Colaiste Naomh Cormac rule in Offaly badminton finals

Offaly Post-Primary Schools converged on Cistercian College Roscrea for the Offaly U14 Boys and Girls competition to select the schools to represent Offaly in the Leinster Post-Primary Schools finals. Seven boys teams and seven girls teams competed for the honour of representing their county.

Boys competition

Colaiste Naomh Cormac A, Aran Kelly, Harry Heffernan-Feighery, Aaron Coady, Rian Gralton and Luke Guinan laid down a marker in Round 1 when they met the Killina team of Conor McEvoy, Ronan Lambe, Seamus Boland, and Dylan Ward. Conor Mc is reckoned to be the strongest U14 player in Offaly, so Aran winning 11/7 was a big surprise.

First doubles was the only other close game, but the Kilcormac boys played a tactical game, aiming most of the shuttles at Conor’s partner and winning 11/8. Cistercian College Roscrea, Harunari Agata, Pedro Ahumada, Kento Yamada, Diego Baron, Junta Kakiyama, Fernando Guillot and Augusto Lahore met St. Brendan’s CS team of John Fogarty, Jack Maher, MacDarragh Kennedy, and Daniel Taiwo.

Only 4^th singles caused any tension. Diego and Daniel battled point for point, one going ahead and then the other until the score stood at 10 all. Diego managed to score the final point for an 11/10 win. All the other games were very one-sided, with CCR winning 1^st singles, 3^rd singles and 1^st doubles for their 4 wins and Jack winning 2^nd singles and Jack and Daniel claiming 2^nd doubles for St. Brendan’s 2 wins.

Ard Scoil Chiaran Naofa, Clara, and Banagher College Colaiste Na Sionna played out another 4-2 match. Ross Byrne, ASCN outscored Kieran Butler, BCCNS in 1^st singles. Max Fitzgerald, BCCNS leveled the match for his team with a win against Tom Gaffey in 2^nd singles. Mícheal Hogan put BCCNS ahead in 3^rd singles, winning against Zach Cul. BCCNS were on a roll. That came to an abrupt halt when Ross and Tom scored the final point in 1^st doubles against Kieran and Max. However, victory was short lived when Zach and Eamon lost to Mícheal and Joe, BCCNS.

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The Colaiste Naomh Cormac team of Fiachra Buckley, Harry Bracken, Jack Gleeson and Tomás Roche finally got to play in Round 2 against St. Brendan’s. Fiachra just slipped past St. Brendan’s John 11/9. Jack levelled the score against Harry H with a win in 2^nd singles. Jack G. defeated MacDarragh to put CNC B back in front. Fourth singles was the game of the match. After exchanging points throughout the game, Tomás managed the last point against Daniel, 11/10. The two schools split the doubles, leaving CNC B with another 4-2 victory.

CCR were up next against Killina. Conor Mc showed his real strength with a big win against Harunari. Then CCR sprinted past Killina with Augusto, Kento, and Fernando all winning their singles. If 4-2 was the match score of the day, 11/10 was a reoccurring game score with nearly 1 in every match. Conor and Seamus, Killina, and Harunari and Augusto fought out the game in this match, with Conor and Seamus finally scoring the winning pointy for Killina, 11/10.

When CCR won 2^nd doubles, the match score was CCR 4, Killina 2. When CNC A scored another 6-0 win against ASCN, it was apparent, CNC A were on their way to the top of the table. CNC B and BCCNS produced another 4-2 match score. CNC B romped through the first 3 singles with 3 big wins. Kyle, BCCNS stopped the romp with a big win in 4^th singles. Again the doubles split between the two teams with Fiachra and Harry B winning 1^st for CNC B, and Max and Kyle winning 2nd for BCCNS. And another 4-2 victory. This time victory went to St. Brendan’s.

Conor Mc led off for Killina with a big win, but Jack, MacDarragh, and Daniel followed with wins for St. Brendan’s. Conor took control of 1^st doubles, covering more than his share of the court and produced a win for Killina. St. Brendan’s finished the match with another win.

CCR met ASCN and the match produced a different results. CCR managed wins in 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd singles before ASCN scored a win in 4^th singles. CCR roared back with wins in the two doubles, giving them a 5-1 victory.

