St Leos College ready to contest All-Ireland Final

St Leo’s College are preparing for one of the school’s biggest sporting days when their girls football team take on Ballieborough CS in the Lidl PPS All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ Final on Wednesday afternoon.

Emma Malone who plays her football with Killeshin has been able to bring what she has learned with the club to the school and vice-versa. But getting to an All-Ireland final was not something she would have seen coming.

“Definitely not,” she says.a “We did well last year with our junior team in Killeshin winning the league and getting up to intermediate. We have been training all summer and then we came back to school. We have been training and we are getting on well in the school.

In the last few years we have been progressing in school but this year everyone has come together,” Emma explains.

She praises the management team of Laura Kelly, Tadgh Walsh and Fiona O’Sullivan.

“They definitely put in so much work. Even doing the match-ups on the opposition. Finding out about the other team which would help us going forward.” They have had some tight games. There was a steel in the side in Kilkenny when St Leo’s went about rescuing the game after falling behind.

“We thought coming off at half-time and being that bit up we knew it was going to be a tough battle and that we would have to keep going. They gave us an awakening. We were six points down. We all put our foot down and stepped up to the mark.” Lucie O’Reilly (St Brigids) has played alongside Emma with Laois.

After getting to a final in first year, there have been disappointing times in St Leos in second and third year. Lucie recalls those times.

“We didn’t get on so well but this year it has been going well so far,” she says.

“Everyone is putting in the hard work. Hopefully we will win but it is a great achievement to get there.” 

“The amount of supporters the school brought to the semi-final was great and even the players who haven’t made the panel are still there supporting us. They are trying their very best to get on to the panel,” says Lucie who, whether it was with the school or with the county loves her football.

“It is busy. We train with the school when we can. There are a good few girls who are playing with their county and their club. It is a lot but we are trying to make it work,” the St Brigids player acknowledges.

Originally from Carrick on Suir but living in Ownings County Kilkenny now, St Leo’s teacher, Laura Kelly, is part of a three-person management team who have steered the school to an All-Ireland final. Fiona O’Sullivan and Tadgh Walsh are the other two trainers.

They have encouraged as many players to be involved. Last year the school had almost 70 players on the under 14s and while results didn’t always go their way, matches were arranged so that as many players who turned up got a run in an extra practice game.

“We wanted to keep everyone involved. Girls have come on in leaps and bounds this year,” she says.

This year there were 47 players on the panel. The entire squad has been facilitated as much as possible.

“So many players are fighting to be on the team and so many want to be a part of it. They are all part of the team. They have all come to the training,” says Laura.

Getting as far as they did meant the panel had to be cut to 30. Yet those who didn’t make the cut were included when it came to giving out gear.

“Keith Dooley Guttering gave us €500 and 44 students got gear. They are part of the team,” explained Laura.

“In the semi-final we were three points down and the seventeen who were not on the team cheered them on. It was that momentum and cheering off the pitch which got the players to say to themselves that they had to go and win it.” The Kilkenny based teacher philosophy is all encompassing.

“You don’t learn just in the classroom. It is what you do outside it which is so important.

She would love to see the school win the All-Ireland. She may not be from the area but she has totally immersed herself in the schools bid to become All-Ireland Champions.

“I feel it is so important to be a part of the community. I love my job and the hours I put in must be quite high but it has to be done.” 

Path to the Final 

Leinster Quarter-Final - St Leo’s 5-15 Scoil Mhuire, Trim 5-13 

Leinster Semi-Final - St Leo’s 2-8 St Mary’s, Naas 1-9 

Leinster Final - St Leo’s 6-6 Mercy, Ballymahon 1-2 

All-Ireland Semi-Final - St Leo’s 3-12 Cashel CS 4-8 

Lidl PPS All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ Final - St Leo’s College v Ballieborough CS Thursday, 19 March, 12.00, Clann Mhuire GFC, Naul.