It’s Gaynor Cup time
Wexford girls in action in Limerick
NEXT WEEKEND will see 40 players plus managers, coaches, minders and several supporters head to the University of Limerick for this season’s Under-14 and Under-16 Gaynor Cup competitions.
This tournament is the schoolgirl equivalent of the Kennedy Cup and sees most of the schoolgirl leagues in the country compete for the honour of being champions at both these age groups.
Our Under-14s are in a difficult group with Galway and Kildare and kick off their campaign on Thursday at 10 a.m. against the westerners who have competed well in this competition in the past number of years.
At 2 p.m., Wexford will take on Kildare and later that evening should know their fate and where they stand in the group. A good start will mean everything and this squad, under the management of Philip McGrath, are well capable of producing the performances required to get through to the knockout stage of the main competition
Thursday afternoon will see our Under-16s kick off with a difficult game against Cork at 3.30 p.m., followed by two games on Friday against Longford at 11.30 a.m. and North Tipperary at 3.30 p.m., with the final group game on Saturday against Mayo at 10 a.m.
This squad is also capable of big performances and manager Mick Bennett has full confidence in his group of players.
Last Wednesday saw both squads being launched and presented with their gear at a function in the Talbot Hotel which was attended by Lord Mayor of Wexford Frank Staples, County Councillor George Lawlor, as well as representatives of the league.
Everyone involved in the women’s game in the county would like to wish both squads the best of luck, and results will be posted on our league Facebook page over the weekend.
Under-14 squad: Aimee Bates-Crosbie (Kilmore United), Amy Robertson (Courtown Hibs), Caoimhe Cowman (Shelburne), Aideen Foley-Saunders (Seaview United), Aoife Burke (All Blacks), Holly Jenkinson (Arklow Town), Jennah Molloy (St. Leonards), Ciara Rees (All Blacks), Emma Lynch (Courtown Hibs), Lauren McLoughlin (Forth Celtic), Lauren Roche (St. Leonards), Holly Meehan (St. Joseph’s), Jean Kavanagh-Doyle (Courtown Hibs), Lucy Kemple (Carnew F.C.), Shauna McGovern (Tombrack United), Keira Payne (Wexford Youths), Seren Ward (All Blacks), Sarah Carroll (Forth Celtic), Súin Murdiff (Gorey Rangers), Louiza Donnelly (Forth Celtic.
Manager: Philip McGrath, Coaches: James Quinn, Paula Foley-Saunders, Leanne O’Reilly.
Under-16 squad: Aine Behan (Bunclody A.F.C.), Amie Dreelan (Tombrack United), Becky Connaughton (Tombrack United), Eimear Gabbett (St. Leonards), Breda Cushen (Tombrack United), Caitlin Nash (Cloughbawn A.F.C.), Fiona Ryan (St. Leonards), Gemma Corrigan (Curracloe United), Emma Clarke (Forth Celtic), Hollie Sinnott (Forth Celtic), Jenny Canning (New Ross Town), Katie O’Toole (Tombrack United), Kira Bates-Crosbie (Fastnet Rovers), Laura Butler (Cloughbawn A.F.C.), Molly Crawdle (New Ross Town), Shannon McGovern (Tombrack United), Niamh McHugh (Cloughbawn A.F.C.), Niamh Tormey (Forth Celtic), Ruth Hendrick (Wexford Celtic), Sarah Siggins (Forth Celtic).
Manager: Mick Bennett, Coaches: Mike Rafferty, Sadbh McCarthy, Aine Murphy.
Also on the night, the league Under-12 and Under-18 squads were presented with momentos of their recent campaign where both performed well in their relevant competitions, just missing out on qualification for the knockout stages in both competitions.
Under-12 manager Barry Dempsey and coach Paula Foley-Saunders presented their squad with tops, while Under-18 manager Alan Browne presented his players with framed photos of the squad.