After 3 rounds, with CNC A leading, it was apparent that 2^nd place would be fought between Cistercian College, Colaiste Naomh Cormac B, and St. Brendan’s. The CNC B match v Killina led off with a game that had teammates holding their breath. Fiachra from CNC B took the game to Conor Mc, catching him out on some long and some short shots and returning smash after smash, but Conor got the final point for Killina, 11/10.

CNC B went on to win the next 3 singles and the first doubles before Ronan and Dylan, Killina, managed an 11/9 win against Jack and Tomás for CNC B. Another 4-2 match score for CNC B. CNC A met BCCNS and continued their march to the top of the table with a 6-0 win. ASCN v St. Brendan’s produced the first drawn match of the day. St. Brendan’s started well, winning 1^st and 2^nd singles. In 3^rd singles, Zach, ASCN, scored a cliff-hanger win against MacDarragh, 11/10. Tom, ASCN, won 4^th singles to level the score at 2-all. Ross and Tom won 1^st doubles for ASCN, and Jack and Daniel replied with a win in 2^nd doubles for St. Brendan’s, match score 3-3.

The match neither team wanted, CNC B v CNC A led off the 5^th round. CNC B needed a good results to stay in the hunt for 2^nd, but CNC A had to win to hang on to the top spot. The singles went as expected with CNC A winning the 4 singles. Them Fiachra and Harry B caused an upset when Aran and Harry H made a mistake on the last shot of the game and CNC B won 11/10. CNC A finished with a win in 2^nd doubles, 5-1 to CNC A. Killina and ASCN played out another 5-1 match. Zach defeated Seamus for the win for ASCN. Even though ASCN played a stronger sub with Tom in 1^st doubles, they were unable to win. CCR made a strong bid for 2^nd sport with a 6-0 victory against BCCNS. CCR took chances in the doubles, playing subs Pedro and Diego with Harunari and Kento, but the subs were strong enough to win. CNC B made one slip-up against ASCN, when Tom defeated Tomás in 4^th singles. CNC B scored a 5-1 victory. CCR met CNC A in round 6. This match would go a long way towards who finished 2^nd.

St. Brendan’s had slipped back, and the race was between CCR and CNC B. CNC A did their best for CNC B. First doubles was the most competitive game, with Harunari and Augusto scoring 7 against Aran and Harry H. Match score, CNC A 6-0. The St. Brendan’s v BCCNS match featured 3 very close games. In 1^st singles, John from St. Brendan’s scored the final point to win 11/10 against Kyle, BCCNS. Max did the same for BCCNS, outscoring Daniel 11/10. Kyle and Noé fought hard against John and MacDarragh, St. Brendan’s, but came up short 9/11. After splitting the singles, St. Brendan’s won both doubles to score a 4-2 victory.

The crunch match for 2^nd place between CNC B and CCR was the 1^st match in round 7. Coming into the match, CCR had 19 points and CNC B had 18 points on the leader board. CNC B had to win 4 games to finish 2^nd, but a 3-3 draw would see CCR through. Fiachra got CNC B off with a win against Harunari. When Augusto, Fernando, and Kento won the next 3 for CCR the writing was on the wall. Fiachra and Harry H stepped up for CNC B and won 1^st doubles, but even the draw escaped them when CCR won 2^nd doubles 11/7.

CCR finished the day’s play with 23 points and the Runners-up trophy and a place in Leinster Division 3, and CNC B finished 3^rd. CNC A finished against St. Brendan’s with a 6-0 win to claim the top spot in the Pool and a place in Division 2 Leinster with 35 of a possible 36 points. Killina and BCCNS threw up some interesting results. Killina won 1^st and 2^nd singles and the two doubles. Banagher won 3^rd and 4^th singles. Killina’s 4-2 win left them level with St. Brendan’s on 15 points and a tie for 4^th place, and BCCNS’s 2 points kept them off the bottom of the table with 8 points, the same as ASCN, and a tie for 6^th place.

Girls competition

Ard Scoil Chiaran Naofa, Clara, and Killina led off the Girls’ competition. Amber Weir, ASCN sealed the win in 1^st singles against Lily Bracken, Killina, 11/9. Megan Dolan scored another win for ASCN in 2^nd singles against Isabelle Willis, Killina. Anna Corroon, started to level the score for Killina with a big win against Oliwia Reszko, and Aisling Ryan, Killina, split the doubles for the two teams with an 11/7 win against Inese Szulik. Lily and Isabelle, Killina, proved 2 are stronger than 1, winning 1^st doubles, even though both had lost their singles. Amelija Pozniakovaite Lowry substituted for Aisling, and playing with Anna, won 2^nd doubles, earning Killina a 4-2 win. Other players for ASCN are Mila Baggot and Riley Stones. Kyra Digan was a second sub for Killina.

