002, the Republic of Ireland scholars have won the title 10 times (2026, 2025, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005 and 2002) – a success rate of 43% over 23 years of competition.
Richie Berkeley (retired, Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo) spent 12 years with the international management set-up during his tenure, and his head coach role within the Ireland camp will be taken by Paddy McDaid of Finn Valley College, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal.
Seventeen of the 68 players lining out this week have been capped by the FAI’s newly established Under 15 squad, who competed in Croatia at the end of August, while 17 of the WU17s, 12 of the WU19s and 13 of the senior women’s squad have come through the schools select in recent years.