Milton set to spearhead Leinster challenge
Ciara Milton will be part of a strong Leinster squad competing in the the 2024 FAI Schools Under 15 Girls’ Interprovincial series in Athlone Town AFC Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Ireland U16 international Ciara Milton will be part of a strong Leinster squad competing in the the 2024 FAI Schools Under 15 Girls’ Interprovincial series in Athlone Town AFC during the Mid Term Break next week, Tuesday, October 29 to Thursday, October 31.
Milton (St. Leo’s College, Carlow), who won a Gaynor Cup with Carlow in 2023 and now plays her football for Shamrock Rovers, returns for the reigning champions along with goalkeeper Lucy Doyle Farrington (St. Mary’s College, Arklow) and Lara Dallaghan (Loreto Abbey Secondary School, Dalkey). The pedigree of this trio is immense with all three making the cut for the International Schools select last season. They will be hoping to retain that status quo with another International cap at schools level, having already been involved with the Irish Under 16s. Halle Harcourt (Larkin Community College) also featured for Tom Elmes’ side in their recent victory over Northern Ireland. The experience gained at such a young age will be invaluable to the Leinster side, making them a formidable force.
Keelie Doyle (Tullow Community School) is also named on the Leinster squad by manager Keith Coffey.
The three-day tournament will see sixty-eight of the top players in Irish Schools line out from all corners of the Country as they compete for their Province and possibly make the cut for International assessment next month.
This tournament will be 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. In 2025, Richard Berkeley’s International side will travel the short distance to Belfast as Northern Ireland host the tournament during the Easter Break (Sunday, April 13 to Thursday, April 17).
All eyes will be on the Interprovincial series to scout for the best talent on display within our network of post primary schools. The event will see 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.
Leinster come into the competition as defending Champions and may hold the favourites tag on paper. Munster secured back to back victories in 2021 and 2022 but can either of the new management teams replicate such success. Or will the veterans succeed this season? Connacht captured the elusive title in 2017 while Ulster were victories 14 years ago. No doubt all management teams will have their squads primed for some exciting and competitive football.
It’s a huge honour for the students to represent their schools and be selected at this level. Many of these youngsters will develop onto the conveyor belt of International squads while others will look back on the competition as one of their many footballing highlights.
As the excitement mounts for this year’s contest, Connacht will open the series when they take on Ulster at 3pm on Tuesday afternoon while Leinster kick off their title defence against Munster at 5pm.
Following the initial games, a draw will be made on Friday evening for Saturday’s pairings which kick off at 1pm and 3pm. The conclusion of the tournament will see the penultimate game on Sunday at 10.30am while the final game will commence at 12.30pm.
All games will be live streamed with links available on the FAI Schools social media platforms on the respective matchdays (@faischools Facebook and Twitter)
Ivana McMahon (Ursuline College, Sligo), Sive Flanagan (Mount St. Michael Secondary School, Claremorris), Abbie Duffy (Presentation College, Athenry), Chloe Glynn (Coláiste Chiaráin, Athlone), Mona Lowe (Lough Allen College, Leitrim), Aisling Kennedy (Glenamaddy Community School), Ana Conway (Salerno Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Salthill), Maireád Mullins (St. Cuan’s College, Castleblakeney), Ava Hallinan (Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone), Emily Coleman (St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Foxford), Tilly Carroll (Salerno Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Salthill), Caoimhe O’Donnell (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross, Killala), Saoirse Reynolds, Aoibhinn McGreal (Sacred Heart School, Westport), Kyilah Maloney (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir), Katie Quirke (Calasanctius College, Oranmore), Kate McNamara (Seamount College, Kinvara)
MANAGEMENT | Dom Coll (Retired, Presentation College, Athenry) Stephen Lacken (St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross), Seamus MacEachmharcaigh (Sacred Heart School, Westport)
Lucy Doyle Farrington (St. Mary’s College, Arklow), Ava Kelly (Tallaght Community School), Caoimhe Devane (Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan), Eimear Byrne (Portlaoise College), Lara Dallaghan (Loreto Abbey Secondary School, Dalkey), Hailey Twomey (Eureka Secondary School, Kells), Halle Harcourt (Larkin Community College), Jane Smyth (Loreto Secondary School, Navan), Keelie Doyle (Tullow Community School), Laila Hurley (St. Mac Daras Community College, Templeogue), Ciara Milton (St. Leo’s College, Carlow), Maisy Healy (Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf), Matylda Stelmaszek (St. Kilian’s DSD, Clonskeagh), Mia Whelan (Coláiste Bride, Enniscorthy), Olivia Kenny (Our Lady’s College, Terenure), Ruby Boland (Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara), Skye Barrett (Maynooth Post Primary School)
MANAGEMENT | Keith Coffey (Confey Community College, Leixlip), Ciaran O’Brien (St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Drogheda), Lauren McGinn (Donabate Community College), Mia O’Connell, Kate Foley (IT Carlow students)
Sarah Doyle, Ruby Norris, Maia Stokes (Scoil Mhuire Greenhill, Carrick on Suir), Eva Power (Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, Newcastle West), Alexandra Sheehy (Laurel Hill Coláiste, Limerick), Leah O’Leary Callender (Ashton School, Cork), Lily Sexton (Coláiste Éamann Rís, Corcaigh), Ruth McGrath (St. Angela’s College, Cork), Caila Nelligan (St. Mary’s Secondary School, Charleville), Shania West (Nagle Community College, Mahon), Leah Hannon, Ellen Goggin, Orlaith O’Connell (Crescent College Comprehensive, Limerick), Isobel Conway (Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher), Anna Cronin (Coláiste Choilm, Cork), Aoife O’Donnell (Cashel Community School), Emma Jones (Coláiste Muire, Ennis)
MANAGEMENT | Kevin Duffy (Coláiste Muire, Ennis), Eileen O’Brien (Crescent College Comprehensive, Limerick), Kate Delaney (Mary Immaculate College), Paul Corbett (St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon) Richard Grimes (Head of Delegation)
Croía Toye (Beech Hill College, Monaghan), Megan Gallagher (Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town), Mairéad Shields (Mulroy College, Milford), Ella Brennan, Caoimhe McLaughlin (Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny), Kyra Gavigan, Ella Udoku, Kate McMenamin, (St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar), Lucie Gibson, Sophie Holland (Bailieborough Community School), Maebh Ferguson (Loreto College, Cavan), Shauna Doohan (PCC, Falcarragh), Lanah Sherlock (St. Aidan’s Comprehensive School, Cootehill), Adah Gill (Moville Community College), Aimee McLaughlin (Carndonagh Community School), Ava Grier, Aoibhinn Callaghan (Loreto Community School, Milford)
MANAGEMENT | Paddy McDaid (Finn Valley College, Stranorlar), Kaneshia McKinney (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Catherine Fletcher (Mulroy College, Milford) Orlaith Doherty (Student, St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar), Dessie McGlinchey
All games at Athlone Town AFC (2 periods of 30 minutes)
No extra time.
10 min h/t interval
3.00pm Connacht vs Ulster
5.00pm Leinster vs Munster
1.00pm Game 3
3.00pm Game 4
10.30am Game 5
12.30pm Game 6
