Students feature on memorable first for local club

Two students from the school featured on the Abbeyfeale team that won a Munster title during Easter.

Full match report below

Abbeyfeale Rugby Ladies Create History.
Abbeyfeale 17-15 Clonmel
Its onwards and upwards for this newly established ladies rugby team as they won the Munster Ladies Development League title in a hard fought battle against Clonmel on Sunday last.  In only their second season this team are the first women’s team to win a title in the clubs history.  The start didn’t go to plan for the team as they were first to concede on their home pitch in Abbeyfeale.  Clonmel failed to convert.  Things soon went to plan for Abbeyfeale as Lisa Hartnett went over the line for Abbeyfeales first of the day.  Before the half time whistle Clonmel crossed the line for their second of the day failing to convert.  First half ended with Abbeyfeale trailing by 5 points.  Abbeyfeale started the second half as they did the first with fire and passion.  Janet Garvey soon crossed the line for Abbeyfeales second try of the day.  Scores were now level.  Clomnel scored another again failing to convert.  Abbeyfeale fought hard and their reward came as Lorraine Scanlon scored under the post for Abbeyfeales third try of the day which was converted by Brigid Cahill.  Abbeyfeale now lead 17-15.  The girls batted hard to retain their two point lead and kept clonmel at bay until the final whistle.  Celebrations were soon underway as Abbeyfeale were presented their first cup.  A great team performance and outstanding individual performances from every girl on the field.  Player of the match was Janet Garvey who delivered another exceptional perforamce for this team.  The team would like to thank John Moloney and Liam Herlihy for all their help and support during the season, those who supported them and came to the matches. 

Abbeyfeale get so close to all ireland title

The very successful seaon for Colaiste Ide agus Iosef's senior Ladies
football team came to an end last Saturday when they showed tremendous
spirit in nearly toppling the hot favourites Loretto from Omagh in the
All Ireland Final. Played in a very sunny Kinnegad, a large number of
people came to support the new Community College, in most cases
travelling in cars and busses for well over three hours to get there.
Whatever happened they knew they would see history as no Limerick
School had ever previously gone this far in the 'A' competition.

The match started in Abbeyfeales favour with first point been scored
by Eibhlis Dillon . However this was quickly cancelled out by the
centre half forward for Omagh Nicola Donnelly. The nineteen year old
Donnelly, who in her acceptance speech after the match spoke about how
she had gone back to school specially for this purpose would prove to
be the highest scorer on the day scoring a very impressive 10 points.
After the first exchange of points the match continued in that fashion
with Abbeyfeale never getting more than two points ahead. Laura
Sheeran, Leanne Mangan and Tara Zgaga all scored points for
Abbeyfeale. At the other end of the field Melissa Holland saved
brilliantly two point blank shots but Omagh got points through Aideen
Traynor, Nicola Donnelly and Fionnuala Conwell.. However with ten
minutes left in the first half, Omagh finally took the lead from boot
of Nicola Donnelly. This was a lead they would not again relinquish
until very late in the second half. Another point from Donnelly was
answered with a point from Laura Sheeran before Omagh's corner
forward, Teri McCusker showed tremendous pace to turn and shoot a low
unstoppable shot into the left hand corner of the net. This made it
1-6 to 0-5. Another point from Nicola Donnelly was answered by Shannon
McAuliffe from Abbeyfeale. Leanne Mangan then pointed but the final
score of the half went to Omagh and Teri McCusker leaving the half
time score at 1-8 to 0-7.

Abbeyfeale were the last to come back on the field in the second half
and Loretto immediately set about using the strong wind to their
advanctage with a point by Eva Hicks. Effective use of the short hand
pass on  two successive forays down the centre resulted in points for
Abbeyfeale's Leanne Mangan and Mariah Stack. Terri McCusker responded
for Omagh before Barbara Browne passed to Leanne Mangan for another
Abnbeyfeale point to make it 1-10 to 0-10. Straight after this
Abbeyfeale had their first real goal opportunity but Shannon Sheehan's
point blank shot was brilliantly saved by Leah Lynch's right foot, in
the subsequent scramble Shauna McAuliffe got a point to bring the
deficit to two. However Nicola Donnelly answered with a point for
Omagh to leave three points between the sides with twenty minutes to
go. Then came a period of Omagh dominance. For the next  ten minutes
they would keep the ball in the Abbeyfeale half getting four points
and also shooting five wides. Donnelly with three and Kerrie McGarrey
getting on the scoresheet for Omagh. Despite been seven points behind
Abbeyfeale heads didn't drop and in the 23rd minute they finally got
the break they needed when Leanne Mangan soloed through from inside
the 45 to shoot the ball into the Omagh net. Within a minute, after a
very well worked passing movement, Shannon Sheehan got the second
goal. Almost immediately on the kick out, Barbara Browne was fouled
and up stepped Leanne Mangan to convert the free and make it level
with just five minutes to go. However this was to be the end of the
Abbeyfeale scoring and in those remaining minutes, Omagh showed
maturity and experience in taking points, four in all to secure
victory. Full forward Cara McCrossan got on the scoresheet scoring
three of them before Nicola Donnelly scored the insurance point in the
dying seconds.

