Connaught schools squad for interprovincials features four Mayo players
The Connaught squad for the 2021 FAI Schools Under 15 girls interprovincial tournament this weekend features four players from Mayo.
Keeva Flynn (St. Mary's Secondary School, Ballina), Kayla Doherty (Jesus & Mary Second School, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina), Emma Duffy (Davitt College, Castlebar) and Katie Heaney (St. Joseph's Secondary School, Castlebar) are all on veteran head coach Dom Coll's squad.
Coll welcomes back Seamus Mac Eachmharcaigh (Sacred Heart School, Westport) to the management set-up following a two-year sabbatical, and they are joined this year by the experienced Stephen Lacken (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross) and newbie Caroline Ní Chriofa (Coláiste na Coiribe).
Caroline’s school will have three players line out this weekend, with Jessica Talbot, Zainab Rather and Caitlin Joyce selected, while Ursuline College in Sligo also supplies three players, Sophie Quinn, Rachel McGoldrick and Mairead McIntyre.
From Friday to Sunday (November 19 to 21), 68 of the top Under 15 players in Irish schools line out for the interprovincial tournament, which takes place at the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh, Dublin.
The interprovincial series 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.
The 2021/22 campaign will see the Republic of Ireland Schools Select travel to Newcastle for the Home Nations event. The international series will take place during the Easter break – from Sunday, April 10, to Thursday, April 14. Prior to that, the squad will take on England in the annual John Read Trophy as well as a friendly with Northern Ireland in the build-up to this season’s international run.
All eyes will be on the interprovincial series at the weekend to scout for the best talent on display within the country's network of post-primary schools. The three-day event will see a series of six matches played, with provinces awarded two points for a win and one point for a draw. The format leaves for an exciting finale in the Sunday morning outings.
Unfortunately, the 2020 interprovincial series was cancelled last November due to Covid-19 so the provincial head coaches will welcome the resumption of this competition.
The opening clash on Friday sees title holders Leinster take on Munster at 3 p.m. while Connaught entertain Ulster at 5 p.m., two games which should set the scene for the remaining encounters.
In keeping with the long-standing tradition of maintaining the interest in the competition until the final matches on Sunday morning, the draw for Saturday and Sunday’s matches will be made following the games on Friday evening.
Opportunity
Republic of Ireland Schools head coach Richard Berkeley (Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh) is facing into his fourth season in charge and relishes the opportunity to view the latest crop of players to make the cut at provincial level.
Berkeley will invite 32 players in for an initial assessment following the interprovincial series as he goes in search of his final squad for the schools’ international campaign.
The Tallaght native won the John Read Trophy and Bob Docherty Cup in his debut season in 2018 and followed this up again in 2019 with an extraordinary double. In 2020, the Irish lost out to England in the John Read Trophy before the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to all football activities, thus leaving the Bob Docherty Cup falling victim to cancellation.
Richard will be joined once again by his management team of coaches Emma Mullin, Katie McCarthy (St. Colman’s Community College, Midleton), Scott Gaynor (Presentation SS, Wexford) and Karen Henry (Mulroy College, Milford).