Rathkeale schoolgirls bid for All-Ireland glory

COLAISTE na Trocaire, Rathkeale will bid for All-Ireland glory on St Valentine’s Day when they take on Sacred Heart School, Westport in the Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Senior Girls National Cup final at Home Farm FC,  1pm.

Newcomers Coláiste na Trócaire may be slight favourites as they dispensed of defending Champions Presentation Secondary School, Thurles in their Munster decider with a narrow 1-0 victory.

In their National Cup semi-final tie, two first have goals from Phoenix Mulcaire Shire and Eadaoin Lyons was enough to see the Limerick girls see off last year’s beaten finalists Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny.

Cavan native, Killian Phair, a former Limerick senior footballer and PE teacher in Coláiste na Trócaire, introduced soccer to the school in 2014.

The squad qualified for the Junior Cup final in 2015 but narrowly missed out on the honours to Convent of Mercy, Roscommon.

COLÁISTE NA TRÓCAIRE, RATHKEALE: Noirin Lenihan, Sarah Fitzgerald, Rachael Anderson, Kate Geary (Joint Captain), Siobhan Tangney, Tara Coleman, Eadaoin Lyons (Joint Captain), Claire Gohery, Phoenix Mulcaire Shire, Anna Shanagher, Grace Mullane

SUBS: Joanne Foley, Maeve Power, Aine Tangney, Orla O'Doherty, Anna Mullane. Amy Harnett, Ciara Houlihan (GK), Valerie Sheehy, Sophie Alymer, Hannah Moran, Molly O'Connor, Ciara O'Connor, Chloe Mullins

TEACHER: Killian Phair

SACRED HEART SCHOOL, WESTPORT: Michelle Treacy, Ellie Dillane, Feena Mc Manamon, Aisling McNulty, Ann Sheridan, Leah Moran, Saoirse Ludden (Captain), Megan Nugent, Jennifer Chambers, Tara Mc Nulty, Megan Dever. SUBS: Roisin Carney, Ciara Moran, Ava Lambert, Emma Gibbons, Sarah Forrestal, Sherin El Massry, Lucy Wallace.

REFEREE: Deirdre Nolan (Dublin)