Sacred Heart Clonakilty Secure Girls Schools Cup Double

It was a special day for Sacred Heart Clonakilty as the West Cork school won the Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup and the Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup in a double-header at Virgin Media Park today.

Clonakilty won out 19-0 against West Cork rivals Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí in the Junior Cup before the senior squad completed a memorable double when they came from behind to defeat Coláiste Muire Ennis 20-10 in the day’s second game.

Please see below for round-ups of both games.

Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup Final

Sacred Heart Clonakilty 19 – 0 Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí

Sacred Heart Clonakilty are the 2023/24 Munster Schools Girls Junior Cup champions after they defeated Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí 19-0 in a difficult conditions at Virgin Media Park.

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, with a strong wind at their back, dominated possession in the opening minutes of the game but were unable to make that early pressure count.

Clonakilty then got their hands on the ball more often and it was Elsa Quirke who got her side on the front foot with a scything break into the Bantry 22. However, Bantry’s Alice O’Donovan displayed superb determination to chase down what seemed to be a lost cause and make a crucial tackle.

However, with the ball recycled quickly, Elva McCauley found some space to power her way over the line for the game’s first try. That was score was brilliantly converted by Keelin McCarthy to give Clonakilty an early 7-0 lead.

Clonakilty kept the pressure on with plenty of possession in the Bantry 22. The Bantry defence admirably held firm and forced a number of turnovers until Niamh Hilliard crossed under the posts from close range. McCarthy notched the conversion to give Clonakilty a 14-0 lead.

Just before half-time, Clonakilty stretched their lead out further with a try from McAuley but this time McCarthy was unable to notch the conversion.

As in the first half, Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí dominated the opening exchanges of the second 40 but couldn’t get over for a crucial try to get themselves back into the game.

To Bantry’s credit, the second half was mostly played in the Clonakilty 22 but despite a huge effort, they were unable to get a try as a resolute Clonakilty defence held firm throughout.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty 

15. Maria O’Donovan
14. Elsa Quirke
13. Elva McAuley
12. Keelin McCarthy
11. Laura Sexton
10. Lani O’Donovan
9. Julie Finn
1. Maya McMahon
2. Ciara O’Driscoll
3. Meghan Coakley
4. Emily Bell
5. Chloe Galwey
6. Aideen O’Sullivan
7. Amie Millin
8. Niamh Hilliard

Replacements:

16. Isabelle Neville
17. Seodhna Walsh
18. Shona Fleming
19. Sophie Bell
20. Ciara Barrett
21. Leah Egan
22. Sinead O’Callaghan
23. Ellie Collins

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí

15. Belle O’Donoghue
14. Sophie O’Shea
13. Ciara Kelly
12. Alice O’Donovan
11. Seren Lehane
10. Abbey Connolly
9. Grace Cronin
1. Leah Barry
2. Maggie Murray
3. Gracie O’Connor
4. Annie Doody
5. Lucy Donaldson
6. Mary Fox
7. Caoimhe McCarthy
8. Muireann McCarthy

Replacements:
16. Amy Coughlan
17. Grace Keane
18. Niamh Thorpe
19. Ellie O’Connor
20. Aoife Myler
21. Keelyn O Connor
22. Nicol Lenazun

Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup Final

Sacred Heart Clonakilty 20 – 10 Coláiste Muire Ennis

Sacred Heart Clonakilty won the Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup with a come-from-behind victory against Coláiste Muire Ennis.

Ennis took the lead right from the kick off as Lyndsay Clarke collected the ball and showed her international 7s experience to race clear down the touchline for the game’s opening try. Eabha O’Driscoll lined up the conversion but it went wide as Ennis took an early 0-5 lead.

Clonakilty began to apply pressure and this was compounded when Ennis received a yellow card for a high tackle. With the numerical advantage Solène Skupiewski struck out wide for clon for an unconverted try to level the game.

Ennis hit back straight away with a try from Sally Kelly after good work from Orna Moynihan but the conversion was unsuccessful as the game swung in the Clare school’s favour once again,

At the start of the second half, Clonakilty were held up over the line but they got their next try after Ennis had to ground the ball in their own in-goal area which resulted in a 5m scrum for the West Cork side.

The pressure told soon after when Emer Moroney went over for Clonakilty and the try was converted Rachel Twomey to put her side 12-10 in front.

Sacred Heart then extended their lead soon after with a brilliant penalty from Twomey to stretch out the lead to 15-10.

Entering the final 10 minutes, there was still danger for Clon as an unconverted try from Ennis would see them crowned champions due to having scored more tries. That scenario didn’t transpire, however, as Clonakilty captalised on a clearing kick which got caught in the wind and it was Sara O’Sullivan who was first on the scene to dot down and ensure a historic double for Sacred Heart Clonakilty.

You can watch back the live stream of today’s senior final, brought to you by Pinergy, below.

Sacred Heart Clonakilty

15. Solène Skupiewski
14. Clodagh McCarthy
13. Ella O’Sullivan
12. Kate Nolan
11. Tara Fleming
10. Rachel Twomey
9. Caoimhe McCarthy
1. Sara O’Sullivan
2. Aoife Godwin-Coombs
3. Amy Giles
4. Leona Arra
5. Éabha Egan
6. Kate Burton
7. Roxanne Llewellyn
8. Emer Moroney

Replacements:
16. Alison McCarthy
17. Emily Moloney
18. Orla Whelton
19. Alison Brennan
20. Charlotte McCabe
21. Olivia Lawlor
22. Eavan Boyle
23. Sinead O’Mahony
24. Orlaith Finn
25. Aisling Dinneen

Coláiste Muire Ennis 

15. Orna Moynihan
14. Sophie Culleton
13. Ellis O’Flaherty
12. Lucy Power
11. Ella Courtney
10. Lyndsay Clarke
9. Amy Butler
1. Fiadh O’Shea
2. Kiera O’Neill
3. Caoileann Cahill
4. Ciara Frawley
5. Jennifer Weston
6. Ellen Byrne
7. Eabha O’Driscoll
8. Sally Kelly

Replacements:

16. Anna Byrne
17. Muireann O’Mullane
18. Victoria Burns
19. Anna Steigerwald
20. Mary McInerny
21. Ella Fitzgibbon
22. Elisha Rowland
23. Sadie Shalloo