Dalriada School girls poised for All-Ireland Glory

This is the fourth time in as many years that the two teams will meet to contest the coveted All-Ireland Title.

The Dalriada Girls are made up of a mixture of Year 13 and 14 students and they will be hoping to overturn the past few results that have went St. Mary’s way.

The team, captained by international player Isy Ross, will be hoping to earn a fourth All-Ireland title for the school.

Isy admits that there is a great spirit in the squad and her team are hopeful of bringing the trophy north of the border despite the long journey to the game in Naas, Dublin.

Head coach at the School Dr Ian Walker admits that the game will be tough given the fact that it is being played closer to the opposition and both schools produce some of the finest young players for their respective international teams.

However he adds, “our girls are in high spirits and have worked well together since September for their school and their club.

More recently many have also represented Northern Ireland at the Small Nations European Championships over Easter.”

Dalriada wish our girls all the best in their quest for a fourth All-Ireland Title.

Meanwhile the tension is now mounting for the Year 12 Volleyballers of Dalriada School with the pending All-Ireland Intermediate Final.

Year 12 Captain, Jill Leslie will be keen to avoid the same defeat that the senior girls suffered last week at the hands of St. Mary’s in Dublin.

This time the opponents will be St. Raphael’s from Galway and the game will be played in Lisnaksea, Co. Fermanagh, half way between the two schools.

Both sets of players remain unbeaten in their respective leagues all season and both have played the best school in Irish Girls Volleyball, St. Mary’s, and beat them by almost the exact same margin.

The coaches at the school Dr Ian Walker and Miss Rachel Montgomery have worked tirelessly with these girls for two years now and they admit that the team has the skill, toughness and tenacity to bring the McDonald Cup North of the Border again.

Dr Walker says “this is arguably the best chance we have had in years to win the McDonald Cup for a third time and we go into the game with high hopes.”