Emer O'Neill and Kate O'Dowd

Young Sports Stars of the Year Award winners Nos. 4 & 5: Emer O'Neill and Kate O'Dowd

In March we had double monthly winners in the Young Sports Stars of the Year Awards as Emer O’Neill and Kate O'Dowd were both part of the Republic of Ireland Under 15 schools team that captured the Bob Docherty Trophy in Belfast over the last weekend of the month.

Ireland needed a comeback victory over England in the final game after both went into the contest on two wins each.

Over the course of the weekend, the Republic of Ireland accounted for Scotland (4-0) and Northern Ireland B (5-0), making the game against England a true winner-takes-all scenario at Ulster University, Jordanstown.

Kate attends St. Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen, while Emer is a student at St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh. They were playing club football with Kiltimagh/ Knock United and Castlebar Celtic respectively at the time, but both subsequently joined Sligo Rovers to play for their Under 17 women's team.