In their first match, St. Brendan’s let it be known, they were a serious contender for Top of the Table. The team of Linda Mullally, Aoife Maher, Ellie Meagher, Ellen Magan and Maebh Maloney were one point short of a clean sweep in their first match against Banagher College Colaiste Na Sionna. Emily Stauntom, Emanuella Souza, Vydehi Vidvod, Rama Hameda Alabad, and subs Leah Donnelly and Isobella Killen did their best but only Rama was successful, scoring an 11/10 win on the last point of the game. Final match score, 5-1 to St. Brendan’s.

Sacred Heart A met Sacred Heart B in the school’s first round. Sacred Heart A, Ailish, Georgina, Saoirse, and Spruna made a clean sweep of their games against Sacred Heart B, Elsa, Emily, Lillian, and Abigail. Ailish and Georgina had to work hard for their win against Elsa and Emily, finally scoring the 11^th point on the last stroke of the game for an 11/10 win.

Colaiste Naomh Cormac added their name to the list of teams that came to challenge for the number 1 sport. Michaela Moloney, Anna Reams, Emma Hanlon, and Ciara Collins met Killina in their 1^st match. Anna and Amelija did their best to score a victory for Killina, reaching 10 points. Emma and Ciara had to use all their skill and craft to score the 11^th point to secure 6 wins for CNC. In the SHS A v St. Brendan’s match, Spruha, SHS A defeated Ellen to secure a win in 4^th singles for SHS A. Linda and Maebh, St. Brendan’s struggled in 1^st doubles but won in the end, just, 11/10. Match score, 5-1 to Birr.

ASCN and SHS B split their singles matches. Amber in 1^st and Megan in 4^th won for ASCN. Emily in 2^nd and Lillian in 3^rd won for SHS B. When ASCN won both doubles games, the match finished 4-2 in favour of ASCN. Banagher College managed to take 1 singles game from CNC in their match. CNC won 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd singles. Isabella, BCCNS defeated 4^th singles, Lily-Mae, CNC, before CNC won the two doubles. Match score, 5-1 to CNC. Killina used 2 new players in singles against SHS B. Anna and Aisling, Killina, defeated Elsa and Emily, SHS B. Amelija, Killina, in her first singles game, met Lillian, SHS B, and after a tight game, scored an 11/9 win. Abigail for SHS B, in 4^th singles, defeated Kyra, Killina. Anna and Amelia, Killina, scored a big win in 1^st doubles. Emily and Lillian, SHS B, slipped past Aisling and Kyra, Killina, on another last stroke of the game, to score a second win for SHS B, 11/10. Match score, Killina 4, SHS B 2.

St. Brendan’s scored another 6-0 match win against ASCN. Oliwig in 4^th singles, was best for ASCN, scoring 9 points against Maeve, St. Brendan’s. CNC badly needed another 6-0 win when they met SHS B if they were to keep up with St. Brendan’s. It took Emma, covering most of the court in 2^nd doubles, when she played with Lily-Mae, to secure the magic 6 for CNC. The closest game was 4^th singles when Abby, SHS B, scored 8 points against Ciara, CNC.

SHS A scored 6 wins to keep up with St. Brendan’s and CNC when they met Banagher College. BCCNS challenged strongly in 3^rd singles, but Saoirse held strong to outscore Isabella 11/9, ad Saoirse and Spruha, SHS A defeated Isabella and Vydehi BCCNS 11/8.

Killina were St. Brendan’s next challengers. Anna from Killina led off with a win against Linda, St. Brendan’s Birr responded by winning 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th singles. When Maebh and Linda squeaked past Anna and Aisling, a lucky, 11/10, St. Brendan’s won both doubles to finish with a 5-1 victory.

CNC took to the court next to see how they would do against SHS A. Michaela, CNC, did well to score and 11/9 win against Ailish. Georgina levelled the score for SHS A with a win against Anna. Emma, CNC bounced back with a win in 3^rd singles. When Spiuha, SHS A outscored Ciara in 4^th singles, it looked like a draw was on the cards. When Michaela and Anna, CNC won 1^st doubles against Ailish and Georgina 11/9, and Emma and Ciara went on to win, CNC finished 4-2 ahead.

