Loreto’s talented U16s complete Ulster double

Loreto College Cavan were crowned Ulster Post Primary School U-16 A football champions for the third consecutive year after an exhilarating game against their familiar foes Our Lady’s Castleblaney.

The Monaghan side started off strong as they opened the game with the first score from a free.

Loreto weren’t long to answer with Katie O’Meara equalling with an impressive 25 yard free.

The Cavan Town school kept their scoreboard ticking over with Katie O’Meara and Kate Fegan registering five points between them.

Castleblaney answered this with a score of their own in a tense first half where scores were proving very hard to come by, but Cavan Gaels’ Rebecca Boyle-Drought hit the roof of the net in the 26 minute to give Loreto a margin of breathing space.

The Monaghan side responded well as they closed out the first half with their third point of the game to leave the half time score 1-05 to 0-03 to the Cavan side.

The second half started off at a rapid pace as the two teams felt an Ulster title was within both of their grasps.

However it was the Loreto side who started to pull away with Captain Sarah Clarke and Clodagh Clarke both hitting the back of the net in quick succession to give Loreto a healthy advantage.

Castleblaney displayed tremendous character by coming back and added another four points. But with the Loreto defence in fantastic form they provided a great platform for their attack to flourish.

Lauren Miney was in fine form and contributed to the ticking scoreboard in both supplying and finishing scores. With the win secure Ruby Gilmartin and Cait O’Reilly bagged goals, while captain Sarah Clarke scored her second. A comprehensive win was sealed the win for the Cavan side and complete the U16A and U20A double for the third year in a row.

Katie O’Meara deservedly lifted the player of the match after a fantastic display of football for her school.