Maynooth 1st year girls football team got their hands on their first piece of silverware this year when they won the inaugural Leinster Regional 1st Year Blitz in Moyglare on Thursday. With competing teams from Scoil Dara, Kilcock; Scoil Mhuire, Clane; Cholaiste Ciarán, Leixlip; St Joseph's, Lucan and Ashbourne Community School there was no end of talent on show. Maynooth got off to a great start winning their first game 4-7 to 2-3 against Kilcock, with scores coming from Ava Cullen, Eimear Quinn, Niamh Hayes, Sophie Monaghan, Teigan McGonagle and Molly Berns. In the second game of the day Maynooth overcame Clane 4-6 to no score with Naoise De Faoite getting in on the goal scoring to comfortably top the group. In the semi-finals Maynooth were up against Ashbourne Community School, who were physically much stronger than the Maynooth girls, but that didn't stop their skill coming through, eventually winning out on scoreline of 5-5 to 2-2. In the final they came up against a very good St Joseph's team. The first half was evenly contested with Maynooth up by 2 points at half time, 1-3 to 1-1. In the second half, the girls showed their character and drove forward at every opportunity, despite the heavy legs, and eventually got over line with a scoreline of 5-5 to 1-1, Ava Cullen topping the scoring with 3-3. The shield wasn't the only silverware coming back to Maynooth with the girls making a clean sweep in all competitions. Ava Cullen won the skills competition with a fantastic time of 34 seconds and Niamh Hayes was awarded overall Player of the Tournament. Well done to all the girls on their hard work over the day, they were thoroughly deserving winners. Hopefully they will bring the momentum onto next Friday's u14 Leinster quarter-final, where they play St Mary's, Naas.
A big thanks also to all the 5th year students who helped out on the day with the shop, skills competition and officiating!
Panel: Deirdre Hensey, Isabella Maher, Cliodhna Breathach, Roisin Howley, Eve Heslin, Orla Ni Mhaoinigh, Molly Berns, Niamh Hayes, Teigan McGonagle, Ava Cullen, Naoise De Faoite, Eimear Quinn, Sophie Monaghan, Alicia Sankay, Amy Mone, Phoenix Killean Fox, Orla Doyle, Mia Daly, Hannah Carroll, Caoimhe Walsh, Nicola Basson, Emily Travers, Carmelina Thornton.