Classy Coola PPS retain FAI Schools Connacht title with a powerful victory
Conor Walsh (gk), Ed McGinty (gk) (loan), John Mahon, Reece Hutchison, Nando Pijnaker, John Ross Wilson, Niall Morahan, Will Fitzgerald, Fabrice Hartmann, Kailin Barlow, Stefan Radosavljevic, Wilson Waweru, Simon Power, Connor Malley, Owen Elding, Ellis Chapman (loan), Charlie Wiggett, Ollie Denham (loan).
his most recent additions to the squad – Charlie Wiggett and Ollie Denham – Russell said: “I’m delighted to bring Charlie to the club. He is a player with great attributes, he is at the stage in his career now where he needs first team football, he has had a great football education at Chelsea and Newcastle and comes with plenty of potential and he has a good
COOLA Post Primary School are provincial champions for the second successive season.
On Thursday last the east Sligo secondary school stylishly retained the FAI Schools Junior ‘B’ Girls Connacht Cup trophy with a 5-1 hammering of Galway’s Dunmore Community School at Boyle Celtic’s all-weather pitch.
This decisive victory comes 12 months on from Coola’s 3-1 defeat of Boyle’s Abbey Community College in the FAI Schools Junior ‘B’ Girls Connacht Cup final at MacSharry Park. That was Coola’s first-ever FAI Schools Girls trophy.
Team captain Orlaith Scanlon, who bagged a hat-trick in last year’s provincial final, was inspiring her side again – she scored twice against Dunmore, with Hayley Mullaney, Aoibhin Doherty and Katie Gilligan also on target.
The first of lethal finisher Orlaith Scanlon’s two goals gave Coola a 1-0 interval lead, with the holders later going 5-0 up before a consolation goal from their opponents.
With 16 members of the successful panel from 2022-2023 available for the 2023-2024 season, including the likes of goalkeeper Hannah Hargadon, midfielder Leanne Galvin and striker Orlaith Scanlon, Coola were in a strong position to defend their title in this Girls U-17 competition for small schools.
Two days previously, Tuesday, January 30, the Eamon Bruenmanaged Coola powered past St Joseph’s Secondary School, Foxford, in the provincial semi-final – winning 5-0 at Ballisodare United’s astroturf pitch.
Beaten finalists Dunmore overcame St Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, in last month’s Connacht semi-final that was played in Ballisodare on Thursday, January 25.
Hannah Hargadon, Ava Lyons, Ava Duggan, Grainne Smith, Hayley Mullaney, Leah Mullaney, Leanne Gavin, Orlaith Scanlon, Aoibhin Doherty, Sophia Rose Henry, Aine Mostyn, Katie Gilligan, Aisling Dwyer, Sophie Edwards, Amy Brehony, Clodagh Hannon, Aaleasha Sweeney