Joy and heartbreak for Offaly schools in Leinster U-16 badminton

CISTERCIAN College, Colaiste Naomh Cormac, Sacred Heart School, and St. Brendan’s Community School travelled to Baldoyle Badminton Centre in Dublin to challenge for a Leinster U16 PPS title. The schools came home with mixed results.

ST. BRENDAN’S CS felt they were the bridesmaid and might never be the bride. For the past two years, the St. Brendan’s U16 girls’ teams have been runner-up in Leinster Division 3. This year was different. St. Brendan’s were drawn in a pool with Kilkenny College and Loretto Foxrock. Against Kilkenny College, Aisling Farrell led off with a win for St. Brendan’s. Siofra Ginty followed with another win. Anna Tierney wasn’t able to match her opponent and lost. Kilkenny College 4^th singles player scored another win against Katelyn Canham to level the score at 2-all going into the doubles.

Aisling and Siofra played as they had in the singles and won first doubles The outcome of the match hinged on second doubles. Despite losing their singles, Anna and Katelyn rose to the occasion and won their doubles, giving St. Brendan’s the march win, 4-2. The match against Loretto Foxrock followed the same pattern. Aisling and Siofra won their singles games. Anna and Katelyn lost to the Loretto players.

Aisling and Siofra won first doubles. Anna and Katelyn finished the match on a high note for St. Brendan’s with another win and another 4-2 victory. As Pool toppers, St. Brendan’s entered the final. St. Brendan’s had honed their skills in a really tough group, and sailed through the final against Loretto Naas, winning all four singles. As time was a constraint, the doubles games were not played. With 4 wins, St. Brendan’s could not be beaten. Persistency pays. After 3 years trying, St. Brendan’s achieved their goal of winning the U16 Division 3 Leinster title.

COLAISTE NAOMH CORMAC boys sailed through their pool in Offaly and the semi-final and final, so spirits were high, until their 1^st singles player, Charlie O’Donoghue, had to withdraw with an ankle injury and was unable to travel. CNC were drawn in a pool with St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, and Patrician’s, Kildare. CNC drew a bye in the first round so could scout their opponents. Patrician’s lost to St. Kieran’s so were CNC’s first opponent. This was a match of 2 halves. Rogan Stirrat, 1^st singles, suffered a heavy loss to his opponent.

Eoin Lambe was down 9-11 at halftime, but managed 9 more points before he lost 18/21, but his score proved crucial to the outcome. Stephen Newton scored a huge 21/6 victory in 3^rd singles and Jayden Flaherty finished with a 21/5 win. Rogan and Eoin teamed up for 1^st doubles, scored well, but not well enough and lost 18/21. Stephen and Jayden played smart in their match, targeting the weaker player and won 21/17 to earn a 3-3 draw. When points were totalled, CNC won 107-91.

With only 3 teams in Division 2, the match against St. Kieran’s became a final, with a place in the All-Ireland series as a prize. Rogan was ahead 11/10 at the changeover in 1^st singles. The two players went point for point in the second half until the score was 20-all. The final point went to St. Kieran’s, 21/20. Eoin was down 9/11 at the changeover, but couldn’t close the gap and lost 17/21. Stephen was leading 11/4 at halftime in 3^rd singles and finished by a big margin, 21/12. Jayden was well back at the changeover, fought back hard, but fell short 17/21. The teams were level on 75 points apiece at the end of singles.

If CNC were going to the All-Ireland, they had to win the two doubles. Rogan and Eoin went point for point with their opponents. The score was 11/10 at the changeover, then CNC surged ahead, but St. Kieran’s fought back to level the score at 20/20 before the last serve. The CNC players steadied their nerves and won, 21/20. Stephen and Jayden were in another point for point game.

First one pair and then the other would go one or two points up. Stephen and Jayden reached the score 20/18. One more point to go, but it was St. Kieran’s that scored the next 3 points to win 21/20. Absolute heartbreak for Colaiste Naomh Cormac players. With 4 wins, St. Kieran’s College would represent Leinster in the All-Ireland.

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CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA competed against teams from Longford and Kildare in their pool of three, one of 4 groups in Division 3 U16 Boys. The team of Ian Chan, Linus Au, Sam Maher, Calum Hunt and Luca McKeogh fought hard and skilfully to secure 2 pool wins and earn a semifinal spot.

Their semifinal opponent from Louth was in a different league altogether. Even though they did their best, they weren’t able to defeat the Louth team. The Cistercian boys can hold their heads high, knowing that the work they have put in training this year has improved their results from the 2023-24 season when they only finished second in their group.

SACRED HEART SCHOOL competed in a pool of four in Division 2. Like CNC, SHS lost one of their starting four with Elizabeth Aubin away on a school exchange. The team of Avrit Machado, Kelly Shirley, Alyannah Martinez, Amna Asif, and Nadana Amilkumar lived on the edge in their first match against CBS Naas. Avrit and Kelly lost 1^st and 2^nd singles, but the post-primary schools competition is a team game and the team won. Amna and Alyannah won their singles, then Avrit and Kelly and Alyannah and Amna teamed to win their doubles, winning 3 of the last 4 games 21/20, to score a 4-2 victory.

Mount Anville, Dublin were next, and set a very high marker which SHS were not able to meet. Mount Anville won 6-0 Scoil Mhuire from Trim were Sacred Heart/s third opponents. Scoil Mhuire fielded very strong girls in 1^st and 3^rd singles, defeating Avrit and Alyannah. Kelly scored a good 21/11 win in second singles and Amna was very competitive in 4^th singles, losing by only 3 points, 21/18. Avrit and Kelly came even closer in 1^st doubles, with the score finishing 21/19 in favour of Scoil Mhuire. Alyannah and Amna finished with a flourish for SHS, winning 21/19. Sacred Heart finished third in their pool.

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The next outing for Offaly Post Primary Schools will be the U14’s on 13 March when Ard Scoil Chiaran boys and Colaiste Naomh Cormac girls will compete in Division 2 and Colaiste Naomh Cormac boys and Sacred Heart School girls will play in Division 3.