The next match was St. Brendan’s to pull away from the pack. St. Brendan’s did what they had to do to stay on top. The only close game in the match was 4^th singles when Maebh, St. Brendan’s, defeated Abigail, SHS B, 11/9. Birr finished with a perfect 6-0 score.

Banagher College met ASCN in one of the most competitive matches of the day. ASCN started well when Megan had a huge win against Rama, BCCNS. Then the tide turned. Emily, BCCNS worked hard to defeat Mila, ASCN, 11/9. Leah, BCCNS, had to work extra hard and have luck on her side, to win 11/10 against Inese, ASCN. Then Isabella, BCCNS had a big win against Olivia, ASCN in 4^th singles. First doubles was ASCN’s turn to shine. Megan and Mila gave the match everything and scored the 2^nd win for ASCN, 11/10 against Rama and Emily. Banagher College stepped up again to win 2^nd doubles when Leah and Isabella defeated Inese and Olivia. Final score, 4-2 to BCCNS.

Now came the real test match for the top, Colaiste Naomh Cormac v St. Brendan’s. Michaela led off for CNC and scored and 11/8 win over Linda. Anna, CNC, followed with another 11/8 win against Aoife, St. Brendan’s. CNC rolled on, with Emma outscoring Ellie, St. Brendan’s, 11/7. Then Ellen grabbed the headlines for St. Brendan’s, winning 11/8 against Ciara. Meabh, St. Brendan’s, subbed for Ellen in 1^st doubles, but Michaela and Anna, CNC, showed no mercy, winning by a huge score. Second doubles was very tense and exciting. Emma and Ciara went up. Aoife and Ellie, St. Brendan’s fought back. They went up and Emma and Ciara fought back. The score was 10-all, this point would decide the game. Aoife and Ellie made a mistake. Match to CNC, 5-1. CNC crept ahead of St. Brendan’s on the table.

St. Brendan’s were finished with their matches, and with 28 points could only watch CNC and Sacred Heart A play. Sacred Heart School A was a few games further back behind the two leaders. Sacred Heart A met ASCN, and made sure others did not overtake them. Sacred Heart A were impressive, never allowing more than 7 points in any one game. SHS A 6, ASCN 0.

Killina, middle of the table, met Banagher College, fighting to stay off the bottom. Killina were ruthless. Anna, Killina, led off with a big win against Emanuelle, BCCNS. Isabelle, Killina, followed, allowing only 1 more point that Anna had. Lilly scored the third win for Killina against Emily, BCCNS. Isabella, BCCNS, changed the match direction with a win against Kyra, Killina. When Killina won the two doubles matches, the score finished 5-1 in favour of Killina. Going into the last round, St. Brendan’s were on top, 28 points, but had finished their programme. CNC were in second on 27, and SHS A were in 3^rd on 20. Even if Sacred Heart won all 6 games, they wouldn’t catch St. Brendan’s. CNC had to win at least 2 games against ASCN to jump ahead of St. Brendan’s.

CNC met ASCN. Even though ASCN fought hard, and scored 9 points in 2^nd singles and 1^st mixed, CNC sealed their position at the top with a 6-0 win.

SHS A v Killina was the last match played. Even if SHS A took all 6 games, they would only have 26 points, so couldn’t catch St. Brendan’s. When the final match score was totalled, SHS A and Killina each had 3 wins. SHS A won 2^nd singles 11/7 and 4^th singles 11/9, Killina won 1^st singles 11/7 and 3^rd singles 11/4. The two doubles were super competitive. Ailish and Georgina, SHS A defeated Anna and Lilly 11/10. But, to secure a 3-all draw, Isabelle and Amelija, Killina, scored an 11/10 win against Saoirse and partner. Colaiste Naomh Cormac finished on 32 wins to secure the winners trophy and a place in Division 2 Leinster. St. Brendan’s finished 4 points behind, the difference in scores in their head to head, on 28 points to secure the Runners-up spot and a place in Division 3 Leinster. Sacred Heart School A finished in 3^rd on 23 points.

Coming events

Colaiste Naomh Cormac, Cistercian College Roscrea, and St. Brendan’s U14 teams will be playing in Dublin on March 5. The U16 teams, St. Brendan’s, Cistercian College, and Colaiste Naomh Cormac will be in Dublin the 26^th of February. The big event for Offaly will be the National School competition in Mucklagh on the 22^nd of February.