There was some consolation for the Colaiste Ide agus Iosef team though
as captain Laura Sheeran was awarded player of the match for her
trojan work out of centre field.

Over 100 Photos from All Ireland Ladies Senior Football final March 2012

Coláiste Ide agus Iosef:
M. Holland, C. Dalton, S. McNulty, S. Sheehy, S. Enright, S. Guiney,
B. Browne, E. Dillon, L. Sheeran (c), T. Zgaga, M. Stack, S. Sheehan,
S. McAuliffe. L. Mangan, R. Daly. Subs: L. O'Connell, A. O'Connor, K.
O'Connor, S. McCourt, J. Scannell, M. Roche, M. Carroll, H. Morrissey,
G. Browne, T. Mangan.

Loreto Grammer Omagh.
L. Lynch, C. McMenamin (c), T. McLaughlin, C. McNabb, A. Traynor, C.
McQuaid, E. McCullagh, F. Conwell, E. Collins, C. McMahon, N.
Donnelly, N. O'Neill, E. Hicks, C. McCrossan, T. McCusker. Subs: G.
Quinn, K. McGarvey, S. McNabb, S. Tracey, S. O'Neill, C. O'Neill, S.
McGowan, N. McGirr, S. McQuaid, B. Donaghy, F. Lynch, E. McAleer, S.
Sheerin.

More photographs from sportsfile

Debating for All Ireland

The Senior debating team from Coláiste Íde agus Iosef will this Thursday take the platform at the national  final of Comórtas an Phiarsaigh, organised by Gael-Linn.  They will defend the motion “ Tá an teideal ‘Oileán na Naomh agus na nOllamh’ tuillte go fóill ag Éirinn!” ( The title A nation of saints and scholars is still deserved by Ireland) In the final they will take on a team from Loretto in Clonmel, Gort in Galway and from Maynooth in Kildare. The final will take place at 6.30 in the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise.

The three students on the team hail from fifth year.  Aran Reidy is the very able and compelling captain.  Also on the team are James Leahy, a fine articulate young man and Emer Murphy, who has impressed
the adjudicators on every outing with her heartfelt arguments.  These young debaters have had to contend with motions like “Is rud maith é go bhfuil deireadh ag teacht le cultúr an tí tábhairne in Éirinn” and
“Tá ár bhféiniúlacht mar Ghaeil caillte againn in Éirinn”. Their teachers on the staff of Coláiste Íde agus Iosef and their fellow fifth years have been hugely supportive from the outset, not alone with their ideas both for and against the various motions, but also in terms of moral support.  “Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid” is a seanfhocal they have quoted more than once to bolster an argument but it’s one which also holds true with regard to this debating competition.  The team along with their friends, teachers and families are looking forward to the this Thursday night.  Go n-éirí go geal leo!

First County Limerick Sports in UL

The Colasite Ide & Iosef athletics team participated in a hugely successful and enjoyable Limerick V.E.C. Sports Day in sun drenched U.L on Thursday 29th. Despite being pipped for third place by a mere half a point it turned out to be a fabulous day of outstanding performances. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Boys Under 18 Medley team who put in a powerhouse performance to claim gold.U 18 Medley Team: Jakob Winnicki, Killian Murphy. Jamie O Connor, Gavin Dillon. The same team also placed second in the 4X100m relay. Other stand out results on the day were in the U 16 Boys Long Jump where Thomas Sexton and Shaun Palmer took gold and in the Boys U 14 Long Jump Jack Cotter & Shane O Connell also claimed gold.  Third place in the Boys U 16 4X 100 m relay went to Jason O Connor, Pa O Connor, Shane Kelliher and Thomas Sexton. Second spot in the Boys U 14 4X 100 relay was taken by William Sexton,Ian Sheehy, Darren Enright and Shane O Connor. The U 14 Boys U14 Medlley team also pulled off a fine second place in their event, Team: Jack Cotter, Ian Sheehy, Darren Enright and Ryan Maher. In the Girls U14 Long Jump Katie Madden & Emma Sexton took third place. Congratulations to all who took part and made this a wonderful day of sport. Finally a special thank you to Gavin Dillon for huge contribution he made in the preparation for this event.

And we missed some on the track yesterday so here is the full squad photographed today (Higher resolution version available here)